"The Knowledge Matters sims fit into the teen culture. They make learning fun for the students, which obviously makes it even more fun for me. "

"I think we're starting to see a return to reality-based teaching of job skills, but this time by using technology to simulate real-world situations. "

"Everything they practiced in the sim they use to run the school store. The group that runs it the most profitably for a month wins a prize. And then we all go on a field trip with the profits they made from the store. "

"The most compelling aspect of using sims is that they enable students to make a decision, take an action, and see the results of that action in real time. They might put up a billboard and see that it has caused more people to go into their restaurant. That kind of instant feedback can motivate them to learn about other things that could help their businesses grow. "

"Knowledge Matters built this and other sims in a way that allows me to modify how I teach to accommodate the learning skills of each student. "

"They can work on the problem by themselves at their own speed. When they make money or turn a profit - and can grasp what they did to make it happen - then they can start to speak with confidence. That's when, as a teacher, you know you've won. "

"Last year one of my students started yelling at his computer because one of his employees stopped working. 'He stopped putting the bicycles together, Ms. Peterkin. Why did he stop?'

And I just said, 'well, what are your working conditions like? Do you allow them to take breaks? Do they have ergonomic workstations?' He just looked at me and said, 'I didn't think it would be so hard to run a business! I thought you just made a lot of money.' "