Hotmilkydrink: The Digital Home of Derek Robertson

Dancing Games: Dance on Broadway is (almost) Jazz hands-tastic 2/2

After reaching the heady heights of the high score/performance domain in Just Dance we have now moved on the the more theatrical dance world of Dance on Broadway. This dancing game for the NIntendo Wii is set in the world of musical theatre and requires that you perform routines as perfect as possible....

For those of you that might wish to emulate John Barrowman, Denise van Outen or even Michael Ball then this game might be right up your street. 

Still thinking about it's educational application but already I have managed to make my young daughters aware of a range of muscial theatre shows and their underpinning storylines as a result of their developing interest in some of the songs that they enjoy playing/performing.

Only problem with this game is that the proper jazz hand technique is compromised when holding the Wiimote ;-)

Great publicity for Dr Kawashima work

Great interest in the extended Dr Kawashima trial that I carried out earlier this year. I have taken a wee bit of stick from some quarters for not releasing the full details but as my colleague and I hope very much to have a full paper peer reviewed for academic publication it is very difficult for us to release the full details at this stage. Apologies for this and I only hope that the summary report will suffice in the time being.

Some of the coverage included posts by the BBC, The Herald, The Telegraph, Kotaku, Gamezine, Wired.com and quite a few others.

I look forward to being able to share the full details with everyone in the not too distant future and once again apologies for this.

Nintendogs in the TESS

Great to see the superb work that colleagues in Aberdeenshire Council have been doing in the early years with Nintendogs featured in today's TESS. Have a look. Even better news is that Anna Rossvoll from Aberdeenshire will be sharing this work at The Scottish Learning Festival this week and then at Handheld Learning in October. Michelle Law, the classroom teacher from Elrick PS who was one of the teachers involved in the project is going down to Stephen Heppell's 'Be Very Afraid' event at BAFTA in October also to share the work that they did. If you haven't seen this stuff or don't know much about it have a look at this post and the subsequent links to Handheld Learning's Blip TV channel.

Can Dr Kawashima impact on maths? LTS extended study suggests it can

I have just returned from a meeting with my colleague Dr David Miller from the University of Dundee. I went to David some time ago with my Dr Kawashima idea along with a rough sketch of the methodology that I hoped to use. Those early meetings led to David coming on board to partner me on the work that I have been doing in putting Dr Kawashima for the Nintendo DS into schools.

We carried out a small scale intervention last year and this had such a dramatic impact that it was decided that Learning and Teaching Scotland would fund a much more extensive study in terms of increasing the sample size. As a result we put 16 class sets of Nintendo DS into schools across Scotland and used 16 classes as control groups. Pre and post tests were used to gather the data and since the project finished David has been doing the number crunching as well as beginning to tutor me in the art of SPSS!

This post is just a wee announcement to say that the results so far appear to be very interesting and significant. I don't want to say too much at this stage because we are sharing the results at a seminar at the Scottish Learning Festival on 25th September but what I would say is that the initial study received a wee bit of criticism due to the small sample, however, this extended sample size will undoubtedly allow us to make a much more solid case for what we have found. And what we have found is most certainly of interest to teachers, schools, education managers and even higher I believe. Oh, the games industry might want to take note too....

It'd be great to see you at SLF '08 and even better if you can get along to hear how Dr Kawashima CAN make an impact on children's learning.

BBC iplayer for the PS3

I remember the battle between VHS and Betamax in the 1980s. My dad plumped for a cracking Sanyo Betamax model because it was reputed to be the best system and I've still got some heavy metal Betamax videos such as Stryper in Japan in the cupboard somewhere! The Blu-Ray vs HD DVD battle never reached the Hearns vs Hagler heights of the 1980s video recorder battle but it really is all becoming irrelevant these days...my video recorder hasn't been used for months. It's not broken, I've got money to buy tapes and yes I do know how to programme it. It's just that it is redundant technology...

