[game_edu] Ad Hoc committee

[Mike Doherty]

A thought on the mission of the IGDA as an accreditation agency and the
meaning of a 

"stamp of approval",

 

It might be useful to look at the way that ABET and other agencies have
been moving 

to a more "assessment-based" approach, rather than a "check off
everything on our list" 

approach.

 

Essentially, this means that programs have to meet *minimum* standards
set 

by the community, and the bulk of the assessment is based on the 

*program's own goals and objectives*. From a practical perspective, this
type 

of assessment amounts to "we verify that this program meets its own
goals and objectives", 

or "we verify that this program is honest in its advertised
descriptions".

 

I think that this perspective is far more useful and practical than
lists of  

prescribed curriculum bullets and other requirements, and it seems 
to be more consistent with the attitude that is taken in the curriculum
guidelines. 
It also allows for the creativity and flexibility that is still
important in this young discipline.

 

Mike Doherty

Associate Professor, Computer Science

University of the Pacific

mdoherty at pacific.edu

 

From: game_edu-bounces at igda.org [mailto:game_edu-bounces at igda.org] On
Behalf Of Ian Schreiber
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 10:30 AM
To: IGDA Game Education Listserv
Subject: Re: [game_edu] Ad Hoc committee

 


>Game development means different things to different people. We are so

early in the 


>process of teaching this discipline that it is very pre-mature to say

that we know how to do 


>it right. Just because people get jobs in the industry does not mean

that we are doing it 


>right. 50 years from now, when we see who has created the real

innovations in the field, 


>then we'll know if we were doing it right. 


 

I don't think anyone said that the purpose of accreditation is to make
sure that schools can produce graduates who can get entry-level jobs in
industry. As others have pointed out, some students may wish to pursue
game studies or stay in academia, or they may wish to be game
journalists or critics. I think it's a bit premature to assume that any
IGDA stamp of approval would be so narrow as to only allow programs
where students make games.

 

The point is that schools should be clear about the educational products
they're peddling. If a certain course of study will not make its
graduates employable in the game industry, that may be perfectly
acceptable... but the students should be aware of this before
matriculating!

 

 

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