Psychology of Games – Nancy Games

TL; DR

Started a code structure plan for the simulation of Project CODE Switch with Dr. Cardona-Rivera (featured image). I got offered a position to teach again this fall! I will be teaching the second-year master’s students EAE 6330: Game Engineering III! 🥰 Wrote a syllabus draft for the course. Kept picking away at my SGD theory paper. Just two classes left until the end of the semester. I’m super excited about summer!

Weekly Update Breakdown

Accomplishments

For anyone keeping track, I’ve now taught a senior-level undergraduate course and will be teaching a second-year master’s level course this fall. Look at me know! Ha ha! This is not to brag, I’m just really, really excited! It will also look really great on my CV.

Next Week’s Tasks

Writing (SGD theory)

Write discussion
Finish revisions

Research (Project CODE)

Complete code structure
Implement sim

Teaching

S2021
- Create last quiz
- Analyze quiz results of last couple quizzes
- Decide on (if?) extra credit assignment
F2021
- Complete syllabus draft/turn it in/get it approved. ☺️

Self-care dailies

Keep up at least a 5-minute daily exercise through the end of the semester

Speed Bumps & Obstacles

Just feeling a little short on time and a tiny bit overwhelmed!

After pitching a class I’ve been wanting to teach FOR YEARS it was REJECTED at near instant speeds because it was too technical (the need was for general games undergrad, not technical grad). My advisor had already kindly offered to help me co-design a class in case that one got rejected. So that’s what we did: created a brand new, never been taught before course, I pitched it to the director of EAE, and then we waited… and waited… and waited (there was also some praying involved)! I waited NINE long days post when I was told I would hear back. So maybe nine days doesn’t seem that long to you, but it is long when you are waiting (and praying) for good news! Well… it got ACCEPTED!

I am teaching Psychology of Games at the University of Utah for my favorite program: EAE! (Shhh! Don’t tell CS I said that!)

I’m like legit faculty! Just call me Professor Blackburn!

I am super stoked!

Since the class is new we get to play with the design of it quite a bit, but we already have the syllabus and readings down. Still a lot of work to do but it is going to be a killer class!

If you’re a student at the U definitely look into it! It’s going to be a fun class as we discuss the inner workings of our mind and how to use that knowledge to design stellar video games! We already have enrollments and it was just posted this morning!

More info is on the course webpage. To enroll use Class #19047 which will enroll you in EAE 4900-006 (all Special Topics courses have the same course number:4900, but different sections. Psychology of Games is section 006).

See you in class students! (That’s fun to say!)

Tag: Psychology of Games

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