Teaching the Nintendo
Generation
Camilla Gagliolo
Arlington Public Schools
VSTE Conference 2009

21st Century Student

Project Tomorrow
Surveys Submitted Speak Up 2008:
281,150 Students
29,644 Teachers
21,309 Parents
3,115 Administrators
http://www.tomorrow.org/

Survey Result Overview
Julie Evans
Students prefer learning online
Want to learn with the devices that they
have and use everyday
Prefer to learn with games

Some findings
Which of these statements describes your interest in using
gaming technologies to assist with learning?
51%
hat value do you think the use of gaming technologies would
have in your classroom?
65%

Engage Me!
Robin Hood School, Birmingham, UK
( YouTube)

Toys to Tools
Take advantage of what our students
already use and love

Digital Kids
Connected
Engaged
Social
Personal Learning
Differentiation
Different Learning Styles

Why Nintendo
Almost everyone has one
Relatively inexpensive
Students know how to use it
Available software application
Built-in networking abilities (Pictochat)
Learning is entertainment
Learns with games

Benefits
Little to no training needed for students
Networked classroom instantly
Make learning transparent
Allows for differentiation
One-on-one teacher to student tutoring
Fun and challenging
Low cost, has “multiplayer” downloads

What Does it Look Like?

Software

Brain Practice
Morning warmup
Math, music, language,
problem solving, memory
practice, time and space,
ordering, sudoko,

Brain Games

Using Games in Class
Math: Brain Age 1 &11, Math Patrol
Language Arts: My Word Coach, Word
Safari
Foreign Language: My Spanish Coach,
My French Coach

In the Classroom

Classroom Implementation
Morning Warm up
Station work
Discussion groups
Math practice
Tutoring one-on-one
Shared learning/ instant network

Classroom Stations
Glogster Poster
Language Arts and Math
2nd and 4th Grade
PALM, iPods, Nintendo DS,
SMARTBoard
Movie snippet with PALMs

Movie 2nd and 4th

Language Arts
Reading Groups
Book Discussion
Find evidence in text and share
Vocabulary building and practice
Grammar practice
Review

Math
Quizzes
Practice with math software
Solve math problems
Math facts practice
Show your work
Student to student sharing

Social Studies and Science
Pre-assessment
Review sheets/recording
Presentation follow-up
Quizzes

Things to Consider
Classroom Management
Make sure focus is on curriculum/
content
Grouping/ station work
Etiquette expectations (chat behaviors)
Sending/submission strategies

Student Voices
“It doesn’t feel like learning!” -Charlotte
Grace
“It makes learning fun!” -Lily
“It stretches my brain!” -Taylor
“I enjoy learning, especially with the DS!” -
Andy

Global Perspective
Students can also “play” against other
students globally or communicate
globally using the DS and registering at
the Nintendo website
Some games automatically track a
student’s progress, and the results can
be compared across borders

Millennials as Teachers
Here they come.....to a classroom near
you....
Gaming generation (computer, phone,
online)
Handheld devices (pda, phone, iPod,
texting)

Questions
Camilla Gagliolo
Arlingtington Public Schools
camilla_gagliolo@apsva.us
Presentation website:
http://web.me.com/jamestownelementary/Nintendo/Welcome.html