When Feelings Power Learning: What Yale’s New SEL Data Means for Classrooms, and How MindLabs Brings It to Life

We’ve all seen it happen: the student who knows the material cold but freezes on test day, or the one who beams with confidence after finally solving a tricky challenge because a classmate cheered them on. Those moments are more than anecdotes, they’re neuroscience.

A new study from the Yale School of Medicine confirms what educators have long felt in their hearts: social-emotional learning (SEL) doesn’t just make kids “feel good.” It measurably boosts academic performance.

Researchers analyzed 40 SEL programs involving more than 33,000 students in grades 1–12, and found that students who participated showed an average 4-percentile-point gain in achievement; programs that ran a full school year saw gains double to 8 points. Literacy improved by 6.3 points and math by 3.8 points. (EdSurge 2025). 

Dr. Christina Cipriano, who led the research, put it best in an interview with The Hechinger Report: “No matter how good that curriculum or that math program or reading curriculum is, if a child is feeling unsafe or anxious or stressed out or frustrated or embarrassed, they’re not available to receive the instruction, however great that teacher might be.”

In other words, even the strongest curriculum can’t reach students who aren’t emotionally ready to learn.

From Data to Design: How MindLabs Turns SEL Theory into Daily Practice

At MindLabs, SEL isn’t a side activity, it’s the emotional current running through every hands-on investigation. Our augmented-reality (AR) platform blends STEM challenges with reflection, teamwork, and student voice so that learning feels both exciting and emotionally grounded.

Here’s how the research shows up in our design:

Emotion Check-Ins Before and After Lessons

Students begin each activity by identifying how they feel curious, calm, frustrated, happy. These quick moments normalize emotion-naming, a practice the CASEL Framework (2024) connects to self-regulation and stronger executive-function skills.

A Digital Notebook That Doubles as an SEL Journal

Our built-in CoLabs+ notebook lets students document their process, share reflections, and celebrate classmates’ creativity with digital kudos. It’s reflection, feedback, and belonging rolled into one. Why not set-up a Check-In journal?  Students have a safe space to share reflections and feelings each morning or after recess.

Teacher Dashboards That Make the Invisible Visible

The MindLabs dashboard doesn’t just track completion, it provides visibility to the SEL inputs over time and quick access to the reflections from all students in one place. Educators can also quickly spot which students are most active during challenges, who collaborates frequently, and how participation shifts over time. Those patterns help teachers identify when a student might need encouragement, or celebrate the moments when teamwork takes off.

Learning Through Productive Struggle

In AR challenges, like troubleshooting why a short circuit keeps part of a sequence of LED bulbs from lighting, students learn persistence in real time. When something doesn’t work, they pause and reflect: “What’s one thing I could try differently?” then they iterate until they succeed.  Their notebook is an easy way for them to share this journey with you through notes and images.

Those small moments of reflection and revision build confidence and perseverance, the same SEL skills that Yale researchers have linked to measurable academic growth over time.

Why Duration Matters, and How We Design for It

Yale’s research found that SEL benefits double when programs last longer than a single semester. That’s because emotional growth, like academic growth, builds through consistent practice over time.

CoLabs+ digital notebook is designed to fit within any classroom project or unit, so reflection and collaboration can continue all year long. Teachers use it across science, literacy, and cross-curricular PBL experiences. This means teachers can weave reflection, teamwork, and emotion check-ins into units across the school year, whether students are working on robotics challenges, engineering design challenges, or creative writing showcases. 

By giving students a place to plan, document, and share feedback on any open-ended project, CoLabs+ becomes the consistent thread that ties SEL habits, like goal setting, communication, and self-reflection, into daily classroom life.

A Human-Centered Future for EdTech

As SEL faces political headwinds in some districts, this new evidence should be reassuring. The data speaks louder than the debate: students learn better when we help them understand themselves and others.

MindLabs takes that truth and brings it into the real classroom through technology that supports, not replaces, human connection. Teachers see the data that matters, students feel seen, and learning becomes a shared experience.

Ready to see how SEL-driven STEM learning can transform your classroom? Set up a demo with MindLabs or contact info@exploresupport.com to try it for FREE!