University offering course based on video game
Our children had their birthday last week and reaped a bounty of new games for the Wii, including one sure to be regretted by their parents, Band Hero.
(2010’s 25 Geekiest 25th Anniversaries)
Yes, we’re concerned about how much time they spend on this pastime, but at least we can take comfort in the fact that gaming is now apparently getting them ready for college. Or so says the University of Florida, which has begun offering a two-credit honors course entitled “21st century Skills in Starcaft,” which reportedly does not teach the game itself but rather gleans lessons from it.
From the course description in a story on our site:
“With society becoming increasingly technology-based and fast-paced, it is important for professionals to be highly proficient in skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, resource management, and adaptive decision making. These skills are fundamental in Starcraft and therefore make the game a highly effective environment for students to analyze and take action in complex situations.”
But wait, there’s more:
The class is taught by Nathaniel Poling, a doctoral student in the school’s department of education. He recently told the MIT Technology Review: “In StarCraft you’re managing a lot of different units and groups of different capacities. It’s not a stretch to think of that in the business world or in the work of a healthcare administrator.”
Maybe. But it’s also not a stretch to think students getting their financial aid from home are going to have a hard time selling Mom and Dad.
