By Stevie Smith Mar 30, 2007, 16:41 GMT
In a society where videogames consoles are viewed as a source of serious distraction, guilty of turning children into couch-bound sloths while contributing to rising obesity rates, kids at a school in Birmingham, England, are about to take part in a test scheme that could well derail that particular misplaced train of thought.
More pointedly, pupils at Holyhead Secondary School in Handsworth, Birmingham, will be immersed in an interactive trial after the Easter break where French, history, and geography lessons will be delivered with the able assistance of Sony’s PlayStation Portable handheld console.
“It’s not about using the console for games, but it does have a lot of exciting potential for learning opportunities,” commented Martin Bayliss, head teacher at Holyhead Secondary. If the test period at the Birmingham inner-city school proves to be a success, Sony says it may well expand the educational reach of its PlayStation Portable across the country.
“Sony are interested in developing education software and we are delighted that they are carrying out their PlayStation pilot at Holyhead,” added Mr. Bayliss while also explaining that teachers in key subjects will be using the PSP to download pictures and videos, create useful podcasts, and upload pupils’ work.
“The big key is independent learning,” enthused Lorna Diprose, a French teacher at the school and also an ex-marketing employee of Sony – which is how Holyhead Secondary was selected for inclusion to the initial trial. “The console is just like a mini-computer, but fast, and you can use it to tailor-make lessons for pupils who need support or stretching.”
However, the school is also keen to point out that any children with thoughts running toward stealthy lesson-based games playing will be left scarred by resulting disappointment. “You are talking about access to all kinds of resources, but it would be very obvious if anyone tried to load games onto them,” warned Diprose.
Teachers at the school have undergone two months of training on the handheld hardware prior to the trial’s launch at the close of the Easter holiday. The PlayStation Portable trial period will run until the close of the school year in the summer.
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