RealLives Simulation Game

RealLives Simulation brings global stats to life, depicting the experiences and challenges of people

RL immerses players in global life scenarios using authentic data to foster empathy and understanding. This game equips players with future-ready skills by educating them on diverse human experiences and global challenges, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It encourages global citizenship by allowing players to experience and understand the realities faced by people & families

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HundrED 2025

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Overview

HundrED has selected this innovation to

HundrED Global Collection 2025

Web presence

2005

Established

1M

Children

8

Countries

Target group

Students upper

Updated

June 2024

RealLives Simulation seeks to revolutionize education by promoting a curriculum that mirrors real-world complexities. It aims to cultivate global citizenship, empathy, and critical thinking through interactive gameplay, using real-world data to enhance students' understanding of diverse human experiences and societal challenges.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

RealLives Simulation is a transformative educational game that links classroom learning with real-world experiences, catering to the interests of teenage gamers. It teaches subjects such as social science and economics while promoting empathy and global awareness. By disrupting traditional educational methods, RealLives empowers students to become global citizens and changemakers.

What does your innovation look like in practice?

In practice, RealLives Simulation innovatively bridges educational content with the engaging format of gaming to simulate real-world experiences. This interactive game allows players to assume the roles of different characters from 193 countries, each with unique socioeconomic backgrounds. It uses real-world data to inform the scenarios, thereby providing players with a realistic understanding of various life outcomes. This immersive experience cultivates empathy, global awareness, and critical thinking skills. By navigating through life's challenges and opportunities in the simulation, players learn about cultural diversity, economic conditions, and social issues, preparing them to tackle global challenges and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through this, RealLives not only educates but also empowers players as global citizens and potential changemakers.

How has it been spreading?

RealLives Simulation has garnered support from educators worldwide, underscored by research from universities across North America and Europe. Its success in the gaming market aims to attract young gamers with a realistic, empathetic alternative to violent games. This success has been amplified by coverage from journalists and exposure through popular YouTube influencers, whose videos have reached over 10 million viewers. Additionally, RealLives is frequently featured at educational conferences and benefits from its association with the Ashoka network, enhancing its visibility and support globally. The founder, an Ashoka fellow, leverages this network to spread the game’s impact.

If I want to try it, what should I do?

One can goto www.reallivesworld.com website and register as a gamer, a school, a family or a university department. Once registered, you can get access to a DEMO license (available in gamer license) and you can experience a life of a girl in Liberia. We also have apps on APP Store and Google Play Store named Real Lives Sim by RealLives Foundation.

Impact & scalability

Academy review results

Impact

Scalability

Exceptional

High

Moderate

Limited

Insufficient

Exceptional

High

Moderate

Limited

Insufficient

Implementation steps

Introduction

Start by explaining the purpose of RealLives, focusing on its ability to foster empathy and global awareness through role-playing different life scenarios around the world. RealLives also has various ways to be born in the game - Design a character where a student can decide where to be born and decide the gender. The other way to be born is to choose the SDG goal which then takes the student to country level and allow to choose the country which is worst or best for the selected goal.

Setup

Ensure each student has access to a computer or device with the RealLives software installed. Prepare by familiarizing yourself with the game mechanics and key functionality and features.

Curriculum Integration

Identify areas in your existing curriculum where RealLives can enhance learning—such as social studies, geography, or economics—and prepare sessions that align with these subjects. The teacher dashboard also has teacher tools such as create lesson plan, create assignment which is easy to use and connects RealLives core vision with what the teacher aims to bring to his students.

Guided Gameplay

Initially, guide students through the RealLives game to help them understand decision-making and outcome interpretation. Discuss the consequences of their choices within the simulated life. As students encounter issues like infant mortality during gameplay, they often become curious about these challenges. Engaging them in discussions about these topics can make the learning experience more interactive and profound, enhancing their understanding of complex global issues.

Reflection Sessions

After gameplay, facilitate a reflective session where students can either discuss or write about their experiences using the RealLives Simulation. Encourage them to delve into what they learned about varied lifestyles, cultures, and socioeconomic conditions. One compelling exercise is for students to write a letter to the character they just lived, often spontaneously written in the first person. This task helps personalize their reflections, deepening their connection and empathy.

Project-Based Learning

Incorporating RealLives into project-based learning enriches students' global understanding. After gameplay, they can research their character's country, analyze issues they encountered, and propose solutions. Projects may include presentations, detailed reports, or advocacy initiatives. These activities reinforce knowledge from the game and enhance students' research, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, making learning dynamic and impactful.

Assessment

To evaluate student engagement and learning effectively, assess their participation in discussions, the quality of their reflections, and the depth of their projects. Enhance this evaluation by incorporating innovative activities such as debates, presentations, role-playing, and group tasks. These varied methods allow for a broader assessment of students' understanding and skills, providing insights into how well they can apply their knowledge in different formats and collaborate with peers.