In recent decades, emotions have become an integral part of a holistic conception of humanity resulting in the so-called “emotional turn” at the beginning of the 21^stcentury in the social sciences, arts and humanities. Emotions are, therefore, not only linked to reason or rational thinking; they are defined as a necessary precondition of “high level cognitive skills” (meta-competences) (Izard 2009, Barrett 2015). These developments question traditional ideas of learning and teaching and highlight new perspectives for empirical and theoretical investigations in the field of education and schooling. Despite the gradually growing number of studies related to the issue of education and emotion in Europe, overlooking the past view years, the discourse about the resulting consequences for professional development and a related learning and teaching culture in education has only just begun (Schultz/Pekrun 2007, Huber/Krause 2018).  

Accordingly this two-part symposium pursues a double objective: On the one hand current empirical investigations in the context of education and emotion will illustrate the imperative need for rethinking of school development, teacher education, professional development, and education policies, concerning a holistic image of humanity education leaders should take into account. In particular innovative research designs and their latest findings from ten researchers of five different countries across Europe will exemplify the significance of emotions for teaching and learning and their implications for prospective improvements in schools and school systems. On the other hand all contributions within the tow-part symposium will be related to each other and will focus on the critical discourse and its wide-ranging consequences about the relevance of emotions in our lives and leaning histories: Emotions respectively emotion theories illuminates that the facilitation of inclusive education and the communication of adaptive knowledge – as an interdependent relation – need a holistic perspective on the idea of men:

Therefore and in consideration of the 2018 conference theme the first presentation of this consecutive and interwoven two-part symposium will illustrate (1) that emotions play a major role in processes of social inclusion and exclusion in schools. The results of a multi-method empirical study will examine the complex interplay between social dynamics of exclusion and emotional distress, proving once more the great necessity of a positive learning environment in schools. Consequently the second presentation will highlight (2) the significance of fostering positive emotions and reducing negative emotions in schools. The latest findings of a combined intervention-study make clear that promoting positive emotions definitely requires teacher involvement and participation on a multi-level perspective. Thus the third presentation will discuss (3) the emotional dimensions of teacher’s professional action. An interdisciplinary, exploratory study underlines how emotions structure the interactions between teachers and students. The results will illustrate moreover how teachers develop a professional perspective by using emotional labour. The follow-up question of (4) how teachers can benefit from an emotion-based perspective in their professional development will be answered by the forth presentation, a large scale study considering nine different countries. Illustrating the development of continuing teacher education the presentation underlines the substantial role of emotion for school development processes. Consequently the fifth presentation will highlight (5) that emotions in general can be seen as the crucial key factor for school development processes. The findings of a longitudinal study emphasize that a multilevel consideration of emotions greatly assists with structural problems in the context of schooling. This major assumption (6) will be discussed for schools and individuals in the concluding presentation focusing on the significance of emotions for educational biographies and adaptive knowledge development. The results of this participatory, multi-method study will finally illuminate that a prospective school culture has to take a holistic image of humanity into account.

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