What We Do > Formative Research
Our formative research tests concepts and resource designs to inform the development of our partners' programs, and refine and improve them once they are implemented.
Here is one example of our formative research.
Since 2009, CCT has been the evaluation partner for Mission US, a series of Web-based, interactive American history video games and support materials for middle-school classrooms. Managing partner WNET/Channel Thirteen has worked in collaboration with the American Social History Project at CUNY and game developers Electric Funstuff to develop and produce games covering various historical periods: the American Revolution, the build-up to the Civil War, Westward expansion, and the second wave of European immigration. As part of CCT’s formative evaluation work, we’ve conducted small user studies of draft game materials, and larger classroom implementation studies to determine how teachers integrate the games and accompanying materials into their ordinary practices. Our research has identified the kinds of administrative, technological, and professional development supports that are required for teachers to effectively use the Mission US games in teaching history, and has helped shape the development of additional games in the Mission US series.
