Hall Of Heroes: An Interactive Social Tutoring System To Improve And Measure Social Goals For Students In Preparation For Transition To Middle School

During Phase I in 2012, key product components (e.g., software engine, user interface, speech capabilities, avatar builder, and performance tracking) were prototyped and researched with 20 fifth grade students and four teachers. The team learned that it was feasible to implement in school settings. In Phase II, the researchers will refine the key components, further design the instructional social problem-solving units, and design teacher support materials. This development work will be performed iteratively, with feedback from students and teachers informing refinements. After development is complete, the team will conduct a pilot study to assess the feasibility and usability, fidelity of implementation, and the promise of the game for promoting students' social skills and reducing negative behaviors. The researchers will collect data from 250 students in 10 classrooms in 5 schools over 2 months. One of the two classrooms per school will be randomly assigned to use the product to supplement standard classroom instruction while the other half will continue with normal practices. Teacher-ratings and student social skill outcome measures will be collected before and after implementation.