In an increasingly complex and heterogeneous school context, where teachers are called upon to respond to a plurality of educational needs and individual specificities, the professionalism of the teacher stands out for its growing complexity. This demands specific skills to promote inclusive educational practices and supporting dynamics oriented towards the relational and emotional well-being of individuals and the class (Aiello & Sibilio, 2018; De Vivo et al., 2022; Mura, 2019).

In this regard, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) becomes relevant, an intricate set of skills useful for recognizing and regulating emotions, establishing positive and lasting relationships, understanding others' perspectives, making responsible decisions, and adequately addressing interpersonal relationships (CASEL, 2003). These skills are fundamental for the individual and social growth of students, as well as for the professional development of teachers (Bombieri, 2021; Morganti, 2018).

Despite the increasing importance of the construct within Italian educational contexts, initial and in-service training courses for curriculum and specialized teachers reveal a limited presence of pathways aimed at acquiring socio-emotional skills. These skills, akin to disciplinary and didactic ones, contribute to defining and enriching the identity and professional profile of teachers.

In the international literature, there is also a clear prevalence of intervention models oriented towards students, where the teacher's role is defined exclusively in relation to their ability to implement socio-emotional education paths for the class (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009). Few, indeed, are the contributions that have examined the outcomes of training programs aimed at teachers on developing socio-emotional skills and the role that these acquisitions can play in their professional growth and development (Blewitt et al., 2020; Gimbert et al., 2023; Mura et al., 2023).

In light of these considerations, the contribution presents an exploratory study, an integral part of a broader participatory action research project framed from a transformative perspective. It involves a group of specialized teachers from schools at all levels. Through the use of focus groups, the study explores their perceptions and experiences regarding the role of Social and Emotional Learning in teaching-learning processes and professional development.

The goal is to develop an intervention model that draws upon teachers' educational experiences to promote the learning and development of socio-emotional skills.

While universities in Canada recently released equity-based policies, a need for institutional-wide approaches that rethink normative practices exists. As a woman in leadership, this presentation addresses narrative inquiry for deep knowledge of institutions, communities, and global social justice. The presentation shares stories of leadership and innovation, despite the barriers that prevent such innovation to succeed. The use of dialogic knowledge allow narratives to push up against power, privilege and policies that require necessary innovation for the public good.

‘Black Swans,’ ‘stealing bandwidth’, ‘impossible structures’, ‘hidden figures’ – these are metaphors that emerge in pursuing excellence in equity. They constitute the ‘plot’ of my narrative inquiry as a mathematics educator/administrator who is also a settler-immigrant-Canadian. The metaphors provide a tool for experiential work and activism in shifting more equitable and hospitable programmatic spaces.

As a queer/gay scholar, I employ an intersectional lens, interweaving threads of identity and privilege. I embody an activist-academic role, pursuing excellence in equity while shouldering the emotional labour inherent to such work. I navigate academic spaces still saturated with heteronormativity. My narratives challenge/resist the entrenched norms of the academy, in sculpting a more inclusive and just scholarly world.

Education settings remain unprepared to address academic integrity issues associated with AI use of student assessment data. This presentation addresses assessment challenges by proposing evidence-based policy considerations for student assessment systems towards excellence in equity during this technological revolution.