Careers in Play: What is it?

Playable Case Studies and Analytics Engine Playable Case Studies (PCSs) are interactive simulations that allow students to “play” through an authentic scenario as a member of a professional team. A PCS is a hybrid learning experience that includes an immersive, simulated online platform, as well as accompanying in-class activities and discussions facilitated by a teacher to provide educational scaffolding and metacognition. They are “playable” because students are full participants in an unfolding fictional story that plays out over several virtual days. They are “case studies” because they occur in an authentic, holistic environment designed to pose real-world problems, followed by classroom reflection and assessments facilitated by teachers. They are novel in their use of an immersive, transmedia interface that allows the fictional story to bleed into players’ real life, as they interact with fictional characters via video conferencing, email, texting, chatbots, file sharing, and scientific tools. Like traditional case studies, PCSs are designed to be a module within a course, taking 1-2 weeks to complete. That way they can be used different types of classes and learning contexts.