The Wii

Primarily a home video games console, the Wii has opened up the market to all sorts of new types of gameplay from its revolutionary control system.
For those who are not yet familiar with the Wii, the control system involves a simple single handed controller (based on the style of a tv remote for easier access to 'non-gamers') thats motion based controlling means all sorts of physical moving based games are accessible.

But whats this got to do with ICT and learning, I hear you ask?
Well... this console can provide a means to develop simple, and more complex motor skills by 'playing' some of the games on offer.

This idea is similar to the program brought into some American primary schools using the 'Dance Dance Revolution (Dancing Stage - Eur) games to tackle increasing obesity probems using the active game.

I'm going to include the pre-packaged game, Wii Sports, in this post as its almost considered part of the console.
This game has 5 sports in which to play, all requiring specific hand and arm motor skills to play. It is not aimed at a particular market in its style and does not change its simplicity based on the age of the player (so could be used across key stages and ages).

If two classes or schools were to have a Wii console, messages can be sent to either through a wireless network (which almost all schools have). This could be used to send information about what the class is up to, what is being learned etc, allowing for an interesting correspondance between classes. This of course could be achieved with a computer and e-mails, but this is a different example, using a different ict system.
An idea came to me in which a message could be sent to the class to give a an activity introduction from someone unfamiliar. In the same way a 'fisherman' could send a letter to the class asking them to 'find the best material for his coat' (the whole thing set up of course by the teacher).

Other channels present on the Wii system that could provide a springboard for interest and activities are the photo, weather and news channels.
All three of these provide fantastic opprtunities in class. The weather and news channels give frequent updates, and are visually child friendly (although the news is not completely child filtered but works well with adult supervision).
The photo channel allows pictures to be downloaded, viewed in a slideshow with music and visually played with. This is not particularly special though as a pc can do all of this.

The best benefit of the Wii in my mind is its getting reluctant children active, and simply providing another interesting, educational and fun resource into the classroom.