KERNELSFOLIO: A customized eportfolio to build social-emotional learning for elementary schoolers

Project Name

Customization of Eportfolio for Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum

Project Description

In collaboration with the EASEL Lab (Ecological Approaches to Social Emotional Learning), CAST is developing a customized eportfolio to support after-school educators in implementing a social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum. “Kernels” are quick activities designed by the EASEL Lab to support the development of SEL skills, such as getting along with peers, problem solving, managing emotions, and goal setting. Kernels can be used by classroom teachers, after-school staff, and parents.

Educators will use the KERNELSFOLIO tool to document their usage of kernels and provide feedback to the research team to help refine and improve each activity.

How it works:

1. Teacher logs into KERNELSFOLIO to review the day’s challenge: Try the kernel called “5-4-3-2-1” to support mindfulness in students.
2. Teacher leads students through deep breaths, and then in pairs or small groups, students share five things they can see, four things they can touch, three things they can hear, two things they can smell, and one thing they can taste.
3. Teacher uploads photos or videos and text to document the activity, provides feedback by answering questions about the activity, and submits their challenge response in KERNELSFOLIO. Teachers also identify the competencies they believe the activity helped build.
4. Research team analyzes challenge feedback in KERNELSFOLIO and iterates on the design of kernels to better support the development of social-emotional learning skills.

Timeline

2024-2026

Funder/s

U.S. Department of Education, Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Program, through a grant to the EASEL Lab at Harvard University

Partner/s

Contact

For more information about this project, please email Alison Kent.