[Year 12 IPM] GameMaker Questions

Mon Nov 13 23:39:01 EST 2006

At Bentleigh last year I taught GameMaker to Year 9, in semester units (two=
 for the year), 3 X 50 minute periods per week (a double and a single).
As well as teaching how to use the program and creating their own games, the=
 students also learnt about what makes a good game (they analysed games they=
 play and wrote about them), the history of computer games, social and ethic=
al issues of playing computer games and computer addiction, etc and they car=
ried out a survey on people's playing habits (what sort of games, sex, age,=
 time spent etc) and analysed the results. In the single lesson we covered t=
heoretical stuff, in the double we worked on the program. At the end of the=
 unit when they had all created the game of their choice they spent time pla=
ying each others games and assessing them (given criteria sheets provided by=
 me). I did this partly because I am useless at playing games, but also beca=
use they were so enthused about playing others games. It turned out to be on=
e of the best teaching experiences of my life - especially considering the c=
lasses were mainly boys, (sad) and included many who were considered by othe=
r teachers to be problematic. The kids loved it also (but the girls made the=
 best games!!!)

This year at Lauriston I had 4 weeks to cover the same stuff in a year 10 cl=
ass, but the girls did not even get to the point of creating their own games=
 in that time - only time to go through the tutorials. I felt as though they=
 didn't really have a chance to get their teeth into it. 

Cheers

Ros Meadows
Lauriston Girls School
meadowsro at lauriston.vic.edu.au <mailto:meadowsro at lauriston.vic.edu.au> 
meadows.roslyn.m at edumail.vic.gov.au

Home computers are being called upon to perform many new functions, includin=
g the consumption of homework formerly eaten by the dog. 
Doug Larson

________________________________

From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Travers, Graham J
Sent: Mon 11/13/2006 10:15 AM
To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management Teachers'Mailin=
gList
Subject: RE: [Year 12 IPM] GameMaker Questions

I've taught a programming unit for the last 2 years to year 9/10, one
semester, 210 mins/week.

I do some HTML/JavaScript, some VB (using Janson) and some Gamemaker.
About 5 weeks on each.

I then have the kids do a major project (planning, user notes etc) in a
language/code of their choice. Most choose G'maker for this.

Works well.

I doubt that you'd want to stretch G'maker for more than 6 weeks.

If I was teaching the same next year I'd think about using
Flash/Actionscript (games) in place of JS or VB
GT

-----Original Message-----
From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au]
On Behalf Of tony at star.melb.catholic.edu.au
Sent: Monday, 13 November 2006 9:37 AM
To: ipm at edulists.com.au
Subject: [Year 12 IPM] GameMaker Questions

G'day GameMaker aficionados.

A couple of quick questions:

   - At what year levels do you teach GameMaker?

   - For how long? eg one term (4 lessons per fortnight), etc....

   - And what other things are being taught in the same course at that
year
level? eg flash, web design, etc...

I'm seriously looking at introducing it next year.

Many thanks in advance.

Cheers,
TJ

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