College Professor Requires Students to Study Portal

[Vrach]

See, now that's teaching. The fact he introduces people to gaming which I love aside, the professor is obviously trying new things and actually attempting to reach students with what he's teaching in a way other than writing on the blackboard for 2 hours, unenthusiastically talking about some BS no one's gonna remember a month after the exam.

Bravo sir, I only hope more professors take lesson from you.

This is excellent. I just have one question: what about the non-gamer students who might not be able to beat it? Maybe a let's play or some sort of walkthrough is in order. The problem with that is, if one doesn't play a game for his or herself, he doesn't get the full experience.

Although, if one of my professors assigned me to watch a let's play for class, that would be awesome.

It's not really a complicated game. As long as you know how to work a mouse and a keyboard (absence of knowledge that's a challenge to find among students in developed countries), it's easy to get through it, it mostly relies on logical thinking, it's not even too reflex twitchy.

Besides, remember, it's not about the game, but illustrating a point. He can lead them through it if necessary, the educational points are still there

 

[viranimus]

LOL can you imagine being in that class and being someone who has never picked up a game in their life? (are there people like that any more?)

 

[Kelethor]

well Professor, after several hours of studying the game and multiple re-"readings" I can stand on one solid theory. The cake lied.

OT: Cool, glad to see video games are taking a more prominent place in the world. now If i can just figure out how the HELL to get out of chamber 14, ill be set.

 

[K_Dub]

This is so damn cool!

In all seriousness though, I'm quite interested to see if any other schools try to adopt this type of teaching. I hope that it all works out, and we get to see more classes like this in the future.

Games are no longer games anymore ladies and gentleman. They are now also learning materials....How badass is this?!

 

[internetzealot1]

What if the student's can't beat the game? Do they fail?

 

[Death on Trapezoids]

Oh boy, I'm happy I haven't had any teachers/professors like that yet. The class just below me had to play Hitman as part of their course, and now this guy's students have to play Portal. Unlucky sods. Video games are entertainment, and I would be so pissed off if I had to complete a video game. It's not like reading a book, or watching a movie, where you can at least read the words or sit through it, even if you don't get the point of it. But if a part of a game gives you trouble, you're screwed, and here there isn't the option of just not doing it. Integrating video games into education is a horrible idea.

Can anyone say game tutors? Or even IGN?
(maybe that would be cheating)

 

[Lord Thodin]

I might be off the escapist for a few weeks. It appears I am now moving to Indiana to seek new institutions of higher learning.

 

[faspxina]

todays games will become like yesterday's "books"

they'll start getting boring because we'll have to play them in school and..."LEARN"...

my god have mercy on us all...

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Liberal Arts sounds awesome. As a CS major, I spend my time doing complex math courses, producing logic proofs and suddenly noting that my major has an (un)surprising lack of female participants.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

What if the student's can't beat the game? Do they fail?

Presumably not. Games are not a cultivate academic skill. I assume the course is based around the discussion of the themes present in the game, directly present or otherwise, which could be found without finishing. If that isn't enough, study groups do exist for a reason.

 

[Dfskelleton]

I must convince my school to do this. NOW.

 

[Flac00]

is this the first time something like this has happened?

No, its probably happened before. Its just taken as a big deal because it IS PORTAL!!!

 

[L_Lawliet]

Wabash College just doubled the number of student applications that it will get this year.

On topic, I hope this opens up a new realm for education wherein videogames with significant literary and conceptual merit can nestle themselves snugly in everyday curriculum alongside Shakespeare and William Faulkner.

Please note: I said CERTAIN games. I do not expect schools to have a unit on Mario Party.

 

[kintaris]

Ok I didn't really understand the 'backstage' stuff but that seems pretty cool I guess. What does it have to do with the course though. I don't understand really...

I'm guessing I'll take a peep at the guys book and then maybe be put off if it's too long.

EDIT: I'm guessing near the end where Glados says all the "why do you carry on", "Nobody loves you" is kinda linked maybe. Also I thought the book would be a PDF document for some reason. Someone explain.

I wouldn't overthink it, the teacher guy is being a tad too pretentious here and stretching what was a very good breaking-the-fourth-wall conceptual idea, challenging conceptions of the puzzle genre, to a philosophical point it was never intended to make.

Still, the thing to take from this news is that someone is finally understanding the cultural relevance of the gaming medium. While the way in which the lecturer has interpreted Portal is going too far in my opinion, still I think he was right to include the game in his lectures. Its a fine example of how conventional storytelling can be challenged, and I wish it had been included in my Scriptwriting course.

Also...

After ensuring Wabash's faculty that Steam wasn't going to install a virus...

...how quaint!

 

[Kitteh]

must...transfer...schools

 

[Grufflenark]

You're joking?

Best. Homework. Evar

No. I'm quite serious.

Have you ever written a English Literature essay?

When I do I often have to read the book several times over and when writing the essay, read through specific segments for quotes, themes and other writing material.

Imagine that with a video game. Granted a short video game, but that's 3-5 hours depending on your speed and many other factors.

Now imagine searching through the game for a specific moment.

It'd be bloody difficult and time consuming.

Give me Shakespeare anyday.

Portal has this awesome thing called "Save" and "Load" it also has the possibility to start at whichever level you want to start at.