We also conduct formative testing with diverse students, and involve educators who help ensure that the material is developmentally and academically appropriate for children in the target age group, grades 5-8. The games are sophisticated interactive narratives grounded in historical scholarship, developed in collaboration with community stakeholders and scholars who are experts in the historical periods that are depicted. The missions are not simulations, nor truly games in the sense that there is no “winning” or “losing,” nor do users get a score or grade. Mission US is part of an expanding body of “serious games” that immerse users in historical and contemporary problems in ways that encourage perspective-taking, discussion, and weighing of multiple kinds of evidence. Developed for use by middle school students in the classroom and beyond, Mission US is a deeply-researched, award-winning educational media project with proven positive impact on history learning.
