Conflict Resolution Education: , Models, Relationships to other

FieldsTricia S. Jones, Ph.D.

Dept. of Psychological StudiesCollege of Education

Temple UniversityTel/fax: 215-204-7261/6013; e-mail: tsjones@temple.edu

Contents of CREProgram Components

• An understanding of conflict

• principles of conflict resolution

• process steps in problem solving

• skills required to use each of the steps effectively

Content of CREEssential Skills and Abilities’

• orientation abilities

• perception abilities

• emotional abilities

• communication abilities

• creative-thinking abilities

• critical thinking abilities

CRE Program Models

• Process curriculum approach

• Mediation program approach

• Peaceable classroom approach

• Peaceable school approach

Relationship of CRE to Other Fields

Social and EmotionalLearning

Violence Prevention

Anti-BiasEducation

Law-RelatedEducation

Conflict Resolution Education

Peace andJustice Studies

Violence Prevention

• VP is more limited in scope• VP tends to focus more on systemic causes of

violence than CRE• VP emphasizes policy change while CRE

emphasizes individual skill building and community education

• VP programs usually focus on structural and equipment interventions

• VP programs more linked with “risk” behaviors/ substance abuse, sexual activity

Social and Emotional Learning

• SEL focuses more on general emotional competence

• conflict management skills are related but lesser focus; conflict competence is a strongly related area, especially at later ages

• SEL programs are geared more toward younger K-5 students

Anti-Bias Education

• ABE focuses on cross-cultural awareness

• ABE concentrates on prejudice reduction and appreciation for diversity

• ABE has strong hate crime prevention elements

• ABE examines the systemic roots of oppression and strategizing to dismantle them

Law-Related Education

• LRE explores the foundations and processes of law and legal institutions

• LRE focuses on the full spectrum of conflict management that overlaps with law and legal institutions

Peace Education

• PE focuses more on international conflict areas and institutional response to institutional conflict

• PE and Justice Studies are usually more concerned with societal level change processes necessary to avoid destructive conflict

• PE and Justice Studies often take a strongly transformative approach rather than a skills-development or interpersonal relationship emphasis