[game_edu] Ad Hoc committee

[Burke, Robin]

I think the UK example is very interesting because it demonstrates some of the things that are very different between the "accreditation-lite" proposal that is on the table right now and the "hard" accreditation model of Skillset.

1. "Those who are accredited receive a benefits package arranged by Skillset of master classes and other events" No such proposal is being made here. We have no resources to do so. The only benefits of this program are in the area of marketing. Schools with very strong programs (think CMU) don't need this kind of marketing zing -- they have more students than they can admit. Only schools who need help marketing themselves will be the audience.

2. There are four degree programs accredited by Skillset. It is a "many are called, few are chosen" weeding out kind of process. Susan's email makes it clear that the program is not designed to be a high barrier: "I realize that some of you may worry about not being able to pass, but I feel that many of you have successful programs and can comfortably achieve the outcomes that this project would want to insure." Not at all comparable.

3. The Skillset group was "mainly driven by a panel from industry." The current proposal: "I would like to see the committee compose of a variety of educational institutions and types of programs."

I have strong reservations about the Skillset model: industry-driven, give us graduates to stuff into our cubicles kind of thing. There's got to be more to life than that, but that's an argument for another time. We should all be clear that this is not at all what is being proposed. This is "accreditation-lite" and the results will be similarly lightweight.

I think we could publish criteria that we think define good game development programs, and publicize them widely, letting students and parents make their own assessments, but I am strongly opposed to accreditation-lite. We can spend our limited resources of time, effort and credibility more usefully elsewhere.

robin
=:-{)
http://josquin.cti.depaul.edu/~rburke/

"The universe is made of stories, not of atoms" - Muriel Rukeyser