When the worst happens, they can always shut the machine off. The feeling of control is encouraged by the ease with which players can repeat an activity until it has been mastered. Kids tend to experience computers as partners in learning. They relish this nonhierarchical relationship in which the roles of teacher and student are blurred or altered. Children in the classroom cannot always see the point of learning math, science, or social studies.
Compelling goals give game players high levels of motivation.
Short attention spans and poor impulse control frequently disappear with effective computer interventions, supporting the notion changing the environment, not the child, can support individual success. As with any emerging counseling tool, numerous pitfalls exist in applying technology to work with at-risk youth. If the client or counselor loses this priority, problems may be exacerbated by the technology. Astute educators have identified these technologies as effective for student motivation and have integrated them with traditional curricula to reduce at-risk behavior. Counselors who identify and implement effective uses for technology, including CD-ROM and video laserdiscs, are likely to maintain their positions during the current educational restructuring movement.