Portal as a college course?

[JATownes]

I thought you all might find this interesting. It does challenge the mind to think in different ways.

Portal in the classroom

So what do you guys think?

[W1zzard]

rather go watch physics for future presidents and learn something useful:

http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_d...esterid=2010-B

i strongestly recommend this to everyone who is interested in how the things around him work. no math, no prerequisites required, lots of no bs info. use it to win arguments with your friends/parents/teachers

[qubit]

Originally Posted by W1zzard

rather go watch physics for future presidents and learn something useful:

http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_d...esterid=2010-B

i strongestly recommend this to everyone who is interested in how the things around him work. no math, no prerequisites required, lots of no bs info. use it to win arguments with your friends/parents/teachers

I've got www.newscientist.com as my home page and subscribe to BBC Focus Magazine - www.bbcfocusmagazine.com I also like to read about astronomy and have www.universetoday.com on my links toolbar.

Here's some more good science sites:

www.livescience.com

www.popsci.com

Yeah, science is cool. Cuts through the crap, indeed.

[W1zzard]

then go watch phyics for future presidents, also grab astro c10 from berkeley with fillipenko (2006 lecture is online) and astr 160 at yale if you like a bit of math with your astrophysics.

good stuff also at cern cdsweb.cern.ch . but it's quite hardcore .. don't worry if you don't understand a single sentence (conceptually) in the lecture

[digibucc]

Originally Posted by W1zzard

rather go watch physics for future presidents and learn something useful:

http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_d...esterid=2010-B

i strongestly recommend this to everyone who is interested in how the things around him work. no math, no prerequisites required, lots of no bs info. use it to win arguments with your friends/parents/teachers

I found that a few months ago, very good program.

no mention of TED? there are some good vids there. also documentary heaven

also the TTC vids are good, if rather basic.

[Steevo]

Originally Posted by W1zzard

rather go watch physics for future presidents and learn something useful:

http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_d...esterid=2010-B

i strongestly recommend this to everyone who is interested in how the things around him work. no math, no prerequisites required, lots of no bs info. use it to win arguments with your friends/parents/teachers

MIT has alot of free good stuff hidden on the web too.

[FordGT90Concept]

Originally Posted by JATownes

So what do you guys think?

It's beatable in under an hour. It might challenge grade schoolers, not college students. College students should be making games like Portal or exploring the posibilities of bending space.

[PVTCaboose1337]

Yeah uhh I beat Portal in under an hour. I am in college. I am sure this would be neat if you were making your own levels but IMO Portal is more of a middle school course.

[CDdude55]

will be required to play the game "Portal" as part of a new course that begins in the spring.

Translation: I won't learn $hit. lol

But Portal is an awesome game overall.

[streetfighter 2]

FTA: Freshmen attending the small liberal arts men's college located in Crawfordsville, Ind.,

What the hell is a men's college? I hope for the sake of at least a couple guys at that school that there is a "super hot women with loose morals" college across the street.

As for this Portal class, it's a freshman course. I'm sure a lot of current college students and alumni can attest that there are some seriously BS freshman classes even if you're in a proper major (like physics/math/engineering/medical). A lot of freshman in college might as well be middle schoolers so a lot of universities coddle them and feed them and clothe them because they're utterly ineffectual on their own.

[CDdude55]

Originally Posted by streetfighter 2

As for this Portal class, it's a freshman course. I'm sure a lot of current college students and alumni can attest that there are some seriously BS freshman classes even if you're in a proper major (like physics/math/engineering/medical).

But BSing them with Portal?

[PVTCaboose1337]

Originally Posted by streetfighter 2

FTA: Freshmen attending the small liberal arts men's college located in Crawfordsville, Ind.,

What the hell is a men's college? I hope for the sake of at least a couple guys at that school that there is a "super hot women with loose morals" college across the street.

As for this Portal class, it's a freshman course. I'm sure a lot of current college students and alumni can attest that there are some seriously BS freshman classes even if you're in a proper major (like physics/math/engineering/medical). A lot of freshman in college might as well be middle schoolers so a lot of universities coddle them and feed them and clothe them because they're utterly ineffectual on their own.

I can attest to some BS freshman classes, but none of them were computer games, and lots had a point. Needless to say, I feel most of my peers could not take care of themselves without a lot of help.

