**7. Conclusions**

The aim of this chapter was to illustrate the close connection between psychological/cognitive processes and using and building new technologies especially in the education field.

In doing so, we have examined the classical approaches to human learning, highlighting continuity and discontinuity in psychological theories. Overall, the nature of teaching/learning process is mainly interactive, based on context and culture, actually relational. Various approaches (cognitive approach, behaviourist theory, cultural psychology, constructivism and embodiment cognition) have tried to explain the process of interaction between person and context in different ways, but all these have taken in consideration its transactional nature. The person and context, during the learning process, are mutually interrelated, and a change in one element implies a change in the other element. This 'intimacy' is well evidenced by the embodiment cognition theory and by the successive and continuous development of new technologies in the educational field. Indeed, this latter pays most attention on the teaching/ learning context and tools analyses. Context and tools constitute key elements in children, adolescent and adult learning process. They are sensitive to individual development (in cognitive, emotional and psychological terms) and cultural stimuli.

Following this circular approach (in which individual context and tools affect each other), in this chapter we have described two projects (Block Magic and INF@NZIA DIGI.tales 3.6), which offer two examples of new technologies used in supporting teaching/learning processes.

The Block Magic project was aimed at creating a bridge between physical manipulation and digital technology in education; to do this, Block Magic developed a functional prototypal system that enhanced the traditional logic blocks box. The INF@NZIA DIGI.tales 3.6 project aimed to promote the use of ICT technologies and the latest paradigms of human–computer interaction in order to define psycho-educational practices in order to enhance curricular activities and facilitate acquisition processes for skills and knowledge for pupils. Both projects were built on STELT platform that links together smart technologies and physical material to support children learning processes. The two projects, basing on STELT technology, show a possible methodology to unify the manipulative approach to the learning processes and touchscreen technologies.

According to encouraging preliminary findings of the projects, our conclusion is that they could offer examples of new technologies used in educational contexts and that they both are in line with previous research providing effectiveness of use for new technologies in the learning process. In conclusion, this chapter has set out to provide additional insights and new research models for using new technologies in formal and informal learning contexts for children.
