And they learned how to step back, take the player's perspective and make sure their instructions were clear. Designing games forces children to think up front about how other people will react, and then use that information in the design. The systems, educators find, can motivate learners, regardless of location and socioeconomic status, to access resources, information, experts, mentors and colleagues. Teachers use the technologies to integrate abstract and hands-on learning, and to provide students with access to research methods previously available only to scientists and other professionals. In addition, NSF is using these projects to address the premise that, if society is to continue to benefit from the rapid expansion of new knowledge, humans need to exercise and expand their powers of reasoning.
Motivation comes from children directing, participating in, or playing at projects.
To adults, play is just what children do. But that's the point. Play implies doing something, not being passive. Playing while learning increases the time spent on the task, an important predictor of retained knowledge. Fluency in Technology Dolls, miniature cars, and building blocks.