Powerskills Game Lab: Improving High School Communication Skills Through Formative Assessment

Through previous research and development, the team created a web-based platform with games and tools for students ages 14 to 25 to support college and career readiness. 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.