Mike 3-25

What was planned?
Work on the effect size paper.

What was done?
Created a presentation for the Grad Research Fair. This included added quite a bit to the original submission. I had to do a little research to make the background etc better.

I did more research on the effect size paper as well. There are a few examples of other people suggesting similar changes across different fields. These are good examples of how to write this type of paper.

Problems encountered?
I have received cold reception to Level Up at SIGCSE and the Grad Research Fair. I'm starting to feel like it the combination of game research and educational research is in two areas that have low research standards and that makes Level Up unappealing. People currently doing 'game research' don't like it because it threatens their research practices, and people not interested in games or education are not going to become more interested because of it.

What did you learn this week?
More random stuff about different study problems etcs. Have a better understanding of the research practices in the feild.

What's planned for next week?
Work more on the effect size paper. Try to write it as if it is for game2learn students in the future. Finish it and see how it is recepted; if it is good then do a more detailed version about 'advanced' techniques.

Creativity Stuff
My thoughts of games and creativity...
Normal computer science classes, that is, non-graphical terminal based programming assignments etc, feel limiting to creativity. While problem solving is a creative skill, it doesn't 'feel' like creativity.

While doing my undergraduate degree I often felt the need to get out and away from CS. That is why I got a undergraduate degree in International Studies too. This is because normal CS does not seem creative. Most assignments do not require creative solutions, and there is only so much that can be done with a blank terminal screen.

With games you have a graphical solution, that is automatically better than a terminal program. Designing the game-mechanic requires thinking about the user and needs creative solutions to be fun.

Games also give you something that CS normally doesn't have, the ability to show some of your work off. You can show a game to people reguardless of their major and people will be impressed, or at least interested. This type of feedback prompts harder work and more passion with your work.

I recall having Art Major friends always showing off their work and getting feedback. No one ever ever ever wanted to see my linked list or my auto balancing trees.

The final way games induce creative solutions, when you are programming a game you have a very defined goal for your program. It isn't directly for a grade. You want to make your code run faster because it Must run faster. This motivates programming in a differnt way than offered in a typical CS class.

ijo desu