From hard drive recorders from Sky and Virgin, watch again facilities on TV servies and now BBC's iplayer, you've no excuse to miss your favourite programmes.

The BBC have stolen a march in making the iplayer accessible via the Wii but if you don't have one do not fear, there is now an unofficial site that will allow you to access the iplayer through your PS3.

If you can pull yourself away from GTA IV then happy viewing. ;-)

So you think you're fast at x20?

I'm up in Aberdeenshire at the moment kicking off my Nintendo Dr Kawashima project. It's been great to see the enthusiasm from the children and the teachers for the project and a fuller blogpost about this will appear on the Consolarium's blog very soon.

I thought I was great when demonstrating my prowess at the x20 game within Brain Training during the initial input with the children until I was told about this YouTube clip of someone only taking 8 seconds to complete the x20 test. So you think you're fast...think again and look at this chap in action:

Right, let's see how fast we can get! I'm going to practice and practice and get under 10 seconds, wait and see.

Guitar Hero for the DS

Bored on the train, can't wait to get home to nail Surrender by Cheap Trick on Guitar Hero? Then do not fret rock fans...Guitar hero is now available for the DS. Look:

Not quite sure that it has same the allure of actually holding the guitar and looking the part as you strike your rock and roll bravado poses. Also, I think the spandex outfit, face paints and six inch high heels are a little over the top with the DS in your hand. Nevertheless this is a game that I must have! Town centre tomorrow methinks.

Consolarium blogpost: Nintendogs in P.2

New blogpost on LTS' Consolarium site. All about the fantastic learning project that we have been doing in two schools in Aberdeenshire using Nintendogs for the DS.

Dr Kawashima: a good resource used by good teachers

I've had a bit of time to think about the reaction to my appearance on the media last week where I was discussing the extended Dr Kawashima intervention that I am carrying out in four local authorities throughout Scotland after the Easter Break. An intervention funded by Learning and Teaching Scotland through their Consolarium initiative.

Supportive texts received immediately after my appearance included:

"Press the red button to go interactive? I did this and selected the translate from Dundonian option." Stuart Lennie

"Megastar! Stay on and audition for the part of Nancy with Graham Norton!" Con Morris

Thanks guys!

In case you missed it here is a clip posted by Ewan McIntosh (copyright of the BBC) of one of the discussions that I had on BBC Breakfast:

Michele Ledda from the Manifesto Group said on the programme that computer games were "harmless enough and useful". However, he did not think they had a place in the class and that there was a crisis of authority because people like me are suggesting that new technologies such as games do have a valid and important role to play in teaching and learning. He also made light of continued attempts to investigate a variety of ways in which we can help maximise learners full potential. His reference to fish oil, which apparently is good for the brain, and then his bizarre reference to snake oil did not I feel aid his argument. One must remember that if you get snake oil on your DS then it will invalidate the warranty!

Before the chat with Michele Ledda there was another chat with a gentleman called David  Perks who is physics teacher in London.

David seemed to be suggesting that we were saying that school was boring and that this was part of the problem. I can't ever remember saying that in any context whatsoever and I was perplexed as to why he would say this when he really did not appear to know very much at all about the work that we have been doing. I think we both agreed that, as I said, good teachers will use good resources. The only difference is that it appears that I am prepared to explore non-conventional ways of engaging the already engaged but more importantly those learners whose potential is not in any way realised because the existing model does not work for them. Have a look at David Muir's post about this discussion.

I then appeared on Radio 5 Live with Nicky Campbell and Sheila Foggerty. My 'opponent' this time was a lady from the Campaign for Real Education. Have a listen and ©BBC.

Download ConsolariumonBBC5live.mp3

I thought that 'Real Education' was the business that I am in until I heard what this lady was proposing and I then realised that I probably wouldn't be allowed in. It seems we need to go back to 'old-fashioned ways' of teaching and not to confuse matters with nonsense such as games. Her idea was to run Saturday classes where flash cards could be used to help children learn. Dearie dearie me, as I said at the time 'The past is like a foreign country, people do things differently there." (Opening line from the Go-Between by L.P Hartley...a fantastic book with Julie Christie in the film!!!) We can't afford to live in the past and we must look to the present and the future to ensure that pupil's experiences are relevant, effective, challenging and above all worth coming to school for.

