Benefits

= Benefits = __**A good article to read is this one from the UK, Mail online:**__

= Teachers bring Wii to school in a bid to fight child obesity = By BETH HALE Last updated at 15:14 27 January 2008 They have long been blamed for the decline in youth sport and the child obesity epidemic. But, in a bid to instill some enthusiasm in a generation of inactive youngsters, schools are turning to the computer games console to fight the flab. Teachers are using the best selling Nintendo Wii - an interactive wireless-based computer game - to get children involved in 'virtual' sport. The scheme comes despite repeated studies showing that the amount of time children spend playing computer games is one of the major factors behind the obesity crisis. Getting active: Studies show computer games are contributing to the rising childhood obesity problem Five schools in Worcestershire have already trialled a project aimed at children who consistently missed PE lessons. They were soon queuing up, however, to play with the Wii, which requires users to stand up and move their arms and legs to play virtual sport such as tennis, baseball, bowling and golf. A spokesman for Droitwich and Worcester City School Partnership said: "The use of computer games to increase physical activity levels and raise attainment to some would seem contradictory but with rigid structures in place and by using specific games st udents soon found themselves being active and engaged almost without realising it." Heart rate monitoring revealed the youngsters did get a work out by playing on the games consoles with their pulse rate increasing. The scheme has already won an award from the Youth Sports Trust for its contribution in increasing participation in physical activity, leading to the possibility other schools may follow. A pilot scheme is reported to be in the pipeline. Last night the Department of Health endorsed the project as a means of encouraging youngsters to be more active. A spokesman said: "We welcome the positive impact that innovations like these can have as a first step towards getting people to participate in a broader range of physical activities and to enjoy the many benefits of a physically active lifestyle." The Department for Culture, Media and Sport insisted there were no plans to roll out the scheme further. The Wii scheme follows a report in the British Medical Journal that found playing "active" computer games was no substitute for playing real sports. Young people are advised to take an hour of moderate to vigorous exercise each day, such as playing football. But a study found that playing sports on a Wii was not of high intensity to substitute for real sport. Wii players used only 2 per more energy than players of regular computer games. Experts did, however, say such activity should be encouraged as it stimulated "positive activity behaviours". But last night Nick Seaton, of the Campaign For Real Education, criticised the use of a games console as a substitute for sport. "I think most sensible parents will think this is surrendering to the laziest pupils, it cannot possibly be any replacement for serious games and competition between peer group," he said. The Wii was one of the must-have Christmas gifts, selling out around the country with consoles normally selling for £179 changing hands for up to £500 on internet auction sites. In October Nintendo unveiled a new range of exercised-base games designed to make users work even harder, due to be available later this year. One system consisted of a platform - a Wii Balance Board. This allows users to weigh themselves and get a Body Mass Index rating to establish whether they are a healthy weight. Players can then take part in up to 40 different exercises, such as jogging or yoga poses, and tasks designed to improve balance. Nintendo UK marketing director, Dawn Paine, said at the time: "We now want to turn the living room into a fitness centre for the whole family. Perish the thought, but video games can now make you fit." British children are among the most overweight in the world, with around one million obese children under 16. It is thought as many as one fifth of boys and one third of girls will be obese by 2020.

[]

Another article that appeared in the Curriculum Review V48 N6 Feb 2009 pp2 is also worth reading. [] The article goes on to talk about the how Wii and other gaming technology, may be changing the way schools deliver and increase the opportunities for physical activity and education through out the world. It talks about a study undertaken and published in a 2007 british medical journal that found playing Wii Sports increased the amount of energy expended from 22% to 172% depending on the game, compared to sitting playing traditional video games.

__But what about other areas of learning? __
Many gaming Platforms have now brought out activities such as "Sing Star", "Rock Hero", "Band Hero" and "Guitar Hero"  A you tube snippet below highlights some of the benefits to teaching music in a school using this type of software.

media type="youtube" key="YJBhVsYSNRY?fs=1" height="385" width="480" align="center"

[]

﻿__Skills that can be learnt__
 It is important to consider the types of skills that learners informally learn from gaming either alone or collectively. All through deeper and broader learning experiences. It is important here to note that these skills are reflective of the key compentencies that the government encourages BOT's to focus on. These skills also reflect the social constructivist theory. (Vygostsky 1978). They are also reflected in Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences theory as often the games are used to strengthen three or four of the areas of intelligence. (Gardner, 1985) If looked at from Urie Bronfenbrenners Ecological theory of Development gaming would allow the mircosystem of the school to bridge the gap to the macrosystem of attitudes and ideologies within different cultures. (Bronfenbrenner, 1986)
 * Hand eye coordination
 * Spatial Navigation
 * Resource management
 * Team work - leadership
 * Communicaton
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Literacy development
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Problem solve skills
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Metacognition through reflective practice.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Non-discriminatory skills

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">An article that delves more into computer games and the potential for learning is an article called

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">"Crossing Borders. Blurring Boundaries and Taking Action" by Karl Boyle.