Xbox 360 is Changing the Game for Educational Experiences

Remember when you were a kid, and you wished that you could actually play with the characters on television? It is now possible with Xbox 360. Last week, Microsoft revealed how its “playful learning” experiences are revolutionizing interactive television, allowing children and their families to engage, interact and learn in an entirely new way – all through the magic of Kinect for Xbox 360.

Working in partnership with experts from Sesame Workshop and National Geographic, play and television experiences have blended to evolve children’s traditional watching habits and promote active and dynamic on-screen engagements. For example, Microsoft’s motion-sensing camera will let children interact through voice and gesture with Sesame Street characters who will respond based on the child’s actions. If Cookie Monster says “stand up and clap your hands with me,” he’ll recognize whether the child is playing along and interact accordingly. Or if Grover asks a child to throw a coconut, he’ll look to where the child “threw” it based on how hard they heave.

Now kids will be able to have adventures with their Sesame Street friends and be a part of the journey in a way that’s never been possible before. This two-way conversation is essential to science and psychology findings that reveal that play is a fundamental form of learning and important to a child’s development.

“We know that the most effective learning environments for children are those that are engaging and exciting, and that foster collaboration and a positive attitude toward learning,” said Alex Games, Ph.D. curriculum and learning sciences expert and educational design director for Microsoft.

To learn more about Xbox 360, please click here. To learn more about how Kinect is making learning playful and redefining interactive television, click here and here. Interested in Kinect for Xbox 360 for your children? Come visit us at a Microsoft Store nearest you: locations in Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo or the Westfield Century City store.