Advancing Technology to Prevent School Violence

With this Phase I funding, the project team will develop and test a prototype of a game-based application, Keeping It Real, to promote healthy relationships and prevent sexual misconduct among high school students. The prototype will include a game-based storytelling structure with branching narrative where students' choices determine how the story unfolds, a component to promote individual and group level discussion in the classroom, and a teacher implementation guide. At the end of Phase I, in a pilot study with six teachers and 100 students, the researchers will examine whether the prototype functions as planned, if students are engaged while examining real-world scenarios, and how well teachers are able to integrate the prototype within standard instructional practice.