[game_edu] game_edu Digest, Vol 61, Issue 5

[Bill Crosbie]

Ian,

I think there is a disconnect between changing content within a course and
changing the complete focus of a course.  I have been fortunate that I have
been able to both change the content (expected) and to change the focus
(rare) of several of the courses that I am teaching.

This resistance is very foreign to me.  I come out of a continuing ed.
background from the dot-com era where we would propose a course to add to
the curriculum based on the changes in the industry and it would be up and
running in 'beta' within a month or two.

I recently proposed a course in developing apps and games for the iPhone. It
seemed like a no-brainer to me. I couldn't believe the resistance from
within my own academic department!

In general, what I am learning is that once a course is 'on the books',
which is to say, conceived of, outline created, sent to curriculum
committee, sent to state, approved by state, placed in to the catalog and
first offering being made as part of the standard curriculum that this is
very much a 3-5 year period, depending on when in the cycle you initiate the
process and the whims of... well I don't know what.

Institutionally this makes sense.  It is important that should something
happen to me (better job offer, drafted by foreign legion, eaten by a grue,
etc.) that the program have continuity and not be shifted due to the change
in instructor.  On the other hand, this industry has experienced two radical
shifts (iPhone and rise of social media gaming) since I took the position 3
years ago.  I am continually adding materials in to my lectures and
exercises to force my students to develop proposals for different platforms.
The question becomes at what point does the amount of new material mature to
the point that it belongs as a new course rather than a unit/lecture/jam in
an existing course.

At least, that is my experience coming from CE at a major research
university to a much smaller, two year college.

Anyone else able to shed light on their situations?

Bill






> The other curious thing about the article was how it said it takes 5 years

> to change a course. I remember this coming up a few years ago on this list,

> and it sounded just as ridiculous then as it does now. I regularly change my

> courses in mid-semester, based on both the needs of the particular class and

> the current events in the industry. Is anyone here still telling their

> students that Della Rocca is head of IGDA, just because he was five years

> ago? Is anyone deliberately not mentioning social media games as the next

> big thing right now, just because they're waiting for the next 5-year

> review? Maybe that's how things are done in the UK, but it certainly doesn't

> work that way over here. Can anyone shed some light on this?

>

> - Ian

>

>

>

>

>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/game_edu/attachments/20091130/061fe2d0/attachment.htm>