14 DAY TRIAL // An official report released as soon as this morning reveals that Nintendo is now an official sponsor of the Handheld Learning Conference and Exhibition, held 10-12th October this year, at Central Hall Westminster, in London. Handheld Learning themselves made the official announcement in an effort to gather opinion formers, policy makers and practitioners to debate the importance of "always on" learning.
The announcement stands as proof of how the learning and entertainment sectors are getting along well, thus enabling them to constantly and rapidly grow, the report implies. The benefits to follow are obvious really. They're simply trying to convince the world (probably Jack Thompson too) that video games improve hand to eye co-ordination, something that has previously been perceived to have been very limited as an aspect.
Only now they are being recognized as having an important impact on young learners' cognitive and social development, as the official report goes on.
"The Handheld Learning Conference and Exhibition brings together so many thought-leaders it is natural that Nintendo gets involved with this important educational conference," proudly stated David Yarnton, General Manager, Nintendo UK. "As the biggest supplier of handheld entertainment, Nintendo is already driving learning across all age groups with its products, in particular the Touch Generations series, including Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain? and Big Brain Academy. So we're delighted to play our part, furthering the developing role of handheld devices in learning."
Graham Brown-Martin, Managing Director, Handheld Learning added that "The majority of gaming devices - and particularly those by Nintendo - all feature local and wide area networking capabilities, which are exploited by its software titles to enable positive social interaction and networks. Whilst the world has been focusing on the $100 laptop Nintendo had already developed one in the form of the Nintendo DS."
And now, for the final blow to those convinced that the PC is far better than the consoles are when it comes to games: the report also says that the type of complex, abstract problem solving required to participate in modern games, as well as the seamless adaptation to different user interfaces equips learners for a future, whereas the traditional desktop PC is likely to be regarded as antiquated as a typewriter is perceived today.
Well what do you know, there still are people out there who believe that video games are a good thing. Now if only parents could make a few differences between the titles available out there...
Here's the Handheld Learning Conference and Exhibition's official website if you need to "learn" more about the event.