Simon Parkin of Pocket Gamer asks “are we here to be entertained or are we here to get healthy? Because My Health Coach: Weight Management is the latest in a recent run of Nintendo DS titles to blur the lines between video game and health product” and concludes “Not a game but an interactive exercise manual. My Health Coach: Weight Management might help shed the pounds if followed to the letter but it won’t do very much to entertain you along the way”

More on My Health Coach

Pocket Gamer Review

Pocket Gamer Preview

With a combined age of 193, Rose Sanders and Violet Gyves are not the most likely computer game fans, but the pair have become hooked on playing with their Nintendo Wii console…..

Daily Telegraph

The final report on our HEAT2 project has been emailed to JISC TechDis today and will hopefully be appearing on their website soon. There have been some interesting comments from the three participants on their use so far of the Nintendo DS, Brain Training, Big Brain Academy and Opera Browser packages since they received the kit at the end of October.

Releasing the Potential of Handheld Gaming Devices as Effective Assistive Technology Tools

As we come to the end of phase two of the Heat Project Nintendo release this great numeracy tool – perfect timing as I prepare to write the report…

View More

A quick radio appearance today on UCB (UK Life with Paul Hammond) discussing my TechDis Heat Project and the use of the Nintendo DS for Learning (with a live interuption for a test fire alarm at my end…..what are the chances of that happening? etc). The second phase report is hopefully due for completion by the end of this month….

Tuesday 12th February – Can a hand-held gaming device be used as an assistive technology tool? This is the question Andy Pulman from Bournemouth University is going to try and answer.

Nice blog post by Donald Clark on the Nintendo DS (Nintendo DS shows educators the future) but wot no mention of the HEAT project?

View Blog

The interim report on our HEAT2 project has now been submitted to JISC TechDis and will hopefully be appearing on their website soon. There have been some interesting comments from the three participants on their use so far of the Nintendo DS, Brain Training, Big Brain Academy and Opera Browser packages since they received the kit at the end of October.

The full report will follow in February 2008.

Round 2 Interim report will hopefully appear here soon….

Three interesting recent items concerning the Nintendo DS and Handheld Learning….don’t forget to also check out our HEAT Project information if you’ve missed it.

Game based learning – A report on three Primary 6 classes from schools in Dundee taking part in a Consolarium project to show how computer games can impact on and enhance learning in classrooms in a practical, accessible and manageable way.

A blog post on a report on educational uses of the Nintendo DS in Japan from Newsweek.

Nintendo Backs Handheld Learning – Handheld Learning recently announced that Nintendo is an official sponsor of the Handheld Learning Conference and Exhibition, to be held on 10-12th October 2007 at Central Hall Westminster, London. This is great news and a really interesting conference to attend if you’re in London.

If you didn’t attend ALT-C 2007 or fell asleep during my presentation on the HEAT Project (Does a handheld gaming device make an effective assistive technology tool?) then here’s a link to the slides.

The presentation describes the evaluation of an innovative JISC TechDis Higher Education Assistive Technology (HEAT) project investigating the use of the Nintendo DS Lite and Brain Training software package as an assistive technology tool for students from IHCS requiring help with numeracy during the autumn term of 2006. It provides an overview of using mobile devices within a higher education environment and seeks to raise awareness of some of the possibilities that can be created for students and staff.

View Presentation

JISC TechDis have approved my bid for technology under the HEAT2 scheme. This project aims to consolidate and expand upon the use of the Nintendo DS as a study support tool (see report below) to assist students requiring help with numeracy skills and also evaluate the use of the DS Opera browser package as a handheld internet browser.

More About JISC TechDis

More About HEAT Programme

Can a Handheld Gaming Device Be Used As An Effective Assistive Technology Tool?