STUDENTS in Nottingham will benefit from £100,000 of new equipment – including Nintendo Wii consoles and iPods.

Castle College is hoping the gadgets will encourage 300 children from disadvantaged backgrounds to learn to use modern technology.

It will use £40,000 to increase its wireless internet capacity, so students can access the internet all over its campuses.

Up to £60,000 will be used to buy Nintendo Wiis, iPod Touch MP3 players and the new Nintendo DSi, which is a portable games console with a handheld camera.

Lyn Lall, Castle College's development manager for new technologies, said: "Innovative methods and materials will make the learning experience more personalised and fun, which will result in increased engagement, retention and achievement levels of students.

"We will build on the many areas of good practice that already exist within the college."

Castle College applied to MoLeNET, the Mobile Learning Network, for the money.

The college developed a mobile learning strategy to win one of the highest amounts awarded by the organisation anywhere in the country.

MoLeNET is a collaboration between Government education bodies the Learning and Skills Council and Learning and Skills Network.

They will provide £80,000, and a contribution of £20,000 is being made by Castle College.

The 300 students targeted will be vulnerable young people who are not in education, employment or training.

They will include people recently released from young offenders' institutions or in rehabilitation programmes.

Improving skills like literacy, numeracy and IT will be a priority for the project.

It is hoped students' families will also be inspired by the project to start learning. And it's not just about playing computer games. Students will be encouraged to develop podcasts, blogs and video clips about the project and its benefits.

The 300 students to benefit include children aged 14-16 who have been excluded from full-time education.

The gadgets will also be available to the college's part and full-time students aged 16 and over .

Ms Lall said: "We envisage that the students will be able to use the equipment at any time and anywhere, when appropriate. We want to promote flexible learning."

As well as playing education games on the gadgets, the students will also be able to download video clip tutorials to help with their studies.

Students will be given the items for the duration of their course, while others will be available on a bookable basis.

michael.greenwell@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk