Virtual Talk Research
& Development
Scaling Talk Digitally
Scaling Talk Digitally
Over time, it’s become clear that the demand for Talk’s brand of sex education greatly exceeds what is possible for us to deliver in a classroom format.
In 2019, we began to explore how to best adapt “the magic” of Talk’s classroom experience to a virtual learning format. We were selected from among 20 competing non-profits and awarded an $80,000 project through Carnegie Mellon University’s Human Computer Interaction Institute to adapt the classroom model to a digital space.
Partnership With CMU’s Human Computer Interaction Institute (HCII)
A team of dedicated graduate students and faculty members spent 4,000 hours over 8 months exploring how to best apply technological solutions to bring Talk to more young people.
After interviewing countless Talk participants, the team discovered 4 critical elements of the classroom experience that had to be encapsulated in the tech translation:
1. Factual Information
2. Learning through Narrative
3. Embedded & Ongoing Assessment
4. Ability to Adapt & Be Personalized
The Text Story Solution
After exploring many options, we arrived at text stories, also known as “chat fiction,” to convey information in an exciting and engaging way. Our stories create a series of narratives through text messages sent between a web of fictional characters. They engage young people in interactive scenarios while communicating factual knowledge and modeling healthy communication and relationship dynamics.
After exploring many options, we arrived at text stories, also known as “chat fiction,” to convey information in an exciting and engaging way. Our stories create a series of narratives through text messages sent between a web of fictional characters. They engage young people in interactive scenarios while communicating factual knowledge and modeling healthy communication and relationship dynamics.
The Talk Conversational Universe (TCU)
The Talk Conversational Universe hinges on the success of a handful of key features: creating complex characters that users feel invested in, modeling realistic dialogue, and capturing relatable situations.
The Talk Conversational Universe hinges on the success of a handful of key features: creating complex characters that users feel invested in, modeling realistic dialogue, and capturing relatable situations.
Features of the TCU include:
Characters of all backgrounds and sexual orientations who give users the opportunity to both experience stories that differ from their own and also to identify with characters with similar beliefs and values.
Text messaging format which allows us to affirm factual statements and dispel misconceptions with links to vetted resources embedded throughout the dialogue.
Realistic dialogue which creates immersion and interest while still feeling familiar to users.
CampusChat
Talk is launching CampusChat, a chat fiction platform for Sex Ed in early 2023.