However, the comment that I feel disappointed me the most came in the BBC Scotland investigation that Ken MacDonald did. I thought it was generally an excellent piece; well-balanced, well-researched and thoughtful except I feel for the comment made by Professor James Logie, a neuroscientist from Edinburgh University.  He stated that what concerns him is that we see this as a 'panacea to cure all ills'. Again, I ask...where and when have I or any of my colleagues who are looking at the role of new technologies in teaching and learning ever made such a statement. It is all about appropriateness of the resource and how teachers use them effectively. At the end of every presentation that I make about my work I say that we are not suggesting that this is a panacea for everything but that it is yet another way that teachers may package the curriculum, if they feel that it is appropriate for the learners in their class. Again, I state that good teachers use good resources!!!

Overall the feedback has been excellent in terms of the interest in the project but also in terms of the enquiries from many other schools about what we are doing and how we plan to do it. It seems that other people want to try a similar thing...

I don't wish to appear as if I can't take criticism, that certainly is not the case as debate is what helps people grow. I just despair at an attitude that is still out there that we should continue with how we currently do things and that if anyone comes along with an idea that maybe comes from a leftfield, that has shown some interesting results and has resonated with teachers and pupils then the kneejerk reaction from many people is to knock it.

I'm really looking forward to carrying out my extended Kawashima intervention and to see what the results show. Who knows? If they do indicate real impact then we really will have something to debate but if it doesn't then it shouldn't stop us from exploring new ideas...should it?

Let's see what happens.

Wii Fit is on its way: some reviews

I've been waiting patiently for news of the new Wii fit application and was delighted to read reviews about this week in the new editions of Edge and Nintendo Magazine. Some time ago David Muir sent me a link to a parody of the new Wii Fit product on You Tube and since then it has made mer look at it in a slightly comical fashion, however...the reviews it has received has dismissed this and I now await it's release with real anticipation and dare I say excitement!

Wii Fit is a 'game' or lifestyle application that enables the player/exerciser to engage with a comprehensive exercise programme via a balance board that communicates with the Wii. Have a look:

Nintendo Magazine have written an extensive review of the product and although they feel they still need time to work with it they gave it a decent review.

"...after an hour or two playing it we realised that we were quite tired...we could feel the strain on our backs and legs, as if we had been walking for quite a while."

...and Edge magazine said:

"...unlike much of Wii Sports, the Balance Board necessitates that they (the games) cannot be played in half measures. You have to stand; you have to articulate your body into positions in order to move your centre of gravity. There is clearly more exercise than play....an intimidating repertoire of lunges, press-ups and yogic positions await. However, simply as a fitness product it has the advantage over Cindy Crawford and her ilk in that it can communicate feedback very effectively plotting achievable targets tailored to the individual."

The Wii Fit programme has 48 activities that are split into four different categories. The main training games fit into Cardio and Yoga type exercises with balance and mini-games making up the rest. One of the mini-games sounds like great fun and it sees your Mii dressed up in a penguin suit, stood on the Antarctic ice-flow. Various fish jump up on to the on-screen board and you have to lean left and right to make them slip off the board! Imagine how much fun that will be if you play it with a penguin suit on.

I'll be interested to see how this game could be used a s part of a fitness programme within the home but as a tool in school that can be used to focus on fitness - then I'm not so sure. However, no doubt the growing body of 'gamer' teachers out there will be able to come up with innovative ways to apply its use in teaching and learning.

When my Wii Fit arrives I plan to carry out a 28 day Wii Fit programme to see if it impacts on my health. Weight, heart rate etc. Mind you, when you have Olympian standard of fitness and musculature, I'm not sure that this new device will make much difference! ;-) Irrespective of this I'll keep you posted with the results.