hi,  my  name  is  Kate  Reilly  and  I’m  addicted  to  video  games  

here’s  how  that  happened…  

sojourner  house  is  a  domestic  violence  ad

vocacy  center  in  rhode  island    

sojourner  house  is  all  about  chan

ge  

changing  lives  

shelter,  counseling  and  legal  aid  to  help  people    live  lives  free  from  abuse.  

changing  minds  

youth  and  adult  education  programs  to  help  people  see,  stop  and  prevent  abuse.    

changing  policy  and  approaches  to  create  communities  free  from  abuse.

changing  the  system  

in  2008,  sojourner  house  got  the  opportunity  of  a  lifetime  to  change  teen  dating  violence  prevention  

the  challenge:  to  develop    innovative,  youth-­‐driven  programs  to  help  11-­‐14  year  olds  build  healthy  relationships  and  prevent  teen  dating  violence.  

start  strong:  building  healthy  teen  relationships  

what’s  happening  in  teen  dating  violence  prevention?  

•  mul7session  curriculum  prolonged  exposure  

what  works  in  teen  dating  violence  prevention  education?  

•  programs  that  involve  parents  

•  experien7al  exercises  and  role  playing  

what  are  the  challenges  in  teen  dating  violence  prevention  education?    

•  schools  have  less  7me  for  health  instruc7on  

•  authen7c  parent  engagement  is  challenging  

•  current  evidence  based  curriculum  don’t  engage  students  enough    

engagement  is  critical  to  support  quality  learning  the  classroom  and  voluntary  learning  at  home  or  in  

afterschool  programs.    

youth  engagement…

who  does  it  best?  

do  you  know  where  your  6th  grader  is?  

it’s  7pm  on  a  Tuesday  night…  

97%    play  games  

50%    played  a  game  yesterday  

65%    played  games  with  other  people  

So,  kids  like  games  and  so  they  play  them  a  lot.  But,  as  the  singer  Pink  might  ask,  so  what?    

games  distract  kids  from  school  work  and  they’re  

way  violent,  can  they  help  kids  learn  to  promote  healthy  relationships?  

Arne  Duncan  thinks  they  can….  

But  why,  Arne?  And  how?  

blissful  productivity  

mastery=motivation  

what  if  we  could  use  games  to  help  kids  understand  

their  power  to  stop  abuse  in  the  real  world?  

…and  so  began  the  obsession  

how  we  made  the  game  

learning  goals  

Promote  upstander  behavior  

   Help  11-­‐14  year  old  teens  build  the  skills  and  perspec7ve  to  see,  stop  and  prevent  abuse  in  their  lives  and  among  their  peers.          

upstander   noun   \upstan   e   (r)  \  definition  

(1)  one  of  the  handlebars  on  an  Eskimo  sledge  

(2)  a  person  who  stands  up  to  abuse  either  by  supporting  the  target  and/or  resisting  abuse.    

we’re  talking  about  this  

Intention  

Self  Ef,icacy  

Outcome  Expectancies

Self  Standards

Education  Intervention:  In-­‐gam

e  curriculum

Interven7on   Protec7ve  Behavior  (malleable  factors)   Behavioral  Mediator  

Academic  Mediator  

Academic  Outcomes  

Act  as  an  ac7ve  witness  to  abuse  

Choose  and  sustain    healthy  rela7onships  

Prac7ce  non  violent  conflict  resolu7on  

Short  term:  

Increased  instruc-on  -me:  

• reduced  classroom  disrup7on  

• increased  school  aRendance  

• Decreased  suspensions  

Long  Term:  

Enhanced  cogni-ve  abili-es  

• increased  memory  and  concentra7on  

Improve  peer  social  networks  

Improve  Academic  

Performance  

Increased  Gradua7on  

Rates  

Information  &  Skills

School  climate  interventions  

Reduce  bullying  and  teen  da7ng  violence  

Improve  student  teacher  

rela7onships  

Enhance  school  engagement  

Malleable    factors  

writing  the  story  

building  the  set  

game  mechanics  of  healthy  relationships  

meters  

tools  

tokens  

•  what  worked  playtesting  &  ev

aluation  

playtesting  &  evaluation  

•     772  11-­‐14  year  olds  in  Northern  Rhode  Island  between  October  2009  and  May  2010.      

