SPONSORING OFFICE:
Office of Vocational and Adult Education

Abstract:
At Work! is an innovative software simulation concept that was developed by Kinder Magic Software (KM) in Phase I of this project. This immersive simulation will give users the kind of valuable practical experience that ordinarily must be learned "on the job," from the comfort and safety of the home or classroom. Based on demonstrated feasibility, Kinder Magic Software (KM) proposes to develop and test a multimedia prototype of this innovative design. Features of the prototype will include a navigable 3-D environment and live-action video clips. At Work! will provide an experience of a typical workday in a small corporation. Users will complete time-sensitive tasks while concurrently handling typical workplace interruptions and distractions. Congenial co-workers, stressed supervisors, and enticing distractions will compete for the user's time and attention. Performance will be assessed and feedback provided through a simulated job performance evaluation. Users will have the opportunity to practice specific work-related skills in a contextual environment for as long as necessary. The final product will feature a multi-level game format. Users will begin as entry-level employees and advance to managerial positions. Workplace tasks and events will be designed according to the SCANS competencies and skills required at each level.

Summary of Anticipated Results and Implications:
The anticipated results for Phase II are the design and development of an innovative multimedia simulation prototype and the assessment of the prototype for educational effectiveness. The product will replicate an experience that is difficult to provide in the classroom. People who are making transitions from school to work, unemployment to work, or one job to another, and those who are entering or re-entering the work force are the target audience for At Work! These individuals may assess and practice workplace SCANS competencies and foundation skills within the comfort and convenience of a simulated workplace.

At Work! will give users a more realistic experience, assessment, and workplace training than paper-based classroom instruction and testing can. The commercial product will augment and complement existing school-to-work, welfare-to-work, business, career development, and vocational courses and programs by providing a unique experience among software offerings. Societal benefits of increasing workplace-related competencies and skills of the nation's youth and other job-seekers are significant.

Potential Commercial Applications. The primary commercial application of At Work! will be for employment training in organizations such as secondary and post-secondary schools, adult education centers, and community colleges. "One-Stop" job training, education, and employment services facilities that will be established under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 will provide another market. Companies and Government Agencies may use the software for in-house assessment and training of their entry-level employees.

Legacy Interactive Inc. (LI) has agreed to publish and distribute At Work! as part of their successful line of RealPlay? products in the consumer and educational market. Assuming a minimum of 1% of the funds available to youth and adult training programs is spent on assessment and training materials, and 2% of that in return is spent to install the At Work! program in training centers, the return on a total investment of $550,000 to develop, commercialize and initially market the software, would be more than doubled from these markets alone.

[Web Trek]

[Integrating SCANS]