Consolarium

June 17th, 2008

Dr Kawashima post tests: The Western Isles

Derek Robertson

Comments: 2 Comments » Tags: Tags: Consolarium, DS, Kawashima, Western Isles
 : Categories Nintendo, Western Isles

This week has seen my colleague from the University of Dundee, Dr David Miller, carrying out the post-tests in participating schools in Dundee with me making my way to Stornoway to carry out those in the Western Isles. The life of a Development Officer for LTS is not an easy one I may add what with a 4:30am wake up on Monday morning so that I could get to Edinburgh Airport in time for my flight! Even so, to get the opportunity to visit parts of Scotland such as the Western Isles is really a bonus. If you haven’t had a chance to come here then take the first opportunity you can…it’s Scotland with a completely different flavour to that of the central belt and it’s great to see, smell and feel.

My host and contact up here, Hamish Budge and I combined to mix up the dates of my visit and so my arrival at the airport was not expected. Eventual phone contact led to Hamish saying, “Don’t worry we’ll fix it,” followed 10 minutes later by a trail of dust left behin by Hamish’s Citroen Berlingo LPG as it streaked into the airport carpark.

All the schools managed to accommodate our rearranged visits to carry out the post-tests and many thanks to all at Laxdale, Stornoway, Tong and Back Primary Schools for their help with the project.

Today we visited Sgoil nan Loch which sits just outside Stornoway. Andrew Reeves (HT) gave me a tour of the school and I must say what an exemplar school it was. A new building with plenty of light, excellent resources, a fantastic situation with wonderful views and superb displays throughout the school. Most certainly a place of learning. See some of the photos on the Rock You slide show.

Thanks once again to all in the Western Isles for their help with this project but also for the warm welcome that is always made to visitors such as myself. Tapadh leibh!

April 15th, 2008

Kawashima project kicks off

Derek Robertson

Comments: 1 Comment Tags: Tags: Consolarium, games based learning, Kawashima, LTS
 : Categories Aberdeenshire, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, Nintendo, Western Isles

The past two weeks have been rather hectic, with the promise of more of the same next week. I’m writing this post from the Western Isles EDC offices in Stornoway having completed another leg of the LTS extended Dr Kawashima project.

Last year we carried out a small-scale intervention using Nintendo DS & Dr Kawashima in a P.5/6 class in Dundee. Thew results proved to be so interesting that we managed to access funds that has allowed us to extend this to 16 schoolsd with Nintendo with 16 control groups. The methodology is very similar to what we did last year with the exception that we only have Nintendo groups and control groups this time around and the fact we are using different measures to the Burnett Self-Scale that we used last year. So now things are well under way…

We had a great start last week in Aberdeenshire schools that are taking part. It was an experience, to say the least, to have some headteachers waiting at the front door for my arrival and then to be welcomed with the excited exclamation, “It’s the Nintedno man!” The pre and post tests went like clockwork, no small thanks to Anna Rossvoll, Alison Butcher and Caroline Denning from the ‘Shire’s ICT team as well as Elizabeth Cole from HMIe. What a team!

This week has seen me carrying out the needful in the Western Isles with my colleague from the University of Dundee, Dr David Miller doing likewise in the participating Dundee schools. Next week will see us both doing the same in our partner schools in East-Ayrshire.

I’ve always said that teaching is a great career but it’s an added bonus to see the gleeful reactions and to hear the gasps of disbelief when we tell ther children that they are getting to use the DS in class, and that we are giving them one each for the 10 week duration of the project. Good times.

We’ll all be back to visit the schools to carry out the post-tests in 10 weeks time and then for the analysis…