Social and emotional learning in Colombian preservice teacher education: A national curriculum mapping study

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is widely recognized as a core component of educational quality and student development. Teachers play a central role in fostering SEL in schools; however, the extent to which SEL is formally embedded in preservice teacher education systems remains insufficiently examined, particularly in the Global South. Understanding how teacher education programs incorporate SEL at a structural level is essential for informing policy, accreditation, and curricular reform. This study examined the formal integration of SEL into mandatory curricula of undergraduate preservice teacher education programs in Colombia through a national curriculum mapping approach. Course titles from 385 programs were coded to identify explicit (ESEL) and implicit (ISEL) references to SEL domains. Results indicate weak formal institutionalization: only 21% of programs include at least one mandatory course explicitly referencing SEL, while 54.3% include at least one implicitly related course. Explicit integration is strongly concentrated in early childhood education and unevenly distributed across disciplines and regions. Accreditation status shows only marginal differences (21.1% in accredited vs. 18.9% in non-accredited programs). These findings reveal a gap between policy recognition of SEL and its structural incorporation into preservice teacher education, underscoring the need for clearer curricular expectations and stronger alignment between accreditation frameworks and systemic SEL goals, to support more systemic and equitable implementation. Impact Statement Social and emotional learning (SEL) is widely promoted in Colombian education policy, yet this study shows that only 21% of preservice teacher education programs require an explicit SEL course. Although over half include implicitly related content, integration is uneven across disciplines, regions, and accreditation status. By mapping mandatory curricula nationwide, this research highlights a structural gap between policy aspirations and teacher preparation. The findings offer actionable evidence for policymakers, accreditation agencies, and universities seeking to strengthen systemic and equitable SEL integration in preservice teacher education, ensuring that all future teachers are prepared to support students’ social, emotional, and academic development.