By SEAN MCCRACKEN
From the Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader
A room full of students playing games isn't usually the image you conjure up when you think of success in higher education.But that's exactly what Kris Wheaton, a professor of intelligence studies at Mercyhurst College, wants to see.
Wheaton has embraced what's called "game-based learning" in his graduate level strategic intelligence course for the past two years.
"I think the students expected it to be more fun than it was," Wheaton said. "But since it began I can see an obvious increase in the quality of work."
The course is the capstone for Mercyhurst's applied intelligence master's program, graduates of which go on to fields such as Homeland Security
.Students are graded on how well they learn theories behind strategy and not how well they do in games.
Second-year applied intelligence graduate student Regis Mullen said this approach to teaching allows students to take a new approach to learning.
"Students generally tailor their learning to getting a good grade," Mullen said. "But this has to do more with reflecting on what you've done, and it sticks a lot better."
Full article.
Why is the guy in the picture above doing a Hitler salute?
ReplyDeleteThe "German salute" as the Germans called it back in the day was done with the right arm extended, not the left arm. So I am afraid that the guy in the picture is only a Nazi if his face is on the back of his head.
ReplyDeleteIf game playing is so much in the mindset of the modern student, I can see that this very general theory might make sense for anyone who teaches.
ReplyDelete"Homeland Security" is a 'field'?
ReplyDeleteThere is actually extensive research in the field of game theory. If you are trying to teach strategy, playing games isn't a bad place to start. There are lots of games with simple but hard to spot winning strategies which might be appropriate for teaching "thinking outside the box" or looking for subtle changes in the board as the game progresses.
ReplyDeleteAs an undergrad, I took a math topics course on game theory and it was a very eye opening experience. To this day I use some of the mental skills I developed in the course while out in the world.
I can see the value of a course like this for those in the field of intellegence.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCMP wrote:
ReplyDelete"I can see the value of a course like this for those in the field of intelligence."
My full time job sometimes includes evaluating recent college graduates (at the bachelor's level and beyond) for entry into this field for a Big Government Agency. (Sorry kids...it's not *that* agency).
Over the years, we've talked with a number of grads from this school. Please understand the following is my personal opinion only, and not an organizational position:
This school isn't doing students any favors with crap like this. It also has an interesting little cottage industry using students in their program as labor for a service they call something like "intelligence-based market research" to customers who are looking for...well, for information to give these rather gullible clients an edge. I can also predict with near certainty that a student from this program will hand me a spiral-bound research project during an interview. It will be full of facts and citations...and usually devoid of any synthesis of these compiled facts.
In interviews, their best students display talents for research, critical thinking and things going in the world that allow them to get hired anyway.