Brain Games adapted to Children’s potential in Chile

Thanks to the support of a DRCLAS Collaborative Research Grant, Professor Stephanie Jones and her dedicated research team at the Ecological Approaches to Social Emotional Learning Lab (EASEL Lab) embarked on a transformative journey. Together with the Kiri Foundation, they developed a pilot adaptation of the Brain Games, a methodology to improve executive function. This collaborative effort was designed to enhance executive functions in boys and girls, bolstering their local development in diverse regions in Chile. By incorporating relevant cultural elements, the program ensured its local relevance and implementation, making each member of the diverse community an integral part of this initiative.

The joint work, spanning 2023 and 2024, yielded remarkable results. Tests were conducted in regions as diverse as the Metropolitan and La Araucanía, where local teams were selected to collaborate on the project. This led to the creation of local adaptations to class plans, incorporating recreational methodologies to strengthen cognitive skills. The outcome? A stronger bond between students and their monitors, and most importantly, a significant improvement in their cognitive abilities. This inspiring progress was a testament to the power of collaboration with Fundación Kiri and the potential for positive change.

This decentralization was essential for adapting the games to the specific needs of each community and guaranteeing their effectiveness in diverse contexts, thus expanding the positive impact of this initiative in education. The results of the concrete work in March 2024, which demonstrated the significant positive impact of the adapted Brain Games, were presented at the CIES (Comparative & International Education Society) 2024 education congress in Miami, further validating the success of the collaborative efforts.

This virtuous collaboration allowed the exchange of knowledge and the development of new lines of research, with the following objectives:

1. To evaluate the effectiveness of the adapted and contextualized program (Brain Games) on the behavior and brain functioning of the students (in collaboration with the Neuroscience Center of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)
2. To adapt and contextualize other kernel’s components, a methodology to develop socio-emotional learning
3. To adapt SEL instruments for behavioral measurements, and SEL Kernels

Oct 8, 2024 Harvard Worldwide Week Highlights Chilean Collaboration on Social-Emotional Learning through Robotics and Neuroscience