Joystiq

NIU professor teaches engineering through video games

Ben Gilbert — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST

At Northern Illinois University, engineering professor Brianno Coller teaches both "Dynamic Systems and Control" and "Computational Methods." Rather than simply employ traditional methods of teaching, though, Coller instead creates video games to actively engage his students in engineering principles.

According to an AP piece on Mr. Coller, he began showing his students Mars Rover landing footage from NASA (computer generated) and "Students would always be sort of on the edge of their seat watching this thing because it's just so cool to see how it works, but that sentiment ended as soon as you turned off the video, and then they're back to their boring old homework again," he says.

Coller came to the conclusion that he needed a "simulation that allowed students to design a desired movement or action using the required formulas and algorithms that apply to all types of engineering." In so many words, Coller was thinking about a video game to explain engineering principles to his students. And now, five years later, he's found success with his games -- one of which has students applying rate of speed and geometrical calculations to a car being driving around a track -- and The National Science Foundation is offering financial support for future development. "You're applying what you learn throughout the semester, so you apply stuff without even knowing it," one satisfied student told the AP.

For those of you future engineers thinking Northern Illinois University might be the place for you (after reading this piece, naturally), the school will be expanding Coller's "gaming as teaching" approach to new engineering classes in the future.

NIU professor teaches engineering through video games originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 11 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSNBC: video games an 'easy scapegoat'

Ross Miller — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Culture

In the wake of the NIU shooting and various pundits finding ways to link violent video games to the tragedy, MSNBC has decided to defend video games, specifically calling out infamous attorney Jack Thompson for his self promotion during school shootings. (They have done this once before during the Virginia Tech massacre.)

In a piece entitled "Playing the blame game: Why search our souls when video games make such an easy scapegoat?" MSNBC's Winda Benedetti writes, "Faster than you can say wild speculation and reckless sensationalism, [Thompson] leapt in front of Fox News cameras and suggested that video games were to blame." Later, Benedetti adds, "The fact is, one would be hard pressed to find a young man of Kazmierczak's age who has not played video games."

Thompson is, unsurprisingly, a bit put out. In an email to MSNBC legal department forwarded to us by Thompson, the Miami attorney asserted his intention to "bring a civil action in state court in Flordia for libel." Thompson further called the two articles "hit pieces" and "crazed and libelous screed" and mentions that NBC did not mind having him on the Today Show / NBC Nightly news about ten times.

"But once my criticism began to inconvenience Bill Gates' NBC partner, Microsoft, (MSNBC.com is a 50/50 partnership) then all of a sudden I'm the Anti-Christ," said Thompson.

MSNBC: video games an 'easy scapegoat' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video games 'linked' to NIU shooting; ECA issues response

Ross Miller — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 05:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Politics

The Entertainment Consumers Association on Friday responded to allegations from that day that video games were somehow connected to the shootings at Northern Illinois University, where 27-year old Steven P. Kazmierczak killed five students in a lecture hall. Said the response, "Blaming video games for the behavior of the mentally-challenged is vile on many levels. And, as Generations X and Y mature, it is extremely likely that just about all of us have played at least one video game at some point in our lives."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the origin of the video game link can be traced to Jack Thompson, who was on Fox News the morning of the incident. The New York Post also quickly joined the chorus in blaming video games -- specifically Counter-Strike -- as a contributing factor to the shooting. Kudos to the ECA for being timely in their response, making a concerted effort to prepare against a chance backlash and sensationalism. Our friends at Game Politics have been covering the story extensively, check out what they have to say:

[Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by the NIU tragedy. Image credit: curtaineater]

Video games 'linked' to NIU shooting; ECA issues response originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Feb 2008 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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