Miyamoto's Plan: Nintendo to Put DSes in Schools
Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto says he's now focusing on bringing Nintendo's handheld DS consoles to the classroom.
Nintendo executive Shigeru Miyamoto is famous for bringing us Mario, the Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong and Animal Crossing but the video game designer is busying himself with a different kind of project these days. Miyamoto has said the area he is devoting himself to the most is turning Nintendo brand of handheld consoles into educational aids and teaching tools.
NPR reports that in an interview with the AP, Miyamoto said the DS was already being used in museums and galleries in Japan and Nintendo had plans to put DSes in "in junior high and elementary schools" at the beginning of the new school year.
Miyamoto didn't say how the DSes might be used within the classroom but it's probably safe to assume the kids will be doing something a little more educational than Mario or Zelda. What do you think of the idea? Let us know in the comments below!
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I would love to see a kindle like app for the DS. This would be totally awesome for me as I love to read and play games as well. Having two of my favorite things together is a nice device as the DS would be great. I think that kids having to carry this device to be able to read when or where they need would be cool. With the new larger screens coming out i can see where this could happen.
"Miyamoto didn't say how the DSes might be used within the classroom but it's probably safe to assume the kids will be doing something a little more educational than Mario or Zelda."
I call blasphemy on this.
I mean, what's more educational than Zelda or Mario?
Metroid...maybe...that's subject to intense debate though.
But can it play Crysis?
On a serious note, my two older kids have DSes. We wound up buying one of those "leap" things for the baby (the third), because DS seemed to lack educational titles.
Maybe something like "more educational titles" for DS will come out of this?
I think of DS as a game device. I hope somebody comes up with educational stuff.
Miyamoto must work for a conspiracy to really take down the US educational system once and for all.
First of all they would have to have some type of gaming lockout that the teacher could enable voluntarily in the classroom. I imagine most teachers wouldn't enable it until a few students start abusing it. Because I know that if could not game in class I would by doodling anyways which I think helped me get more out of class.
Second it is a great idea for Nintendo to take advantage of every possible market niche with their platform. The extra R&D is negligible.
Shouldn't the kids be creative and take on an individual handwriting instead of having yet another tool to destroy those things?
The school system could leverage the cameras on the DSI both from and rear cam to see if the kids are approaching a candy store to buy illegal Mike & Ikes.
I find the idea quite good. It generates income for nintendo, generates brand awareness, and improves the kids odds of actually learning something.
I go to any store and the cashier don't know how to give exact change. This happens a lot if I say give him/her coins for example: total $7.88 (I gave him/her) $8.03 (expecting $0.15
as change (I don't like pennys)
Almost every time I look at their faces, as their totally lost
they don't understand basic math.
In the future people might not have the skills needed for hand-writing or even hold a conversation at the pace that we are going.
this is sad.
I would love to see a kindle like app for the DS. This would be totally awesome for me as I love to read and play games as well. Having two of my favorite things together is a nice device as the DS would be great. I think that kids having to carry this device to be able to read when or where they need would be cool. With the new larger screens coming out i can see where this could happen.
I agree and I could see this really doing something for dealing with school textbook issues. If schools could get setup with a program that would allow updates for textbooks with x amount of years and be allowed discounts (for quantity ordered and the sake of being a school), I could see this doing very well. This would also halt mass printing of textbooks thusly saving thousands on paper and swapping to a renewable resource.
I could see many pluses on having schools use a digital means of textbook access.
"OK class, next lesson is, how to beat the dodongo cave in under 15 minutes."
I go to any store and the cashier don't know how to give exact change. This happens a lot if I say give him/her coins for example: total $7.88 (I gave him/her) $8.03 (expecting $0.15as change (I don't like pennys) Almost every time I look at their faces, as their totally lostthey don't understand basic math.In the future people might not have the skills needed for hand-writing or even hold a conversation at the pace that we are going. this is sad.
Considering you started your sentence with : "...and the cashier don't know how.." do you really feel you are in a position to make fun of anyone (or are you simply trying to prove a point?)
Considering you started your sentence with : "...and the cashier don't know how.." do you really feel you are in a position to make fun of anyone (or are you simply trying to prove a point?)
The only issue with your criticism is that grammar is a different skill set than mathematics. Regardless, I do agree that it is somewhat ironic.
Just got to say I love the name haha! Race Horse names are great! Who farted?
The education title void is only in the US> In Japan they have tons and tons. Language learners, ACT/SAT style test prep, etc.
Lol, I spent like 45 seconds looking at that sentence... I kept reading it as "...and the cashier doesn't know how..", and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it for the life of me!
Seriously. I was reading every word, one at a time, trying to find some spelling mistake or _something_, but I couldn't see that it was actually "don't" for nearly a minute.
oh my God, now where we would be seeing those great classic from nintendo? are they gonna make Zelda and the legend of the learning book?
I'd love to see some educational apps for the DS. Especially with the XL now out, larger screen means easier reading. But schools (At least in my area) will never allow them in the system. Too many ways for kids to play games instead of work. When the TI-85's came out, the first thing teachers learned was how to remove game programs from them. Good idea, but a little too ambitious I think.
this idea will work just as bad as getting netbooks into the classroom.
They donate a certain amount to a class, then the school keeps the devices locked in a room for most time of the year.
Kids lose some, and some break. Some get stolen, so in the end, from the 100 donated devices, 70 survive to be dumped in the trash 4 years from now due to 'old garbage technology'.
to be honest, i love the DS, and nintendo... but this just sounds stupid, i can see nothing but bad from things, kids sneaking their own FUN DS games to play during class... that is what i can see.
on a side note Golden Sun DS FTW!
this idea will work just as bad as getting netbooks into the classroom.They donate a certain amount to a class, then the school keeps the devices locked in a room for most time of the year.Kids lose some, and some break. Some get stolen, so in the end, from the 100 donated devices, 70 survive to be dumped in the trash 4 years from now due to 'old garbage technology'.
this depends on your school district... in some neighborhoods i would only expect to see 30-40 survive to see the trash...
I like this. Since I bought a DSi I've been using it to learn Japanese and improve my English vocabulary (as well as, with the right tools, listen to music and read ebooks). I can imagine it being a relatively non-invasive device when used in conjunction with traditional classroom materials. And of course, if anyone can make learning fun, Miyamoto can.
Yup, I can see this now, all the kids sitting in class playing the Brain Trainer
On a serious note, my two older kids have DSes. We wound up buying one of those "leap" things for the baby (the third), because DS seemed to lack educational titles.Maybe something like "more educational titles" for DS will come out of this?
More educational games would be good. The leapfrog things are insanely expensive...