Nintendo DS shows educators the future - useful piece by Donald Clark

Donald Clark's Consumer e-learning goes global is worth reading in full. Excerpt:

"Over Christmas something quite extraordinary happened. E-learning became a global consumer phenomenon. Nintendo has been THE global success in games this year with learning product. So how did Nintendo do what educators have been trying for eons to achieve (unsuccessfully)? Simple, they went back to some basic principles in the psychology of learning around motivation, goals and spaced practice. They realised that one-on-one content, that becomes addictive for the learner, played a little but often, is the way ahead in learning. In designing a game that appeals to all ages they’ve literally created a massive consumer-led e-learning market."

Comments

[Lars Hyland]

Seb, this was one of my main points at my conference session at Online Educa this year, having lived with the DS and Wii platforms since they emerged and seen first hand their effect on my immediate family. Nintendo really have moved interactive entertainment and education on to a new and wider audience.

In the interests of balance, did you see the recent claims by Sense about Science? I wrote about it here:

http://larsislearning.blogspot.com/2008/01/inaccurate-claims-of-brain-training.html

Seb - I've read your blog for sometime and would like to thank you for consistently interesting and thought provoking posts. As a newbie to blog writer/contributor I'd welcome your comments/direction.

Regards

Lars Hyland