Wii Music Becomes Part of US School Curriculums

Wii Music, instead of being an “after your homework” activity, is now part of the classroom. H.D. Cooke Elementary School in Washington D.C. will use the video game system and music game as an incentive for kids to have fun with music. J.C. Rodrigo, a marketing support specialist at Nintendo who demonstrated the title at Cooke, said:

“This is about kids learning about how to have fun with music. It’s providing a unique experience where kids can try out different instruments and find that creative spark.”

The initiative is a result of an alliance between Nintendo and the National Association for Music Education. The video game company will donate hardware and software to another 51 schools across the country.

How the video game will be used in the school’s music curriculum is yet to be seen, but Carolyn Sweterlitsch, a music teacher at Cooke, says that “this is another way of exposing them to these instruments and getting them excited [about music].”

It’s encouraging to see fun technology being used in the educational system, and perhaps parents can be convinced, once and for all, that video games aren’t just toys, but rather an important step forward in learning, exploration and expression. And although we reported that Wii Music was selling poorly, Nintendo still scores points for donating to the US educational system.

What other music games could be used? Is Guitar Hero valid as an instructional tool for music?

Photo via mywiinews.com
Source: WashingtonPost