Video games consoles often get a bad press, charged with being responsible for children spending hours glued, zombie-like to a screen.

But a pupil in Wales is helping to improve their value in the eyes of educators by outlining a way for families to use their Xbox or PlayStation to access online learning.

WILLIAM SHOWS A WAY TO ACCESS HWB WITHOUT A LAPTOP AHEAD OF REMOTE LEARNING.
Should a pupil not have access to a laptop at home, there is an alternative. William drew up step-by-step instructions helping pupils use HWB through a PS4 or and XBOX. Well done! pic.twitter.com/cL6TRUwhMh

- birchgrovecomp (@birchgrovecomp) October 23, 2020

The tweet was first published in October but has gained traction on social media this week as schools and colleges across the UK have had to adapt to remote learning once again due to the new national lockdown.

Online learning using an Xbox or PlayStation

The return to remote teaching has prompted concerns about whether all families will now have the hardware they need to be able to access education, with the government in England facing criticism for not allowing primary schools to place orders for devices.

Background: All schools moving online until half-term, says Johnson

News: Primaries told by DfE they must wait to order laptops

Remote learning: Heads fear online learning not reaching all pupils

However, the pupil’s guide could provide a solution in the short term, at least for pupils who still do not have access to a laptop but do have a gaming console. 

The key details are as follows:

Xbox

1. Plug a keyboard into the Xbox USB slot.
2. Go to my games and apps.
3. Find and select Microsoft Edge. 
4. Navigate to your online learning platform.

PlayStation

1. Identify the PlayStation internet browser icon (WWW with dots around it).
2. Press the PlayStation logo on the controller.
3. Go to the library and find options for games and applications.
4. Go to applications and you will find the internet browser.
5. Navigate to your online learning platform and log in as usual.