Wii in education?

Thanks to newly formed collaborations with select schools and educators, Nintendo and MENC: The National Association for Music Education are working on incorporating Wii consoles and Wii Music software into their lesson plans to offer teachers new tools for creativity and improvisation. The partnership will help teachers in 51 cities nationwide integrate Wii Music™ into their curricula, making use of the game's 60+ instruments and tutorial exercises in rhythm, tempo and song structure. Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing, explains that "by partnering with educators and bringing Wii Music into their classrooms, we hope to give students a memorable, hands-on experience that helps them discover their own creative voice." Students of all experience and grade levels can partake in the game, solo or as part of a group. Helen A. Krofchick, a music teacher at Doby's Mill Elementary School in Lugoff, S.C., has already implemented Wii Music into her curriculum and sings its praises: "We have a school very supportive of the arts and Wii Music has empowered our program even more."