Syllabus for GAM 382 Serious Games, Spring 2009

Overview

Explores the role of computer games and simulations for education and training. Topics include: overview of the science of learning, analysis of games for different purposes and types of content, assessment of learning, and learning through game creation. Students will design, implement, and evaluate a serious game. Development of socially responsible and ethical behaviors will be a primary objective.

Lecture Plan

The following lecture plan is tentative and subject to change as the course progresses.

• Lecture 1: (2009/03/31) Course overview. Motivations.
• Lecture 2: (2009/04/02) More intro, Information Processing Model of Cognition
• Lecture 3: (2009/04/07) Principles for learning in games
• Lecture 4: (2009/04/09) Hands-on, learning in games
• Lecture 5: (2009/04/14) Principles for effective learning
• Lecture 6: (2009/04/16) Hands-on
• Lecture 7: (2009/04/21) Motivation
• Lecture 8: (2009/04/23) Hands-on: Game design brainstorming
• Lecture 9: (2009/04/28) Serious Game Design
• Lecture 10: (2009/04/30) Hands-on, Serious Game Design
• Lecture 11: (2009/05/05) Design and testing
• Lecture 12: (2009/05/07) Hands-on
• Lecture 13: (2009/05/12) Paper prototyping
• Lecture 14: (2009/05/14) Hands-on: Paper prototype playtesting
• Lecture 15: (2009/05/19) Procedural Literacy
• Lecture 16: (2009/05/21) Persuasive games
• Lecture 17: (2009/05/26) Human subjects, Evaluation
• Lecture 18: (2009/05/28) Hands-on
• Lecture 19: (2009/06/02) Project Wrap-up
• Lecture 20: (2009/06/04) Hands on, Quest Atlantis
• Lecture 21: (2009/06/10) Final Presentations, Wednesday, June 10, 1:15 - 5:00 PM

Lecture slides will normally be available just before each lecture.

Prerequisites

Advanced standing and experience programming or with methods for evaluating human behavior.

Textbooks

Required:

• Notes and handouts as indicated

Expectations

My suggestions for maximizing your learning:

• Read (and understand) the readings before class.
• Participate in class discussion.
• Work to understand projects, do the work early, then think about what you learned.

Contact Information

Instructor: Peter Hastings
Instructor Home Page: http://reed.cs.depaul.edu/peterh/
Instructor Email: peterh@cdm.depaul.edu
Phone: 312-362-5736
Office: CDM 717, College of CDM, DePaul University, 243 South Wabash Avenue, Chicago, IL 60604-2301, USA
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 11:45-1:15 or by arrangement
Course Home Page: http://reed.cs.depaul.edu/peterh/class/gam382/

Attendance

Class attendance is not exactly mandatory BUT because discussion is integral to your learning and part of your grade, it is expected. I will not give an A grade to anyone who has missed more than 4 classes. Furthermore, if you are absent from class you are responsible for understanding the material and for finding out about any announcements made in that class. (Hint: see the video.)

Assessment

• Class participation: 10%
• Quizzes: 20%
• 3 intermediate projects: 45%
• Final project: 25%
• The grading scale will be: 90-100, A; 80-89.99, B; 70-79.99, C; 60-69.99, D; 0-59.99, F. Plusses and minuses will be given at the high/low ends of each grade range (no A+'s or D-'s).
• Unless otherwise stated, projects are due via COL before the beginning of class. You are expected to complete all of the projects by the deadline. Late submissions will only be accepted in the case of dire emergencies, and with prior permission of the instructor. Except as noted below, all homework assignments will count towards the final grade.