14 DAY TRIAL // The Nintendo Wii is a lesson that needs to be taught to any console manufacturer. It became a sales phenomenon after it was launched and it is still selling strong, trumping its two Arch rivals, the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation, which are both way more powerful than Nintendo's product, but which don't share the same popularity with the casual market.
The innovative console introduced gaming to a wide variety of people and has been implemented in a lot of new things, in partnership with private companies, like the Marriott hotel chain, or with public institutions like hospitals. But now it seems that the Wii has found a new use, as a few schools located in the state of New York have begun to implement it into their physical education classes.
That's right, schools have started to allow their students to play on consoles during class hours. While it might seem like a dream come true for the kids, it looks like there is a pretty solid basis for such a decision, as teachers are aiming to bridge the gap between the physical exercise they get in school, and the workout that they can get at home, on their own Wii console. What started as a means to award students for their results has now turned into a very successful initiative, which is beginning to be adopted by other schools in the New York area.
“You're seeing this happening more and more across the U.S. I wouldn't say that it's widespread, but a lot of schools are using it to engage students. They're using it with great success as a motivator during winter months and on a day like today, when you can't go out. There are a lot of ways to burn calories while you're inside,” said David Ashdown, an official with the educational services board serving Glens Falls and other schools in five counties. “What you're getting is student engagement and trying to harness what we call the 'wow factor.' You're trying to reach every student and creating opportunities to make students successful.”
It definitely seems that teachers and school representatives are finally beginning to see consoles for their positive aspects rather than as a thing that makes children violent or lazy. With other educational institutions starting to implement such programs, it seems that the Wii can brag about another thing, namely making games a great educational tool and bringing them into schools.