ICTeD Services

Wii Idol - ICT & Music for Primary / Elementary Students

My school is getting ready to be involved in Wii Idol a music competition using Wii Music. The competition is being tun by the Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association, in conjunction with Nintendo. See the website http://www.wiiidol.vitta.org.au/

This activity builds on the research of Derek Robertson at the Consolarium [The Scottish Centre of Games & Learning]. Derek spoke at the VITTA Conference last year on Games and Learning. See http://hotmilkydrink.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/11/the-vitta-08-conference-in-melbourne.html
This looks an exciting event.
To quote the promo
What is Wii Idol?
Schools will go head to head during regional heats using the popular game, Wii Music. Heats will be held in all DEECD regions [Victoria, Australia].
Each school may enter one band made up of one teacher and three students (students may come from any year level or may be a combination of year levels). Bands competing in the heats will be given two Wii Music songs to play from a list of 10 possible songs outlined on the Wii Idol website. Here's where it's time to get creative, its up to you how you play it!
Bands will be judged by a panel of experts on timing, melody, harmony, creativity and skill. The band with the highest combined score in each heat wins and will be eligible to compete in the Wii Idol Grand Final to be held at the VITTA Annual Conference 2009.
How will Wii Idol help in class?
Wii Idol will improve students musical understanding and skills, promote stronger student-teacher relationships, allow students to set goals, improve concentration in class and best of all, is fun for all involved!

Download VITTA - Wii Idol - A3 Poster_FINAL

Press Play - Video Games Forum at the State Library of Victoria

Very late with this report!
I attended this Games & Education Forum on 03.03.2009. Panel was Andrew Owen [ Monash University], Felicity [librarian from Lalor], Jason Hill [Screen Play blog and writer for the Age ] and Brad Newlands [Film Victoria].
Each speaker had 10 mins to speak followed by Q & A session.
Andrew talked about a project where secondary students came to Monash for five days to become a gaming company. This activity developed group theory with the students, leadership, project management, self belief and a business plan. Andrew is taking this model to Gippsland to run a three day project in an indigenous community.
Felicity talked about the roll of games in a disadvantaged and multicultural community. There was a borrowing system for a Nintendo within the library, so therefore users needed a borrowing card. Some would then use this card to even borrow books! They also had a LAN games night when the rest of the library was closed.
Jason gave a selection of amazing facts such as the Australian Gaming Industry sells $2 B worth of product annually, more than either DVDs or cinema tickets. 70% of Australian play computer games. Average age of gamers is 30+, with an increasing proportion of women gaming.
Brad from Film Victoria talked about government support for games development.

An interesting Q & A session followed.

There is a second session on games at the SLV  on 7/4/09 [hands on]

The Press play series will also have a Web 2.0 forum 5/5 /09 and a Web 2.0 practical session 9/6/09

and a Digital Storytelling forum 7/7/09 and a Digital Storytelling practical session 4/8/09

All session are at Experimedia at the SLV. Sessions are free, and all between 6:00 - 7:30 p.m

Booking can be made at http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/programs/new_media/index.html