Newswise — The latest video game " a perennial favorite for holiday gifts " could provide just the encouragement teenagers need to embrace many of their core studies, such as courses in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
"Many kids who enjoy gaming are flocking to video game programming courses, where they soon learn that good game programmers need to apply disciplines ranging from calculus to English," said Pete Carswell, a systems developer and engineer for the Ohio Supercomputer Center. "And they also learn that, if they can master the science and art of programming, a lucrative career awaits them in this growing industry."
Carswell is among a growing group of educators nationwide who fervently believe in the power of gaming in an educational environment. He serves as a video programming instructors during Summer Institute, a selective two-week camp coordinated by the Ohio Supercomputer Center.
"The students quickly realize that game design and development is not as simple as playing a video game," Carswell said. "They discover that the work requires the use of other subjects beyond programming."
For example, the students, creating a soccer game, discovered an obvious flaw in their project. The virtual soccer ball moved unrealistically, traveling in a straight line, unaffected by the force of gravity. The young programmers achieved more believable results by applying principles of math and physics and adjusting the vector by 9.8 meters of downforce per second per second.
Also, students discover that engaging stories and vibrant visualizations also require strengths in English and the fine arts, Carswell noted.
Carswell has presented his experiences and coursework from the camp at conferences around the country, including the 2007 International Conference on Frontiers in Education: Computer Science and Computer Engineering and the Shawnee Conference 5.0 for Interactive Digital Technology.
More importantly, he's a proponent of using free software applications for video game development. These applications cover the many aspects of game design, character animation, character design, image processing and game engines.
"Open-source software relieves the financial burden of students who would like to study game programming/design at school or home, or, better yet, form groups of students who have a similar interest," Carswell said. "Free software also enhances the financial ability for schools to host such groups or clubs."
Carswell is creating a Web site that serves as a clearinghouse; it profiles a variety of open-source software for computer graphics and lists the pros and cons of each program. (www.osc.edu/~pete/Education/DoIt/) He uses some of the programs on the informal site to teach the summer courses. "Eventually, I'd like to expand the site to give more structure for individuals interested in learning more about programming," he said.
"Game development is working its way into many fields, such as emergency and medical planning and training," said Carswell. "In the future, many other fields will have their own immersive, digital training facilities."
Celebrating more than 20 years of service, the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) is a catalytic partner of Ohio universities and industries that provides a reliable high performance computing and high performance networking infrastructure for a diverse statewide/regional community including education, academic research, industry, and state government. Funded by the Ohio Board of Regents, OSC promotes and stimulates computational research and education in order to act as a key enabler for the state's aspirations in advanced technology, information systems, and advanced industries. For additional information, visit http://www.osc.edu.
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