Playful Interest Bridging

Many people misunderstand the true nature of authentic activities. People ask, "How are simulations 'authentic' when by their very nature they are not authentic at all? They're still a simulation." The aim of authentic activity is not just to simulate or replicate the physical environment, calling it "authentic." Rather, the aim is to design an environment in which learners use their minds and bodies as they would if they were practitioners in a domain. It is the purpose of the learning environment, whether it be simulation, actual practice, or independent study, to stimulate learners so that their thinking is related to actual practice...

Honebein, P. C. (1996). Seven goals for the design of constructivist learning environments. Constructivist learning environments: Case studies in instructional design. B. G. Wilson. Edgewood Cliffs, Educational Technology Publications: 11-24.