AN INFORMATION PLATFORM TO PROMOTE IMPROVED COLLEGE UNIVERSITY PATHWAYS IN THE STUDY OF GAMES

Transcription

1 AN INFORMATION PLATFORM TO PROMOTE IMPROVED COLLEGE UNIVERSITY PATHWAYS IN THE STUDY OF GAMES JEAN BRIDGE, BROCK UNIVERSITY & GREG MURPHY, DURHAM COLLEGE COLLEGE UNIVERSITY PATHWAYS FOR GAMES (CUPG) PROJECT Supprted by ONCAT Credit Transfer Innvatin Fund 28 February 2013

2 COLLEGE UNIVERSITY PATHWAYS FOR GAMES (CUPG) PROJECT This prject prpses pssible imprvements t pathways in prgrams related t games at Ontari Clleges and Universities that: share affinities are multidisciplinary in nature d nt have MTCU prgram standards Our initial gal was t identify what students frm Cllege game prgrams needed t succeed when transferring t a University degree prgram What is natural exit pint frm Cllege prgrams? What is the threshld f knwledge and skills required by Universities? Can a predictable blck f credits be transferred? Are bridging curses required?

3 A GUIDING SET OF ASSUMPTIONS University prgrams - game/interactive media in particular - thrive n diversity. Students entering year 3, whether having studied in the Cllege r University envirnment, will inevitably be asymmetric in knwledge they pssess. They will have different fundatins in disciplinary cncepts as well as in practical and critical methdlgies upn which t cmplete their degree. All students must be ready at the start f year 3 t deepen and extend their knwledge and abilities in the study and creatin f games. Sme students will struggle t catch-up while thers will be in a psitin f review. The natural variability in the discipline itself and the need fr interdisciplinary cllabratin makes this asymmetry in student preparatin a virtue rather than a demerit.

4 CUPG PROCESS Began wrk in 2012 with small wrking grup representing 4 clleges and 2 universities with game-related prgrams. Prject has expanded t include a wider grup f 10 Clleges and 8 Universities which have cntributed t prcess Assessed the cntext surrunding game educatin Identified systemic issues as well as discipline-specific issues that impact the develpment f pathways.

5 12 game-related Cllege diplma/advanced diplma prgrams and 15 University game-related degree prgrams in Ontari Significant variatin in prgram types Cllege prgrams Game Art and Design, Interactive Media Design, Game, Game Develpment, Game Prgramming, Sftware engineering University prgrams Interactive Arts and Science, Interactive Multimedia and Design, Multimedia, Digital Futures, New Media, Media Thery & Prductin, Digital Media, Cmputer Science specializatins r minrs in Cmputer Game Develpment, Sftware Engineering (Game Design), Electrical Engineering Multimedia Systems, Game Develpment & Entrepreneurship University prgrams brad in scpe and with limited affinities t Cllege prgrams. Significant variance between the type f knwledge/skills that Universities bring t an advanced level as cmpared t thse that Clleges bring t an advanced level. Sequence f learning at Clleges ften nt aligned t University prgrams.

6 New integrated, dual credential prgrams with cncurrent study at partnering Clleges and Universities addresses issues f sequence and alignment. Fanshawe Cllege and the University f Western Ontari - Interactive Media Design & Prductin Algnquin Cllege and Carletn University Interactive Multimedia Design Niagara Cllege and Brck University Cmputer Games Game Design and Game Prgramming (in apprval stage) MTCU Prgram Standards d nt exist fr Cllege game-related diplma prgrams Brad MTCU Prgram Gals exist fr the fllwing prgrams: Game Develpment Technician Game Develpment Game Prgramming The categry f Game Develpment is t brad and ambiguus Result is the evlutin f highly varied Cllege prgrams withut cmmn prgram utcmes.

7 Identified five main types f study within the game space: Game Art Game Design Game Prductin Game Prgramming Game Studies Identified an array f cre tpics in each f these categries Examined learning sequence fllwed in the curriculum f Clleges and Universities participating in the wrking grup. Devised game educatin matrix template within which t develp a cmmn framewrk fr expressing and sharing knwledge required by the field and levels f achievement specific nature f each Cllege and University prgrams Challenged urselves t test the value f this matrix by applying it t ur wn prgrams

8 Game Educatin Matrix representing Brck University and Durham Cllege

9 Is nline and interactive FEATURES OF THE GAME EDUCATION MATRIX TOOL A graphic way t cmpare prgrams Shws learning alng a cntinuum that prfiles the level t which students are educated in defined areas f game knwledge in all Cllege and University prgrams Distinguishes between levels f learning rather than year f study Describes these levels within a cmmn language fr achievement Allws fr variatin in descriptin f learning tpics Seeks a balance between simplicity and granularity Can be designed t display fr interactive cmparisn and evaluatin Can be designed t facilitate search Can be designed t reveal embedded detailed, nested infrmatin

10 THE GAME EDUCATION MATRIX TOOL WILL HELP find cnvergence between prgrams and institutins knwn fr divergence frame and define the whle f what game-related educatin is (can be) discver hw individual prgrams relate within the larger cntext f game educatin map alignments between Cllege and University prgrams define where natural transfer can ccur identify gaps between existing prgrams and pssible bridges in the design r revisin f prgrams fr future alignment prmte prgrams and pathways t students students plan their futures develp Prgram Standards and define relatin t UDLES It can be applied t ther multidisciplinary dmains It is a new way t think abut pathways as an nging prcess as structured and shared infrmatin

11 THE GAME EDUCATION MATRIX TOOL IS FUNDAMENTALLY A PROCESS FOR SOLVING THE PUZZLE OF PATHWAYS IN THE GAME SPACE It will require: Further develpment refinement and cnstructin in cnsultatin with Clleges and Universities The Cmmitment f Clleges and Universities t prviding accurate, cnsistent, up-t-date infrmatin

12 NEXT STEPS We have invited a brad grup f stakehlders t wrk with us t use the matrix t prfile their prgrams We are wrking with stakehlders and subject experts t define what cnstitutes the levels f achievement in each learning categry and tpic using shared language We aim t have a prttype f the Game Educatin Matrix with prfiles f 3 4 Cllege prgrams and 3 4 University prgrams ready by the end f March 2013.

13 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean Bridge, Assciate Prfessr, Centre fr Digital Humanities, Brck University Greg Murphy, Dean f the Schl f Media, Art and Design, Durham Cllege [email protected]