Bringing the Nintendo DS to the Classroom

There has been a lot of talk about video games and children. Much of it negative. A lot of it positive too, especially in regards to how they can be learning tools.

We even talked about it on one of our podcasts.

It looks like Nintendo's branching out a bit into the educational software area, though.

According to Games Radar, Nintendo's inserting itself into the Arts classroom. (They apparently have already had a number of Wii consoles be used in gym classes for fitness).

"Nintendo has just announced a partnership with the National Art Education Association. The initiative involves selected schools throughout the US, which will receive DSi XL systems and multiple copies of the game Art Academy. Unlike most painting or drawing games, Art Academy is actually marketed as a game that can teach players real-life art techniques."

The game actually looks pretty cool.

It supposedly will help with combining colours, sketching, and things like that. This concept really works well since the DS has a stylus and a touch-sensitive screen that will let you draw and sketch with it.

Back in my day, there weren't any graphics-heavy games that were also educational, though I do remember a pretty good politics simulator and a good business one that we played in FORTRAN class (I miss Mr. Jones).

But what do you think of using video games in classrooms like this? Good idea? Thin edge of the wedge that will lead to more violent games?

Is it really that far from Art Academy to Pokemon? And then, heaven forbid, Donkey Kong Country?

God save us!!!