SCALE user guide

How SCALE works

The classroom learning loop, roles, and core concepts behind SCALE.

The learning loop

SCALE is an instructor-led simulation platform. Every round follows the same basic pattern:

  1. The instructor publishes a challenge with context, variables, and a decision deadline.
  2. Each student reviews the challenge through their assigned profile and submits a decision.
  3. The instructor closes the decision window and SCALE calculates an individual result using the profile, decision, shared outcome, and configured metric rules.
  4. Results are released immediately, later, or manually.
  5. The class reviews tradeoffs, patterns, and the instructor debrief before the next challenge.

Roles

  • Instructor/admin: Creates and configures classrooms, manages enrollment, publishes challenges, monitors completion, processes results, and controls feedback.
  • Student/member: Joins assigned classrooms, creates or receives a profile, submits decisions, and reviews released results.
  • Institution: May fund seats, reserve access, establish reusable classroom templates, and support rollout.

What SCALE calculates

Students do not calculate their own result. SCALE uses instructor-configured variables and AI calculation rules to produce metrics, a narrative summary, and a ledger entry. The instructor remains responsible for the learning context and when feedback becomes visible.

What SCALE does not do

SCALE is not a gradebook and does not lock a student out for poor performance. A low balance, weak metric, or unsuccessful round is information for the next decision—not a terminal state.