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Development of The Real Game Series
The Real Game Series was born
thanks to numerous partners who played a significant role in its development.
Since its beginning, Real Game Inc., the National Life Work Center (NLWC), Canada Career Information Partnership (CCIP), the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee
(NOICC) - now the America's Career Resource Network (ACRN) and their respective
national networks have agreed to follow a project development template with five
distinct phases. An International Advisory Group (IAG) guides every program
through all phases:
- Program conception and definition
- Prototype development
- International pilot
- Evaluation and revision
- Launch and implementation
The common objective of all contributors to
The Real Game Series is to make the highest quality, most
effective programs available to the widest possible audiences at the lowest
possible prices. During the pilot phase for each program in the Series,
thousands of students or adult participants, teachers, facilitators,
counsellors, administrators, parents/guardians submit detailed recommendations
for program enhancements. All are analyzed by teams of researchers, and as many
as possible are incorporated in extensive post-pilot revisions that are approved
by the IAG before the program is published and distributed.
Prices are held low because the programs are
developed and implemented in large part through voluntary contributions of time
and effort from thousands of people. Furthermore, there are no sales
representatives or agents to be paid, and no traditional advertising or
marketing expenses.
The Real Game Series initial
development was funded by Human Resources and Skills Development
Canada on the understanding that all programs in the
Series would be fully financially self-sustaining once launched. Although the
NLWC is a not-for-profit Canadian corporation and the ACRN a U.S. federal
agency, revenues must cover all training, support, communication, distribution
and development costs. Promotion and awareness-raising are primarily the
responsibility of the Departments of Education, professional associations and
other agencies who helped create these programs. The task of promotion is not
difficult because so many schools and community agencies realize they are
getting exceptional value for a reasonable price, and programs that make a real,
measurable difference in the lives of participants-and they are spreading the
word!
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