M2S is a research project funded through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalization, supported by FEDER and national funds allocated to FCT. The project relies on a partnership between the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto (FPCE-UP) and the Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (INESC TEC). The M2S project is carried out by a multidisciplinary and international team of researchers from different scientific fields, such as Cognitive Psychology, Education, Language and Neuroscience, Literacy, Computer Sciences, Pervasive Games.

M2S focuses on the link between the key academic and life skills of executive functions (EF) and writing as well as on their relation to school-, social-, and health-related outcomes in primary grades. We will conduct 4 studies to: examine the longitudinal contribution of EF to writing across 5 years; develop a mindfulness intervention and test its effects on EF, writing, school achievement, social skills, and health; transform this intervention into an app connected to bracelets for collecting psychophysiological and behavioral measures; and test the added value of combining the mindfulness app and a writing intervention, including a feedback software for teachers, on EF, writing, school achievement, social skills, and health. This project will increase knowledge on variables underlying students’ success at school and ultimately in life, and develop evidence-based materials and technological tools to foster that success.