Wii

Nintendo Wii @ St Timothy’s Primary

June 23, 2011 User deactivated

Background

We borrowed the wii to provide motivation for children to participate in physical activity. We also wanted to improve the fine and gross motor skills of P1 children and in particular children with Additional Support Needs.

How ICT supported Learning and Teaching

We used the wii within our P.E. sessions, Purposeful Play and our school Fun Day. Children played a variety of games from the wii sports package in small groups. During P.E. we used the wii as a station within our fitness stations. Children rotated through all stations ensuring that everyone had a turn. During Purposeful Play the wii was used as a specific area where children could develop their movement skills.

Impact/Conclusion

Many children were experienced in using the wii and were skilled in using the controllers and navigating through the games. We found the wii had a positive impact on social interaction. Experienced wii users enjoyed explaining to less experienced users how to use the controllers to play the games. The games also provided the children with a topic of conversation and the communication between players and the audience during the games was an unexpected benefit. The wii also provided an excellent way for children with ASN/physical disabilities to participate fully in physical activity and to develop their fine and gross motor skills. All children enjoyed using the wii and were motivated to take part in physical activity.

Here are some of their thoughts:

“I liked playing the tennis. It was the best part.”

“The bowling was fun.”

“I liked playing the wii during the fun day because it was fun.”

“I liked when I was playing with my friends because it was good fun.”

“Everyone got a shot of the wii.”

“It was good in gym because it was fun.”

“It was super fun.”

Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS at Greengairs

June 23, 2011 John Johnston

posted on Behalf of Mrs Scott.

The DS were used with pupils during the final term to develop mental mathematics skills in a variety of context.

Pupils used the DS Nintendo daily for 20 minutes and chose the activities which they felt would help develop their mathematics skills. It gave the pupils’ choice and increased their motivation.

Pupils were keen to improve their brain age and to try and beat the teacher as I also took part in the project.

One of the pupils who receives learning support was pleased when he received a stamp and this motivated him.

DS Nintendo Pupil Comments.

I liked the interactive way that the Nintendo taught us. It was amazing how we could learn and play at the same time. It was

just fantastic. Samantha

When I was playing the DS Nintendo I liked to get good scores. I t was fun to play the different games. I liked Head count. It was hard but I enjoyed the challenge. Jamie

I liked playing the DS Nintendo because every time that you worked hard your brain age improved. David

I really enjoyed using the Ds Nintendo. I think that it helped me become quicker at answering times tables, adding, taking away and dividing. I think that it really improved these skills. Ben

I enjoyed using the Ds because it was great fun and as you were playing games you were learning. Daniel

I enjoyed the Brain training as I like doing maths. It was very puzzling and I like solving the problems. It has improved my brain. Chloe

Nintendo DS

Braintraining at Glenmanor

June 17, 2011 Mrs Grant

We borrowed a set of 10 DSI’s with Braintraining from the lending service.

They were initially used as an incentive during Golden Time and as part of the mental maths programme.

After reading the feedback from Thornlie Primary on the blog we followed their model of taking a base brain age for each child and completing training everyday. We would then check our brain age once a week.
The children enjoyed charting their progress each week and comparing their progress with friends.

As a class teacher I found them to be a great motivator and a super way to engage all learners.

Nintendo DS

Nintendo Dsi at Knowetop Primary School

June 17, 2011 Miss Marshall

The children in my class enjoyed using the Dsi, They became very competitive with each other and it was a good way for all the children to interact with each other in a way that they could not before. The children were very keen and enthusiastic when using the Dsi. My only challenge was in a class of 33 i had to split the children into groups and they were allocated a day in the week were it was their turn to use the dsi. Other than this, it was an excellent experience for the children.

Flip Camera

Eastfield Primary – Flip cameras using Imovie 09

June 15, 2011 Mr Sharp

Battle of Eastfield Primary

Background

The Primary 4 and 5 pupils came together to share their learning from their respective topics (Romans and Wallace and Bruce). They decided to create their own battle on the school pitch and planned the battle, made weapons and shields, voted for leaders and wrote speeches for the leaders to say before the battle.

How ICT supported learning and teaching

We used the Flip cameras to film the entrances, speeches and main battle scenes of the battle and we able to zoom in and out of the action, picking up the expressions of the faces of the soldiers. After filming the two classroom teachers uploaded and edited the footage using Imovie 09 and added transitions, captions, music and credits creating a real film for the pupils to watch back and enjoy.

Impact / Conclusion

The pupils thoroughly enjoyed carrying out the tasks invovled in creating the battle and loved using the Flip cameras to pick up the footage of their friends. They found using the camera very easy and would often teach each other about the functions of the buttons and how to zoom etc. When watching back the completed movie the pupils loved seeing themselves and ther friends acting out and were impressed with the transitions and credits. I would have liked to include the pupils in the editing process but they have not had any experience with Imovie 09 yet. This is a project I would definiately recommend to others as the pupils were completely enthused about using the cameras and producing a professional film.

I Can Animate

Animation After School Club – Cumbernauld Primary School

April 28, 2011 John Johnston

Cumbernauld

Posted on behalf of Helen Westell

Background

The animation after school club ran from January to April in two 5-week blocks. 15 children attended each block to learn how to use animation software and film techniques. The first week the children looked at various animations using the Glow site and previous animations done in the school. They split into groups and worked on creating a storyboard and ideas for their animation. Week 2 the children designed props, backgrounds and plastiecne models. Week 3, 4 and 5 the children filmed their animations using I Can Animate software and editing the films using imovie, following instruction videos on Glow from the computer centre. Each child was presented with a disc of their film and these were uploaded to the school website for all to see.

How ICT supported learning and teaching

ICT supported teaching and learning and was used as a tool for language and literacy projects during the after school club. Reading, writing of storyboards and talking and listening in group work and editing animations.

Children worked co-operatively in groups using social skills and peer coached and mentored each other.

Impact / conclusion

The children are confident and successful in using animation software and setting up the webcams. The animation club children will be used as peer coaches and mentors to use the software and hardware in other classes for interdisciplinary work.

Animation have been uploaded to the NLC Glow site ICT for Pupils – Animation

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