Dear Lord No

Macawmoses · March 13, 2009, 04:23:27 PM

QuoteWASHINGTON, D.C. - A D.C. School is turning to the Nintendo Wii to win over support for its music program.

Representatives with Nintendo showed students how it worked at H.D. Cooke Elementary school Thursday. Teachers say it will be used as a supplemental tool to get children more engaged in music.

The Wii music program shows a renewed effort to make music an important part of the curriculum. D.C. School Chancellor Michelle Rhee made it part of her policy to make sure every school has a music teacher on staff.

The Wii music program will eventually be in 50 cities throughout the country.

I've been on fire posting topics related to gaming news. This one bothers me, though. That is, using Wii Music as a tool to teach music. I honestly don't see the merit in it at all. Now, don't get me wrong, Nintendo had some interesting ideas....but not only were they poorly executed, how does it promote learning? It's an interesting idea, and maybe will spark some interest, but I can't imagine it working.

But hey, if it promotes enough use to get music teachers...that's good. At least some good can come from it.

Discuss it in schools and Wii Music in general.

Tupin · March 13, 2009, 04:29:53 PM

It's like buying noisemakers to substitute for real instruments.

Macawmoses · March 13, 2009, 04:31:44 PM

Except those noisemakers are probably more entertaining.

Tupin · March 13, 2009, 04:39:44 PM

And more realistic.

Wii Music is the ultimate proof that if you make a game accessible enough, people will buy it, no matter how crappy it is.

Macawmoses · March 13, 2009, 04:46:49 PM

Still...who in their right mind would think to themselves:

"Hey, kids will like this. Let's put it in 50 schools!"

Doodle · March 13, 2009, 04:51:31 PM

Well, it's not as realistic as learning to play real instruments.
But it will get kids interested and involved. Wouldn't you be so excited if you got to play Wii at school as a kid? :P

Macawmoses · March 13, 2009, 05:23:46 PM

I think the sentiment is that instruments are not cheap. For a Wii they may be able to get one CHEAP trumpet.

Nayrman · March 13, 2009, 06:23:00 PM

crappy MIDI noisemaker. What it WON'T teach them is how much you have to practice and actually enjoy music to play it.
I played piano and percussion for ten years, a lot of the time it's buckling down and practicing, with only a little of it being fun with friends and the like...

Silverhawk79 · March 13, 2009, 08:30:50 PM

Welcome to America, where the schools get crappier and crappier every year. :)

Macawmoses · March 14, 2009, 10:20:52 AM

Quote from: Silverhawk79 on March 13, 2009, 08:30:50 PM
Welcome to America, where the schools get crappier and crappier every year. :)

And look how far they got you <3

And Nayr, I think the point is to get them interested in music....not teach. Still, all that title does is push me away...

Zies · March 18, 2009, 03:59:06 PM

....Makes me roffle in my tummy...

...It's sad to see education taken away...
...But in the end, we've got to be happy with what we've got, it's not going to get any better...

...I wonder how Nintendo will benefit humanity in the future...

Level_9_Chao · March 18, 2009, 08:16:19 PM

When I was their age, we learned Hot Cross Buns on recorders. Real plastic recorders. Yay. It wasn't even boring.

Hell, having DDR for gym class made REAL sense. Having Wii Music is the logical equivalent of DDR in gym class, but played with controllers.

WiiGuy · March 19, 2009, 05:17:35 AM

the ONLY instrument that i see helping in learning is drums....but still it isn't teaching them anything.

I don't see this as something the kids can benifit by to help them with music.