Hotmilkydrink: The Digital Home of Derek Robertson

Let's Tap: Good, good, good, good vibrations

Sometimes your best ideas for classroom practice can be found in the most unlikeliest of places. Well just the other day I think I stumbled upon another excellent opportunity for learning via a COTS game. I had heard about a game called Let's Tapfrom the Nintendo Wii and that the gameplay involved tapping the desk in order for the Wiimote to pick up the vibrations. Said vibrations would then control what happened in the game. Well. the most certainly do and I found myself playing this game for about an hour on Tuesday afternoon with my Development Officer at the Consolarium Brian McLaren. What larks we had and after an hour of mirth, discussion and competition the ladies in the main office in LTSDundee said that we were, "squealing like a couple of lassies!" (No sexist inference from me...just reporting what was said.)

Well what is Let's Tap? Have a look:

The game involved include:

Tap Runner: Sprint for the finish line in over 16 courses while avoiding obstacles including hurdles, ice wall and electric fields. (1-4 players)

Rhythm Tap: There are a wide range of songs to master in Rhythm Tap. Feel the beat and tap light, medium, hard in sync with the on-screen tap indicators. (1-4 players)

Silent Blocks: Different modes using light and hard taps to strategically remove blocks one at a time from the column without causing it to topple over. (1-4 players)

Bubble Voyager: Clad in a space suit, solo players tap to keep their character afloat through many levels filled with dangerous objects; a double tap will launch a missile. In multiplayer matches, you will shoot each other a number of times to win. (1-4 players)

Visualizer: Everyone will take their turn with several unique stages including Fireworks, Paint, River, Gem Game and Ink. Tapping with light, medium and hard strokes produces on-screen effects ranging from a fireworks display to undersea bubbles. In special tap sequences, various sea animals will appear. (1 player)

I feel that there is scope for the incorporation of all of the games in to the classroom in one way or another but the one that has really resonated with me is the Visualiser and the possibilities that this may have in the ASN context. Brian and I were lost in this part of the game and found ourselves orchestrating the most vivid and wildly beautiful firework displays, causing consternation in the coy pool or creating random Jackson Pollockesque canvases (ok maybe pushing it a little) by by tapping and banging on the table. The impact on a large projection screen within this game as a result of a simple tap or bang is just simply wonderful.

I'd very much like to see what this game could bring to the experiences of learners in the ASN context because of the simple way that players can engage with the game and the incredible return they get from a simple tap on a desk. I hope to report back on ways in which it has been put to use in schools very soon. I wholeheartedly recommend this game just for the fun aspect but yet again within a game designed for entertainment we see great educational potential.

Games and ASN. Can they help?

One of the games that I have been playing for the DS is Electroplankton. I have mentioned it before on my blog but after watching BBC Click this morning it got me thinking again about my initial idea.

One of the reports came from the NextFest exhibition in New York. There were some amazing inventions and ideas on display there such as full sized robots that can teach you to dance, a musical climbing wall that you play by changing the position and frequency of handholds as well as a language trainer that focuses as much on the cultural difference of gesture as much as the language.

But the one that really caught my eye was from a company called Playmotion. They have devised a series of products that they are promoting in the Additional Support Needs market. Greg Roberts from the company tells us:

"In healthcare we've put it into tests for autism and developmentally challenged       children. We've got very good preliminary results that, at a young age, it really     makes them more aware of stimulus. So it's a real hope from our hearts that it can do something there."

The above link takes you a number of movies from their site that showcase what they offer.

This made me think about my initial ideas about how Elecktroplankton for the DS could be used.

It's a really bizarre multi-media experience as opposed to a game but I couldn't help think of some the children with ASN that I have worked with in the past who could possibly be switched on by the cause and effect scenario, not to mention the wonderful visual imagery and musical soundtrack that is created when playing the game. I'd love to see this game on an interactive whiteboard and learners hands on the range of plankton that inhabit this world. The only problem is that it is almost impossible to get DS games presented anywhere else than on the DS. Apart from a developer kit (which is impossible to access) you are only going to get access to it via the DS. Anyway have a look at the website and the video to get an idea of how this game works.