School that will teach history on a PlayStation

From Easter PSP's will replace old fashioned textbooks at Holyhead Secondary School in Birmingham
13 April 2012

Pupils are being handed gaming consoles to help with their studies.

Teachers believe the Sony PlayStations will motivate youngsters studying French, history and geography.

The hand-held devices can carry educational video and audio clips as well as notes and pictures.

Pupils will not be allowed to play games on them.

Staff at Holyhead Secondary in Handsworth, Birmingham, were given two weeks' training in using the £150 consoles as teaching tools.

One staff member, Lorna Diprose, said : "The console is just like a minicomputer but fast and you can use it to tailor-make lessons for pupils who need support or stretching.

"Some people think it is an exclusively a gaming machine and don't realise all the things it can do. It can access the Internet and process information.

"There is an incredible buzz going round the school."

Miss Diprose insisted the consoles would complement, rather than replace, traditional teaching methods.

The school has applied for funding to cover the £4,500 cost of equipping a class of 30 with PlayStations. A pilot scheme starts after Easter and, if successful, could be extended nationwide.

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