SBIR-STTR Award

This project will develop a prototype of a new component for the platform for high school students to develop stronger communication skills to improve college and career readiness. The prototype will include a performance-based game environment where students practice a range of skills, such as active listening, empathy, non-verbal communication, cultural awareness, and public speaking. The game will also provide students real-time feedback to support students in navigating and succeeding in the tasks. At the end of Phase I, in a pilot study with 40 students in grade 9, the researchers will examine whether the prototype functions as planned, if educators can integrate the game with standard practices, and if the game shows promise for improving student skills related to career and college readiness.

The project team will develop Powerskills Game Lab, a game-based intervention for high school students to develop career readiness abilities in communication and adjacent intrapersonal and interpersonal domains. The intervention will include modules on different career readiness topics (clear and effective communication, personal and social awareness, work ethic and professionalism) and will address specific skills, active listening, accountable talk, adaptability, assertiveness, conflict management, cultural awareness, empathy, initiative, integrity, self-management, and self-efficacy. Components of the intervention will include diagnostics for covered skills; practice games with anchored instruction, leveling, feedback and coaching; and scenario-based performance games that combine multiple skills in different real-world contexts. The intervention will be integrated into the existing Hats & Ladders Career Readiness Platform, which includes a student-facing app and educator-facing dashboard. Performance data and other implementation supports will be available through the dashboard.