[AphexDreamer]

I want this course at my College !

[Kreij]

Basic analytical reasoning should be taught when children hit the age of 7 or 8.
This should be an elementary school course.

[digibucc]

did you guys read the article?

they are not using it as a test or learning tool - for basic analytical reasoning. they aren't trying to teach or "stump" the students, they care about the philosophical ideas represented in it. the goal was to find a game that helped look at ideas their course would explore - and they came to portal.

He says "Portal" was the first game he thought of, explaining that it's "accessible, smart, cross-platform, relatively short, full of big ideas worth exploring." (He also considered "Bioshock" and "Planescape: Torment.")

After pitching his idea to his colleagues, they gamely agreed to give "Portal" a try — even though they were not gamers themselves.

"After plowing through some installation issues ('What does this Steam do? Will it expose me to viruses?'), we enjoyed the first meaningful discussion about a video game I've ever had with a group of colleagues across disciplines," he said. "They got it. They made the connections, and they enjoyed the game. Most importantly, they saw how 'Portal' could provoke thoughtful reflection and vigorous conversation on questions germane to the course."

[PVTCaboose1337]

Originally Posted by digibucc

did you guys read the article?

they are not using it as a test or learning tool - for basic analytical reasoning. they aren't trying to teach or "stump" the students, they care about the philosophical ideas represented in it. the goal was to find a game that helped look at ideas their course would explore - and they came to portal.

Playing GTA4 would do the same thing. It would evoke great conversations like, "Why did you shoot the hooker at random," and "Why did you pick the SUV over the convertible?"

[streetfighter 2]

Originally Posted by digibucc

did you guys read the article?

Honestly no. After that first or second line about small gay liberal arts school in the middle of dumbf**kistan I chuckled then proceeded to write about how most freshman are children and my best friend's last final was beers of the world.

Honestly-- beers of the world?

My last final was not f**king beers of the world.

[Kreij]

Okay, I read the article. Now I feel the course is entirely useless.

"Beers of the world" is a lot more useful, IMO.

[digibucc]

Originally Posted by Kreij

Okay, I read the article. Now I feel the course is entirely useless.

"Beers of the world" is a lot more useful, IMO.

agreed there

Originally Posted by PVTCaboose1337

Playing GTA4 would do the same thing. It would evoke great conversations like, "Why did you shoot the hooker at random," and "Why did you pick the SUV over the convertible?"

lol true - i think that about the hooker every time. my mother was watching me play once and just says

"why did you just shoot that police officer for no reason?"

...

"i don't know"

[Kreij]

Scenario #1
Employer : Tell me about some of your courses in college.
You : We had meaningful discussion about a game called Portal.
Employer : Next.

Scenario #2
Employer : Tell me about your final thesis.
You : I wrote an exhausive study on which beers of the world would most likely help your employees feel that the management appreciated them as a real world asset and not just another number to a bean counter in your accounting department.
Employer : Did you bring any?
You : Yes. (pfft) Here you go.
Employer : You're hired.

Heh ...

[streetfighter 2]

Let me fix that for you...

Originally Posted by Kreij

Scenario #2
Employer : Tell me about your final thesis.
You : I wrote an exhausive study on which beers of the world would most likely help your employees feel that the management appreciated them as a real world asset and not just another number to a bean counter in your accounting department.
Employer : So you're a bullshit artist?
You : Yes. But I brought beer.
Employer : You're hired.

[mlee49]

Originally Posted by W1zzard

rather go watch physics for future presidents and learn something useful:

http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_d...esterid=2010-B

i strongestly recommend this to everyone who is interested in how the things around him work. no math, no prerequisites required, lots of no bs info. use it to win arguments with your friends/parents/teachers

Wow, Physics 10 I'd love to listen/watch to more, but 70min lectures take a long time to sit through. I'll check a few out for sure.

[AphexDreamer]

Originally Posted by mlee49

Wow, Physics 10 I'd love to listen/watch to more, but 70min lectures take a long time to sit through. I'll check a few out for sure.

Yeah I learned so much than I have ever learned at my High School or current college. I'm thinking about going there now.

I sat through the first one, plan to watch one each day.

[HossHuge]

I am already smrt. I don't need collge.

[Black Haru]

Originally Posted by HossHuge

I am already smrt. I don't need collge.

and your avatar pick totally expresses that thought.