Johnn Four
Web Monkey
Joined: 12 Jan 2004 |
 Posted: Wednesday, 14 June 2006 04:56PM |
|
We speak with Assistant Principal Matt Deller, a.k.a Poetic Colossus, about teaching game design using Neverwinter Nights, and how a high score in Asteroids can actually mean something in the real world.
|
|
Kevin Lynch
Moderator
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
Jade Empire:SE
NWN 2
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 17 Oct 2001
From: NS, Canada |
Posted: Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:50PM |
I love hearing about this sort of work (teaching game design, especially as early as high school). There's simply not enough of this sort of opportunity available. The game industry (like many of the media arts) offers jobs for people with such a wide range of backgrounds and Matt has it right when he says:Quote: ...honestly, how hard is it to sell a course that will (1) motivate students to read and write, (2) prompt them to excel in cooperative learning groups with other students, (3) assist them in learning fundamental technology skills, and (4) enlighten them in the value of setting goals and the importance of a finished product?
Man, I want to take those courses, and I'm a couple of decades beyond my school years now (but not beyond wanting to learn fun stuff)! 
_________________
And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad
These dreams in which I'm dying, are the best I've ever had |
|
|
Mpskydog
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
Joined: 24 Oct 2001
From: Michigan |
Posted: Thursday, 15 June 2006 05:35PM |
...offering a course on game design and Serenity did some filming there? How fair is that? 
...and here I graduated with a class of less than 90, yeesh.
Either way, you go Poetic!
_________________
Meredith F. Purk II
Assistant in Gaming
Mythopoea Games, Inc.
(meredith.purk@mythopoeagames.com) |
|
|
aries1001
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
Jade Empire:SE
NWN 2
NWN 2: MotB
NWN 2: SoZ
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 23 May 2004
From: Denmark, Europe |
Posted: Friday, 16 June 2006 09:48AM |
HI 
As a teacher myself, I must say, that I complety agree with the Assistant Principal on this subject.
It is my experience, too, that students of all ages, today, do better, academically speaking, when technology,
is being drawn into the learning environment.
aries1001 |
|
|
nemcis
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
NWN 2
Joined: 24 Oct 2002 |
Posted: Friday, 16 June 2006 12:34PM |
What will be the result of the course ? a module or an entire game ?
And what will you do with it ? free download or store release ? |
|
|
dynneroth
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
NWN 2
NWN 2: MotB
Joined: 07 Aug 2002 |
Posted: Friday, 16 June 2006 08:08PM |
|
It seems there are quite a few educators here. Matt Deller is now officially my hero. I have been teaching for 13 years and am working on my master's degree in administration. I will be finished with the degree next May, and I plan to implement a game design/game theory elective wherever I go. The principles are very relevant to many fields, including business and psychology. By the time I'm ready to take on principalship, NWN2 and the new design engine should be available and well documented. I look forward to it. By the way, if Matt or any other educators read this and have ideas for implementing this in a middle school or high school not in Silicon Valley or major metropolitan areas, leave me a message and we can talk. |
|
|
