Should Nintendo Wiis be in Schools?

Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:24PM EST

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Dance Dance Revolution in gym class is one thing. But the Nintendo Wii doesn't cut it as a worthwhile PE option.

That's the thinking of an education advocacy group in the United Kingdom, where there are plans to add Wii games in some schools to "improve attitude, behaviour and attendance," according to gamesindustry.biz.

The Campaign for Real Education, which lobbies for higher educational standards and more parental choice in state education, says incorporating the Wii in schools is "pandering to the views of the physically idle," and that kids would be better off participating in competitive sports and games.

Ars Technica notes that a recent study by Nintendo's UK marketing group Cake finds a slight increase in energy spent playing Wii Sports, but not enough to "contribute towards the recommended daily amount of exercise."

I agree. I like the Wii because it gets kids moving more than other video games. But c'mon, you can't argue that there's any true and lasting cardio benefits to it. Now, if it were the Wii Fit, which is not yet widely available, there may be a compelling reason to add it to school phys ed routines.

What do you think? Do Wiis belong in schools?

LINKS: UK education group: keep the Wii out of PE class [Ars Technica] 

Campaigner blasts Wii in schools "gimmick" [gamingindustry.biz] 

Related: Nintendo Gets Physical with Wii Fit 

 

 

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Comments on Should Nintendo Wiis be in Schools?

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  • 26 Posted by sarah_j_alaska on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:04PM EDT Report Abuse

    Wii in schools? I might be a good idea, but who will pay for them? And their arms will feel like jello after that. Isn't doing there jogs and dodgeball enough?

  • 27 Posted by frankdel04 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:02PM EDT Report Abuse

    I think the just the fact that the Wii has the option of games involving physical moving it is a good tool. It would get kids active, with a tool that anyone can use and most are familiar with already. Competitive sports in PE are great and fun, but not all kids enjoy it and im sure there is a larger population who enjoy and are more confident with video games. With kids today, you can really take any game system and incorporate it to fit the needs of the classroom. i personally think video games that incorporate lessons and skills would help kids learn a lot. The amount of time they spend playing outside of school and how quickly they learn and master these games is just a tribute to how effective they are. Harnessing that to produce games for learning could be fantastic.

  • 28 Posted by rwkisdabest on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    wii's are great to have in schools like if its raining or something and you have to have a indoor recess you could play the wii then. or u could play it for a fun thing on friday but it would be a good idea to put wii's in schools

  • 29 Posted by liketospike on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    i think they should (thats just cause im in 6th grade and dont really like the games we play)

  • 30 Posted by skipjack64 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:26PM EDT Report Abuse

    Adding the Wii to school is, in my opinion, a great idea!In SOME cases, from my experience, some PE classes have been reduced to nothing more than reading books and remembering key terms; learning is best done hands on, but some schools just don't do PE like they used to-- at LEAST the Wii will encourage kids to go out and do it for themselves. I believe that most people agree that what kids do in video games has a MASSIVE influence on what they do in real life. A few of my friends, for example, now play tennis on a regular basis because they played Wii sports and then asked themselves, "I couldn't be so hard for real, could it?" I decided to try skateboarding because I loved playing Tony Hawk Pro Skater so much, and now I use my RipStick like crazy! The point of having the Wii in school as an IN CLASS THING is not so much for the physical enhancement, but to plant that seed to INVOKE THE INTEREST.

  • 31 Posted by oldtimekid on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:44PM EDT Report Abuse

    The article hit it on the head... the Wii is not a suitable alternative to PE. It's not as involving as playing sports, and it doesn't give as good of a workout as a PE teacher will provide through "typical activities". HOWEVER, it can be used as a tool to get more students interested in PE and actually willing to participate. For the number of students in a typical class, I think a good option would be to have 2-3 Wiis and have an option for once or twice a week that students meeting certain criteria can have limited sessions on the Wii as PART of their PE class. For the students that participate, pay attention in class, and try their best, they get credit towards playing it (or however they would set it up). Also, it would have to be a revolving setup in some ways so it's not always the same "star kids" playing every time, but still something that gives them incentive. If I had the option to play a Wii game for 20-30 minutes of class (or even 10 minutes), I would have put a LOT more effort into PE when I was in grade school. But as an adult, I know it should be quite limited so the kids don't expect to play Wii every day or every other day... it should be a special treat ;-)

