Last year I carried out a small scale study using Nintendo DS and the Dr Kawashima game in a school in Dundee in Scotland. As a result of what we found LTS have funded a wider scale sample that will see the game and a similar methodology, but only using a straight control group, that will take place after the Easter break.
The BBC have shown interest in this and as a result your's truly will be on the TV and radio tomorrow. Here's the plan:
7:40ish: BBC Breakfast News 8:20ish: Radio 5 live 9:00am: Part of a radio documentary on Radio Scotland 9:30: On the phone in on BBC Radio Scotland 6:30pm: A news feature on BBC Reporting Scotland (after the main news)
Try and catch one or two of these media appearances if you can. Hopefully I can help hammer home the message about games and learning and the importance of technologies in general to the wider public.
Off to the airport now...
Way to go Derek, that's fantastic. Looking forward to seeing / hearing you tomorrow morning.
Presume your limousine will be picking you up early then to get to the BBC studios in time for your hair / make up session?! (Of course, with it being Sport Relief day tomorrow you may well be on our screens / radiowaves in your sports gear?).
Hope it all goes well tomorrow - great news that you have such a fab opportunity like this, to spread the word about what you're doing - good luck with it all.
Posted by: Sally F | March 13, 2008 at 10:06 PM
Great news! I'll hopefully hear you on 5Live on my way to work.
Incidentally, if your producer is a Scot called Alan Reed, ask him for a quick burst of Arrive Alive! (http://www.pallas.f2s.com/index.html)
Cheers!
Posted by: Neil Winton | March 13, 2008 at 10:15 PM
To think we can say that we know you! Don't be too shy speaking with Susanna ;-)
Posted by: AB | March 13, 2008 at 10:19 PM
Can I have your autograph? or a signed photo? :-)
Posted by: John Connell | March 13, 2008 at 11:41 PM
Well done, Derek. Perhaps viewers would contribute to Sport Relief if they replaced the VT with a certain performance from a certain after-BETT-singalong! Seriously, great that this is getting the exposure.
Posted by: Mark Pentleton | March 14, 2008 at 06:53 AM
Just caught you on BBC Breakfast, Derek - superb! I did not catch the name of the fool they put you up against, though - who was he?
Why do the BBC insist on doing this - set up an opposition, make everything a binary decision, yes or no, good or bad? Tabloid TV, I suppose.
But the boy done good!
Posted by: John Connell | March 14, 2008 at 07:49 AM
just saw you on the tellybox advertising nintendos - are you on commission? ;-)
shame you had to miss shuttleworth last night. he kept forgetting his lines - i think he was looking round the crowd to see if you where there to prompt him.
Posted by: Paddy Patterson | March 14, 2008 at 07:55 AM
Great stuff! Well done!
Posted by: Jo | March 14, 2008 at 02:01 PM
Highlight for me was switching Subtitles on and watching the BBC attempts to translate from Dundonian!
Id like to stick those so-called Education experts into a classroom for a day teaching maths!
Posted by: Stuart Lennie | March 14, 2008 at 02:41 PM
Heard the fivelive 'debate'.....what a mismatch, that was like watching Barcelona playing Rangers....(or any other occasion when one is devoid of any sympathy for the underdog.) I love the 'i have some experience I teach a saturday morning class' Well done Derek!
Posted by: euan mackenzie | March 14, 2008 at 04:19 PM
Article here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7295039.stm
As previously mentioned it does seem a shame that they can't just present a news item, rather have to some form of opposition...
Posted by: Rich Olyott | March 14, 2008 at 05:20 PM
Today was rather a hectic affair what with the TV and radio appearances. Snake oil!? Hmmm. Still trying to work that out, I'm sure it would destroy the DS and invalidate the warranty.
Thanks for all your supportive comments. I'll post a more comprehensive account of today's events when I can because now I am going to relax. By the way, I had to miss the John Shuttleworth gig in Glasgow last night so that I could get the flight down to London. The things I do for games based learning! ;-)
Posted by: Derek | March 14, 2008 at 05:54 PM
We all appreciate it Derek. I think we should call it the Robertson effect. Keep it going kiddo!
Thanks,
Anna
Posted by: Anna | March 15, 2008 at 12:14 AM
I am sure John missed you at the gig Derek - but it was all worth it. Well done
Posted by: Margaret | March 15, 2008 at 02:59 PM
YouTube finally processed the video highlights from the morning:
http://edu.blogs.com/edublogs/2008/03/consolarium-gam.html
I've got the second couch moment, too, which I'll try to get up later on.
Thought you were brill, despite the loons they wheeled out in your 'opposition'.
Posted by: Ewan McIntosh | March 16, 2008 at 05:11 PM
Done:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TbCD68iJoX4
Posted by: Ewan McIntosh | March 16, 2008 at 07:18 PM
Thanks Ewan for posting the clips. I missed both. After listening to the debate on the sofas I just have to say that I am proud to be working in partnership with the Consolarium. The young people involved are clearly motivated to learn and are experiencing success. How can you knock that?
Posted by: Anna | March 16, 2008 at 09:36 PM
Well done Derek, caught you on the telly thanks to Ewans clips, keep on showing the world what you are doing "way up there" in your Consolarium.
The combined force of your passion for and depth of knowledge about using Games in classrooms, and the kids speaking about it for themselves, sends the message out - loud, long and clear.
Go you good thing :)
KimP
Posted by: Kim Pericles | March 17, 2008 at 09:21 AM
Derek, you were just fab! It was so obvious that the presenters weren't even listening to the boring guy on the couch beside you...
Kieran is publishing pages on the Intranet as we speak and there will be an LTS news item.
I didn't see the stuff in the Herald on Saturday and they don't archive online - did you? Can you blog it so that Kieran can capture some stuff for the Intranet?
Posted by: Patricia | March 17, 2008 at 10:40 AM
Derek, you were just fab! It was so obvious that the presenters weren't even listening to the boring guy on the couch beside you...
Kieran is publishing pages on the Intranet as we speak and there will be an LTS news item.
I didn't see the stuff in the Herald on Saturday and they don't archive online - did you? Can you blog it so that Kieran can capture some stuff for the Intranet?
Posted by: Patricia | March 17, 2008 at 10:41 AM