This interdisciplinary project, developed by UniDistance Suisse and the HEP-VS, aims to strengthen socio-emotional skills, executive functions, and “living together” competencies in schools in the canton of Valais, in line with the Plan d’études romand (PER). The project focuses on the use of board games as innovative socio-emotional learning (SEL) tools for preadolescents, a developmental period during which opportunities for free play tend to decrease despite important social and emotional transitions.
The project builds on the “chEERS Games”, a set of board games designed by psychologists and game experts based on current affective science theories. Combining expertise from psychology, special education, and teacher education, the project has two main objectives: (1) to conduct advanced analyses of previously collected data from students in Valais to better understand the links between executive functions, emotional competencies, group dynamics, and game performance; and (2) to support the transfer of these research-based SEL tools into everyday classroom practice through teacher training and implementation.
Teachers from HEP-VS will be trained in the practical use of the games and will provide feedback on their usability and implementation in classrooms. This collaboration will contribute to the development of an optimized version of the chEERS Games, including a pedagogical guide for teachers in Valais.
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