Capitalizing on MicroSociety: How Students Profit from Real-World Learning

MicroSociety, Inc. (MSI), founded in 1991, has developed a unique and ambitious approach to the learning and development of elementary and middle grades students. It aims to nurture higher order thinking skills, in large part by making learning intensely relevant and reflective of ‘real world’ experience. It accomplishes this through its program that creates miniature societies that contain a legislature, judicial system, governmental and social service agencies, and an array of profit-oriented business ventures. In 1999, MSI engaged Research for Action (RFA) and Kutzik Associates to conduct a three-year evaluation of MicroSociety programs in 14 schools across the country. In this report, we draw on three years of qualitative and quantitative research. Overall, our research shows that students are highly engaged in MicroSociety.