Miyamoto Focusing on Getting DS into Schools

[Tom Goldman]

Miyamoto Focusing on Getting DS into Schools

Nintendo's top designer wants the DS to be used for more than collecting coins and saving princesses.

Shigeru Miyamoto's devotions, ranging from gardening to taking care of puppies in the past, have tended to turn into the big products coming out of Nintendo. Now he's focusing on education, Miyamoto told the Associated Press.

While in London to accept a BAFTA Fellowship award [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/98574-Shigeru-Miyamoto-to-Be-Awarded-BAFTA-Fellowship], Miyamoto said: "[Education] is maybe the area where I am devoting myself the most." He wants the Nintendo DS to become a learning tool right alongside textbooks and protractors.

With the DS already being used in places like museums, galleries, and aquariums, Miyamoto told reporters about Nintendo's plan to roll the system out "in junior high and elementary schools in Japan starting in the new school year." Putting the DS into schools is not much of a stretch either, with many educational math, language, and reading programs currently available for the device worldwide. The increase in size of the DSi XL could even tie into wanting the system to be used in the educational system, as it makes the handheld easier to use for reading and writing.

Miyamoto impressed that this will be a new strategy by Nintendo to broaden the audience for gaming consoles. The DS is incredibly popular and still breaking sales records, with 613,000 units sold in February 2010 alone. Putting a Nintendo DS in every child's hand as they learn to read and write could increase its popularity even more.

The DS is suited to becoming a learning tool, with a broad range of functionality possible using its touchscreen, microphone, and internet and wireless capabilities. Plus, it's not all that expensive either. Someday, our kids might all be learning with the help of Nintendo.

Source: AP [http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_BRITAIN_NINTENDO?SITE=KYB66&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT]

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[Paragon Fury]

Wow Nintendo, what can't you do? The only next step for the DS is to cure cancer.

Waiting for it to pass FDA inspections.

 

[Aura Guardian]

I approve. Give the schools Brain Age. They'll learn more that game.

 

[SUPA FRANKY]

What I really want to know is who the hell is buying all these DSs? I mean, haven't they said they sell like 3 million of these things per fucking second? Who out there really doesn't have a DS? Who I ask you! WHO!!!???

 

[GamingAwesome1]

Meh. Kind of indifferent on the matter as long as the game they choose to educate are the right ones, Brain Age, Brain Academy etc. None of the shitty ones that are an excercise in tedium.

 

[Aura Guardian]

What I really want to know is who the hell is buying all these DSs? I mean, haven't they said they sell like 3 million of these things per fucking second? Who out there really doesn't have a DS? Who I ask you! WHO!!!???

I have 2 DS phats. 4 DS lites 3 are limited editions. 1 DSi and soon a DSi XL

 

[Outlaw Torn]

Give it a year or two and Sony and Microsoft will follow suit, although the 360 would probably be better equipped as a building material for schools rather than to be used for teaching kids. And naturally the PS3 will be used to grill burgers in a lean-mean fat-reducing way.

 

[Mrsoupcup]

Wow Nintendo, what can't you do? The only next step for the DS is to cure cancer.

The thing practically prints money. (I never enjoyed my Wii but I must have 100 hours in Pokemon Diamond, the DS is a wonderfully fun device. Cheers for Pokemon Heart Gold, I got 30 hours in it)

 

[Phoenixlight]

I would rather not see them in schools, they'll lose whatever "cool" factor they've got left.

 

[Broady Brio]

What I really want to know is who the hell is buying all these DSs? I mean, haven't they said they sell like 3 million of these things per fucking second? Who out there really doesn't have a DS? Who I ask you! WHO!!!???

I don't.

Even though I might be getting one just because of my flight to Malaysia that is 13 hours long!!

 

[MissGinaKid]

Dude! If they let me use my DS in schools i wouldn't have stayed homeshcooled all this time. Lucky kids.

 

[The Rascal King]

That a boy Shiggy! I hope when I have kids they'll be learning through Nintendo handhelds. That was my dream as a kid. Oh what a world we (could potentially) live in.

 

[Therumancer]

Hmmm, well good luck with that.

The problems here are manyfold. One is of course the cost, one of the issues with schools has always been "the digital divide" which is pretty much about how poor families who can't afford computers and the internet are put at a massive disadvantage of things become an integral part of education. The same is going to apply to DS systems introduced into an educational system because that's a couple hundred dollars parents are going to need to invest in, plus probably the cost of software. Schools already have enough trouble with textbooks for which they get massive discounts, even if discounted providing "loaner" DS systems to all the students is going to be prohibitive to most districts.

Not to mention the fact that schools have been heavily involved in campaigns to stamp out things like portable electronics and such in schools as a distracting influance. Some schools will suspend, or even expel students for having DS systems, or games like Pokemon (at least in the US). An anti-Pokemon sentiment exists because of a situation years ago where one student murdered another over a (subtantial) collection of cards. There has also allegedly been violence and such contributed to the game itself over trades, or people wagering money on Pokemon battles.

On top of all of this there is also some logic behind the trend. For example many schools prohibit students from using electronic referance material. This ranges from wikipedia, to electronic encyclopedia programs. The reasons for this are twofold. One is that relying on such things prevents students from learning how to do actual research, use library "card" filing systems (where they still exist), and hunt down books and such from bibliographies. On top of this there is also a matter of propaganda/information control. A lot of schools want to give people very specific information especially on dubious topics, so controlling what is in a school library becomes an issue. What's more by knowing what is in a school library teachers also know the general information chain a person needs to follow, and part of grading an assignment is to verify what sources they found on their own. In college for example not referancing research 2-3 books deep in a "bibliography chain" can actually reduce grades. Some instructors will flunk for for saying "eh well, I just popped in Compton's Encyclopedia and looked it up".

I realize they are talking about Japan here, but Japan is not some magical wonderland. All the same issues exist there that exist here, and probably some we don't have to deal with. They just don't yell it to the international media the way the US does every time something goes wrong.

There are pros and cons to technology in the classroom. In this case I can't see this working. Also consider that Japan also seems to have less issues with standardized education than the US. Apparently willing to let students fall behind/out unlike the US which is frequently criticized for trying to pace it's educational system on "equality" and holding back for the lowest humand denominator where other countries care less in absolute terms.

 

[Jared]

It woul;d be nice if I could use my DS for more serious gaming (as far as the hardware will go anyway).

The problem will be getting the thirdp arty develpers on board with the idea

 

[300lb. Samoan]

Wow Nintendo, what can't you do? The only next step for the DS is to cure cancer.

Dr. Mario can handle that challenge, I bet.

It's reassuring to know kids are going to spend their time in school the same way I always spent it after school - mashing buttons and breaking high-scores on my Nintendo!

 

[SavingPrincess]

Nintendo's top designer wants the DS to be used for more than collecting coins and saving princesses.

I'm just happy that the tagline for the article used my name

That being said, what haven't I already learned from playing video games? I got Super Mario Bros. when I was 3, Miyamoto has been my teacher for the 25 years since.

 

[Low Key]

Between Nintendo, McDonalds, and Wal-Mart, one of them will rule this planet some day.