Link This | Email this | Blog This | Comments (0)

10 Reasons Why Your Library Needs a Wii (Part 1)

April 23, 2008 Your library needs a Nintendo Wii, though not for the reasons you might initially think. Here are the 10 real reasons why your library should be looking at the Wii.

First, the easy ones:
1) Gaming consoles are the computers that our students are using the most. Though we think of students as being the net generation, perhaps the term screenagers is closer to reality. A recent study confirmed that while most teens spend somewhere between 20 and 40 hours in front of screens a week, 85% of the teens reported spending less than 10 hours a week online.

2) Gaming consoles go well beyond gaming. Did you know that the Wii has built in WiFi? That you can buy an Internet browser add-on via the online store to surf from your game console? You can also purchase USB keyboards for text input. The combination means that students can be centered around one computer for their work and fun...it just happens that the computer is a game console.

3) The Wii can turn your whiteboard into an interactive multi-touch whiteboard. Johnny Chung Lee from Carnegie Mellon University has been playing with a Wii in ways that Nintendo never imagined possible. Though perhaps not for the masses (yet), the possibilities are there for using a $40 Wii remote for many other uses.

4) Playing the Wii is quite a workout. From the Wall Street Journal to the New York Times, Wii commenters always seem to note that playing the console is a rather physical activity. In an age of increased screen time, active screen time may be one way to push healthy living.

5) The Wii transcends generational gaps and disabilities. People who are wheelchair bound can still bowl, play baseball, and swing a Wii golf club. Young children - three and four years old even - can play the Wii on even footing with their parents. Like board games, the Wii can provide family entertainment where everyone is competing and participating on equal footing. My mother-in-law picked up a Wiimote for the first time and crushed me in bowling despite my practice. I did redeem myself on baseball where practice of timing is more important, but since they went out the next day and bought a Wii of their own they will be practicing more as well.

Just a few thoughts about the Wii that maybe you hadn't considered. Check back for 5 more reasons why your library should have a Wii as we tackle the big arguements like integration!

Posted by Chris Harris on April 23, 2008 | Comments (0)