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Q and A about the use of Nintendo Games in School

3 replies

RachelMumsnet · 19/01/2011 15:05

Primary school teacher Dawn Hallybone recently appeared as herself in one of Nintendo's Real People TV adverts, where she was filmed using the handheld DS console in her job. The adverts sparked some debate in the media and online (including mumsnet) about the authenticity of her story.

Dawn has been using DS consoles in her classroom for over three years. She is a firm believer that games consoles can be powerful tools for learning in classrooms and is a big fan of the maths-based games like Brain Training. Dawn is also part of her school borough's games network and has access to a selection of Wii games as well, which are also used in her school.

Following a number of posts on this thread on Mumsnet before Christmas, we've been asked by Nintendo if you'd like to ask Dawn questions about their games-based learning approach directly. Please send in your questions by end of day on Monday 24th January and we'll link to the answers from this thread by the end of the week.

RachelMumsnet · 24/01/2011 12:04

Thanks so much for all your questions and feedback on this subject which we've forwarded on to both Dawn and to Nintendo. As soon as the answers are back (hopefully by the end of the week) we'll create an archived Q and A and link to it from this page.

RachelMumsnet · 01/02/2011 16:38

Sorry for the delay - Dawn's just sent the answers back to all your questions and we'll be linking through to the Q and A from this page later in the week.

In response to wilfshelf's comment:

"I have no problem with any computer games used in for limited period, for educational purposes and designed for specific educational lessons. But what I object to the most is that is advertising by stealth. If Nintendo REALLY wanted to do something upstanding, rather than just increase their market share by infiltrating children's every spare centimetre, then they would find a way of de-branding them and putting them out as distinct educational consoles. Did you know they 'employ' children to 'sell' them to other children in informal settings? It's horrific. And I'm afraid I object to this move on those grounds".

Robert Saunders, Head of Communication at Nintendo UK has responded:

"Nintendo takes its responsibilities towards children and parents very seriously. We worked with buzz marketing company 'Dubit' on a project involving a small number of young people between 2006 and 2007, with
total assurance from Dubit of parental consent. Participants were given games consoles and games in return for their feedback and views on the products. This was the last time we have worked with Dubit and with young people in this way and we have no plans to do so again in the
future ."

JosieMumsnet · 03/02/2011 11:10

Hi everyone, Dawn's answers to the Q & A are up now here. Thanks so much for your questions.

Watch this thread for updates

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