2022 Virtual Conference of the WERA Extended Education Network

The aim of the 2022 Virtual WERA Extended Education Conference is to showcase and discuss extended education throughout the pandemic and the parallel crises of global warming, economic instability, and the war in Ukraine. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the fragility of school systems with school and afterschool closures and the onset of virtual learning. Throughout this time, the importance of a variety of social emotional skills including student engagement, resiliency and well-being were revealed. As schools returned to in-person learning, educators, youth workers, and administrators needed to prepare themselves for increased student mental health issues, decreased academic proficiency, and an influx of students who have experienced trauma. To address these issues, we must develop innovative, mixed-methods approaches to learning in hopes of caring for and educating students in this time of crises. This conference provides a platform for educational researchers and extended education professionals to collaborate and develop new strategies and approaches to learning, development, and thriving.