Game Education Summit 09 Musings
Held in the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University, this two-day event focused on game development.
Thus, there were many developers from game companies present. I got to rub shoulders with people that works on tactical/strategy games, etc. It was great to hear their #1 issue:
People need team skills.
It doesn't seem to matter what you work on in today's world. If you can't function in a team, you are handicapped.
Don Marinelli, Executive Producer of the ETC, had this to say in his opening remarks:
Why doesn't the media cover the state of education?
- American education is headed for a meltdown.
Videogames are NOT a fad. They are here to stay.
- Games are art AND science.
- Mario franchise has made more than all Star Wars movies combined.
If games are a paradigm shift in education, how do we make it happen? Let's forge a plan of attack.
- No more apologies
- Enlighten all
- The potentials of gaming for education
- We need to demonstrate the power of games within a societal context. Make it relevant to those that don't get it.
- Young people find formal education less appealing, inspiring than ever before.
- Maybe kindergartners should go on strike!
Richard Hilleman, Chief Creative Director for Electronic Arts, was also very interesting. EA is looking to develop smaller games. The days of the monolithic, $30 million game are almost over. Instead, EA will work on smaller games, and more of them.
Personal Note - This may mean EA is open to working with education to develop educational games?
I attended many other sessions, but the main takeaway was the people. I talked to many folks who were very interested in the Educational Gaming Commons concept, and set the groundwork for future speakers for the EGC Virtual Worlds Brownbags, etc.
Held in the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University, this two-day event focused on game development.
Thus, there were many developers from game companies present. I got to rub shoulders with people that works on tactical/strategy games, etc. It was great to hear their #1 issue:
People need team skills.
It doesn't seem to matter what you work on in today's world. If you can't function in a team, you are handicapped.
Don Marinelli, Executive Producer of the ETC, had this to say in his opening remarks:
Why doesn't the media cover the state of education?
- American education is headed for a meltdown.
Videogames are NOT a fad. They are here to stay.
- Games are art AND science.
- Mario franchise has made more than all Star Wars movies combined.
If games are a paradigm shift in education, how do we make it happen? Let's forge a plan of attack.
- No more apologies
- Enlighten all
- The potentials of gaming for education
- We need to demonstrate the power of games within a societal context. Make it relevant to those that don't get it.
- Young people find formal education less appealing, inspiring than ever before.
- Maybe kindergartners should go on strike!
Richard Hilleman, Chief Creative Director for Electronic Arts, was also very interesting. EA is looking to develop smaller games. The days of the monolithic, $30 million game are almost over. Instead, EA will work on smaller games, and more of them.
Personal Note - This may mean EA is open to working with education to develop educational games?
I attended many other sessions, but the main takeaway was the people. I talked to many folks who were very interested in the Educational Gaming Commons concept, and set the groundwork for future speakers for the EGC Virtual Worlds Brownbags, etc.
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