  • 32 Posted by mmpabc2000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:24PM EDT Report Abuse

    of course it should. in fact they should have made it avail in pe a long time ago

  • 33 Posted by velez2715 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:33PM EDT Report Abuse

    ill never skip school if we had thoes in our school

  • 34 Posted by ucantseeme_ceya on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    I dont think so because more people are gonna get hurt any way but the "wii" should be a home thing because it could lead more volence sorry i cant speel so get the high horse's maintain

  • 35 Posted by sethtow on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    I am an avid gamer myself, but I think it is dumb. It's like asking "should we be able to play DS during science"

  • 36 Posted by ragnarok21487 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    OH NO. The kids are having fun at school!? Quick, we have to complain about it and fight to stop such an atrocity!

  • 38 Posted by gauntletskd on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:06PM EDT Report Abuse

    I think that it would depend on the class and/or the time. If it was like a physical exercise thing, then it'd b good 4 physical education. If it was like a recess thing if it's rainy outside, then the kids can just fiddle around with it and the different games. It can help, so long as it doesn't interfere with any academic progress or nothin like that. Basically, it depends on the time or the place.

  • 39 Posted by neagrosk on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:35PM EDT Report Abuse

    Not a very good choice, I feel that even though it is proven to increase exercise, it is too expensive to be effectively implanted into an acedemic enviroment. The problem is that when one student wants to play, everyone else has to wait in turn. To get this straightened out, the only solution to this problem would be to buy more, which is improbable. Wii is good for home entertainment and parties, not for much anything else.

  • 40 Posted by collierb17 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:28PM EDT Report Abuse

    I THINK WII SHOULD BE IN SCHOOLS IT HELPS KIDS EXERCISE ALSO KIDS WOULDN'T BE TRYING TO SKIP GYM.KIDS WOULD HAVE FUN AND THEY COULD ALSO BE GETTING EXERCISE.I THINK THE WII SHOULD BE RECOMENDED IN ALL SCHOOLS AT GYM TIME.

  • 41 Posted by pokekirbyfan on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    As a high school student and a fan of Nintendo, I think it's very... strange to put Wiis in schools. Clearly, it doesn't require much physical strength or effort to play. I've played Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games and it DID work my arms a little bit, but that was about all. I've played Wii Sports, too. It's better than other games, but not even as hard as M&S. You barely need to flick the remote to swing a baseball bat. Big Brain Academy and ones like it would be fun for younger kids, but I don't think the Wii should be used as a gym class activity. Unless they had some kind of free ro break day every once in a while. Though somewhat off topic, I am all for Dance Dance Revolution, as it's an excellent game as well as one of my favorites. If my school had it, I'd actually enjoy PE class rather than hate it like I do now. Wii Fit is news to me, so that may change things.

  • 42 Posted by lmadd4u on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    I dont think it's whether they put it in schools or not. think it's the way they use it and when they use it. Not for fun games and maybe 1-3 times a week.

  • 43 Posted by bullwinklegurl on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    When I was in elementary school we had free time on the computer where we could play games if we were well behaved, or had good attendance. Of course it was like Carmen San Diego and Oregan Trail, but if "smart" games were used like the big brain academy I don't see a problem with that. It would be good motivation. Schools need to keep up with technology to keep ahold of kids attention. Even if it is only for a reward.

  • 44 Posted by pyra4eva on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:23PM EDT Report Abuse

    I think if they start by playing Wii fit or Brain Acedamy. I think it's a good idea cuz I know a lot of kids that sit in the back of every class in every grade level (college included) that rather play videogames, even if they learn nuclear physics while playin it. For example, my lil' bro would sit for hours if I let him playin my surgery game that I have for my Wii... but he's failing biology. He can remove a tumor but he can't focus enough 2 do his work. He finds school boring. Now, if they said "Here's a videogame. Find a DNA helix in this cell." He'd do it and ace it. Not only that but research has found that surgeons that are gamers do extremely better at performing surgeries because of their dexterity and hand-eye coordination. Patients heal faster and show less scarring because these gamers make fewer mistakes. They use videogames in drivers ed for people who are court appointed. They use "simulations" in the military which are just giant arcade games. The military is even trying to recruit people via online gaming! In short, gaming is good!!

  • 45 Posted by lmadd4u on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    I think someone should make video game system particularly for gym class.

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