And people say you can’t learn anything from playing games. Pah.
A high school out in Colorado has used Mario Kart Wii to great effect, showing kids how easy it is to be distracted when behind the wheel.
Read how it helped over the jump!
Vail Christian High School in Colorado set up a little experiment as part of a contest organised by the National Organisation for Youth Safety. What was involved? A cellphone and a Wii Wheel, with kids being told to try and send a text message while playing Mario Kart Wii. No pausing, no stopping, no cheating. Just drive and text.
The results speak for themselves, as 13-year-old Alli found out when under the surveillance of 9NEWS:
With the way Alli is driving, rarely on the road and often crashing into computerized cows, the program seems to be driving home the point.
Of course, we need the kiddies to take a lesson away from this. Did Alli? You bet your sweet bippy he did.
“I ran into a lot of things and it was very stressful. I don’t think I’ll text [while driving].”
There we go then. Not only can games be used educationally and for the greater good, but Mario Kart Wii now has a use.
Now all we need is a drunk-driving course in Grand Theft Auto IV to accompany it and kids are all set for the road. Y’know, after actually learning to drive and getting their license and all that nonsensical bureaucracy. But the Mario Kart and GTA bits are the crucial bits.
Source: 9NEWS via Game Politics
| Related Posts:
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
A 13 year-old can’t drive anyway >.>
Maybe not in your town, but in rural parts of America you can get your license at 14 if it’s for “farming purposes,” when they only thing you’re liable to crash into is a real cow.
Even outside of Idaho, anyone over four years old can play Mario Kart, which is why the demonstration was done on the Wii, and not behind the wheel of an actual car, Mr. Smartysmarts.
The drunk driving in GTA is way too fun to be a deterrent. Besides, you think American parents are uptight now, wait for the moment when they find out the school district used one of the most touted Mature-rated games out there in a classroom setting. Still a funny thought, though
They forgot to mention that, no matter how well you drive, you’ll never escape the blue turtle shell!