•  data  analysis  carried  out  by  Indiana  University  School  of  Educa7on.    

STD=.536;.492    t=-­‐4.026  p=.000  

“If  you  need  convincing  that  this  is  bullying,  consider  the  fact  that  Marisol  did  not  want  this.  Marisol  would  not  be  hiding  away  if  she  had  given  permission  to  spread  the  rumor  about  herself.  That’s  why  this  is  bullying.”  

-­‐Patrick,  Age  11  

WHAT  SIGNS  CAN  HELP  YOU  DISTINGUISH  A  HEALTHY  FROM  AN    UNHEALTHY  RELATIONSHIP?  

STUDENTS  DEMONSTRATED  SIGNIFICANT  LEARNING  GAINS  

STD=.536;.492    t=-­‐4.026  p=.000  

“I  would  tell  Marisol  about  some  rights  that  she  could  adopt  to  stand  up  for  herself  such  as  the  right  to  talk  with  others  about  problems  she  might  have.”  

-­‐Lela,  Age  11  

UNDERSTAND  HOW  TO  USE  RIGHTS  AND  RESPONSIBILITIES  TO    ESTABLISH  AND  DEFEND  PERSONAL  BOUNDARIES  

STUDENTS  DEMONSTRATED  SIGNIFICANT  LEARNING  GAINS  

STD=1.414;.801    t=-­‐6.648  p=.000  

“Revenge  isn’t  going  to  set  anything  right  for  Marisol.  It’s  such  a  negaAve  thing.  With  restoraAve  jusAce,  I  could  help  and  be  posiAve  also.”  

-­‐Nelson,  Age  12  

STATISTICALLY  SIGNIFICANT  LEARNING  GAINS  

WHAT  IS  REVENGE  AND  WHEN  IS  IT  JUSTIFIED?  

STD=1.414;.801    t=-­‐6.648  p=.000  

“I’d  get  anyone  who  believes  that  people  shouldn’t  stand  by  and  do  nothing.  We  would  say  ‘How  would  you  like  it  if  someone  started  rumors  about  you.’  The  bully  will  see  that  Marisol  has  people  on  her  side.”   -­‐Cecilia,  Age  12  

STATISTICALLY  SIGNIFICANT  LEARNING  GAINS  

TO  WHAT  DEGREE  SHOULD  YOU  GET  INVOLVED  IF  SOMEONE  ELSE  IS    IN  AN  UNHEALTHY  RELATIONSHIP?  

•  we  met  15  of  23  intermediate  cogni7ve  learning  gains  

what  worked?  

•  23%  of  students  completed  the  game  at  home  

•  qualita7ve  analysis  pointed  towards  behavioral  change  

what  needs  to  change?  

•  weak  evidence  of  increased  upstander  behavior  

•  tons  of  user  fric7on  

•  many  students  were  unable  to  access  the  game  at  home  

big  exciting  changes  are  

coming  in  Spring  2011  

big  exciting  ch

anges  are  

coming  in  Spring  2

011  

that  means  that  anyone  will  be  able  go  online  and  access  the  game  instantly!    

big  exciting  ch

anges  are  

coming  in  Spring  2

011  

on  paper  or  online  but  always  free  

and  best  of  all….  

big  exciting  ch

anges  are  

coming  in  Spring  2

011  

seriously.    

switch  between  play  and  e

dit  

mode  

drag  and  drop  menu,  no  programming  necessary…yet!  

earn  tools  during  game  play,  use  them  to  make  

your  own!  

share    the  games  you  make  in  a  secure  online  

community  

play  games  that  others  have  made  

enter  game  design  contests  and  earn  prizes  

sounds  awesome!  how  can  I  

get  involved  in  this  totally  awesome  project?  

join  the  discus

sion  

play  the  demo  

www.girlvsgame.tumblr.com  

I  know,  the  blog  7tle  is  long.  Don’t  

reach  for  your  glasses,  just  give  me  your  card  and  I’ll  

send  it  to  you!