RealLives ChangeMaker Index (RCMI)

RealLives ChangeMaker Innovation: Measuring What Matters – Empathy, Agency, and Impact

RealLives ChangeMaker Innovation (RCMI) transforms education by assessing who learners are becoming—not just what they know. By analyzing decisions made in life simulations, RCMI measures 18 key changemaker competencies, offering a powerful, data-driven tool to nurture empathy, resilience, and real-world problem-solving in every student.

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Overview

Information on this page is provided by the innovator and has not been evaluated by HundrED.

Updated May 2025

Web presence

2025

Established

2K 2025

1

Countries

All students

Target group

RCMI outperforms psychometric tests by measuring actual decision-making behaviors, not self-reported traits. This provides authentic assessment through actions. For careers, RCMI identifies strengths across 18 competencies in areas like ethical leadership and innovation. Educators use these insights to connect students with opportunities aligned with their demonstrated abilities.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

The RealLives ChangeMaker Index was created to revolutionize assessment of social change potential. Unlike traditional self-reporting, it analyzes actual decision patterns in simulations, measuring 18 core competencies across five domains. This innovation provides authentic insights into how people respond to global challenges, helping educators identify and develop effective changemakers.

What does your innovation look like in practice?

In practice, RCMI transforms education by analyzing students' decision patterns in the RealLives simulation to measure 18 changemaker competencies. Elementary schools use guided mini-sessions with visual tracking, while middle schools implement thematic units with structured reflection. High schools add research components and real-world projects. Higher education integrates RCMI across disciplines, from business to education programs, with implementation models ranging from first-year experiences to capstone projects. The assessment generates visual competency profiles that educators use for personalized development planning, differentiated instruction, and program improvement. Students engage in targeted activities to strengthen specific competencies, connecting simulation insights to academic learning and career pathways. This data-driven approach develops future changemakers who combine empathy, critical thinking, and ethical responsibility.

How has it been spreading?

RCMI is gaining international momentum through strategic implementation channels. A pilot program is currently underway at a U.S. university, demonstrating its effectiveness in higher education settings. In South Korea, multiple schools have embraced RCMI as a natural extension of their existing RealLives simulation programs. This adoption pathway is particularly efficient - schools and universities already using RealLives can implement RCMI with minimal additional infrastructure, leveraging their established simulation environments to immediately begin assessing changemaker competencies. This integration model allows for rapid scaling across the existing RealLives user base, creating a foundation for wider adoption as successful case studies emerge from these early implementations.

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

To try RCMI, access through:
Mobile: Download RealLives app from PlayStore (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.reallivesworld.app) or AppStore (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reallives-sim/id6475185270) . Register in-app to access RCMI features while playing.
Web: Visit www.reallivesworld.com, register, and access via laptop/tablet browser. Use same credentials for mobile if desired

Implementation steps

Introduce RealLives Simulation

Begin by familiarizing students with RealLives—a life simulation game where they live out a virtual life in a randomly assigned country and context. Explain that their in-game choices reflect real-world decisions and will be used to assess key changemaker skills. Set clear learning objectives focused on personal growth and global understanding.

Play the Simulation Thoughtfully

Students play through the life of their assigned character, making decisions about education, health, relationships, work, and values. Encourage thoughtful, reflective choices rather than random clicks, as each decision is tracked and linked to one or more of the 18 changemaker competencies throughout the simulation.

Competency Mapping in Real Time

Behind the scenes, the RealLives platform maps every key action and decision to a set of 18 changemaker competencies—such as empathy, creativity, leadership, and resilience. The game engine tracks behavioral data throughout the simulation, converting player actions into measurable insights aligned with social-emotional learning.

Generate the Changemaker Index

At the end of the simulated life, the platform automatically generates a personalized spider diagram for each student. This visual map highlights their individual scores across the 18 changemaker competencies, offering a snapshot of their strengths and areas for development based on their in-game behavior and decisions.

Understand the Severity Index

In addition to the Changemaker Index, students receive a Severity Index, which quantifies the level of hardship, inequality, or systemic challenges their virtual character faced. This helps students connect their strengths to the kind of real-world environments they may be most suited to work in—e.g., conflict zones, poverty, gender issues—making their changemaker role more purpose-driven and context-aware.

Reflect and Discuss Insights

Organize a group reflection where students discuss their spider diagrams and Severity Index outcomes. Let them explore how their decisions shaped both personal growth and societal impact. Encourage students to link their gameplay with real-world values and career interests, developing empathy for others from diverse backgrounds.

Plan Personal Growth Goals

Help students translate their insights into personal growth plans. Based on their competencies and severity experience, they can set goals—like improving leadership or emotional intelligence—and explore changemaking roles in areas such as education, healthcare, or social innovation. This closes the loop between simulation and real-world action.