Category Archives: school

game design course (part 2)

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Week 13, 2012
Joensuu, Finland

It is amazing how fast March flew away. The last lecture of my game design course was today. Still I have two exercise sessions next week, and to finalize to qualify A LOT of essays from the participants. However, I feel the cycle of an important personal challenge is closing. I never though I could be a teacher, or instructor…. still the word sounds strange to me. 🙂 Even less I would have though I could enjoy to be an instructor, but I did.

In brief I can say that in this month:

  • My perception of teachers change. In earlier times, my opinion was fundamentally of a demanding student. Now, my opinion evolved because I was the instructor.  Teaching is not easy.  So, I confirm: it is easy to criticize, but once you have to do the things you were criticizing, one’s perception and understanding of the same event evolves. It seems to happen every single time.
  • I have the best group one can have for my first attempt as a teacher. I learn a lot from the participants of my course in different directions and topics.  I want to give them a big thank you! 🙂
  • To be a teacher is more demanding than I though it will be. I am tired. Simultaneously, I have a special fulfill feeling. I did my best in a challenging and new activity and I enjoy it. I had fun. Teaching is paradoxical, yes! 🙂 Cool!
  • Without any question, since I start to conceptualize the course I start to learn.  The whole process to exteriorize what you have learned is an intense learning experience in itself. In addition, I am aware I haven’t given justice to all the thinkers I have learned from…. yes, still is much to learn.

I hope most of the participants of the course also feel they learn something. Well the aim of the course was clear:

  • Discover something new in reference to game design
  • Do your best and take a learning experience in game design.

My interest was to make us wonder. Yes, I was included 🙂 . Thinking is a personal process. However, sharing ideas and reflections helps us to wonder and stimulate our thinking process. Additionally, designing is so stimulating, so…. I am happy!

One of the specific challenges to give lectures in UEF in computer science is: the group is divided in two campuses. Some participants are in Kuopio while others are in Joensuu and the connection is via a video. That is challenging! because it is not 100% face to face neither 100% blended learning neither 100% distance learning.  So, to promote interaction in class is harder than usual. However, I am so proud of the participants of my course because they did great. Today in special, we have presentations in Kuopio and Joensuu, and they really interact with each other (as you see on the photos below). I am so proud of my group!

 

Last day presentations (1)

Last day presentations (1)

Last day presentations (2)

Last day presentations (1)

promote more reading habits

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week 4 of 2011
Joensuu, Finland

The days are SO FULL of ideas, events, activities, emotions, dreams and my brain’s digestion is not as fast as the things are happening. But this commitment to post once a week, without pre-awareness, is helping me to focus on the week’s relevant event to be shared.

In the week 4 of this year, I spent considerable amount of time at the university library. One of my favorite places, not only for research purposes as I have mentioned ealier.  But imagine, each library contains the ideas, life, knowledge, fantasy and much more of thousands of humans, from around the world, who have live in so many different periods of time.  The book’s authors might be dead, but their voices are still alive through their creations. Libraries, for me, are magical places.

By coincidence, in these days I also got impressed of the threat that some libraries have around the world. In this case, UK. I can’t believe it honestly. Decision makers in UK are contemplating to close libraries. People is protesting as we can read here. I found very interesting the article of Pullman expressing that decision makers do not really understand the value of libraries. I fully agree with him!

Books  support individuals to change their lives. Unlimited of examples support that claim, as the one I posted some time ago with William Kamkwamba. Books are good friends, they guide us and helps us to think, which supports in turn a life long learning process. This is not only MY personal opinion, it is a fact. In 2008 the UNESCO reported:

“The public libraries in the city play wider role to inculcate reading habits amongst youths and neo-literates. This study suggests that information literacy competency and lifelong education can also be imparted to marginalised groups through public library networks in the country”

Even that the report belongs to a study done in India, honestly I do not think is a exclusive statement for India.

Leaders and decision makers  in “develop” countries, wake up! Instead to take away libraries, we must promote more reading habits!

love books

Image source here

uniqueness

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week 3 of 2011
in transit…  (DF, Mexico -> Frankfrut, Germany -> Joensuu, Finland)


Each one of our experiences is unbelievable, as it is our planet.

Unfortunately, my memory betrays me often by forgetting facts. BUT somewhere, inside myself, is strongly marked by each moment. Each one of my moments is unique, special and unrepeatable. I am the result of the sum of my moments.

What amazes me the most of my sum of moments  is:

  • I am the same person wherever I go.
  • I inhabit the same planet, a.k.a. “earth” (I haven’t been elsewhere than in here)
  • My dreams, commitments, obligations and work are relatively constant (and most of them voluntary)

However I feel as living in different worlds while I move around.

The  uniqueness of each place, each person, each moments might be the real motivator that bring me to the  Hypercontextualized Game (HCG) concept  in my research. I think the seed of the HCG started long ago, even before I decided to pursuit a PhD degree.

I am convinced that we must go beyond of what our eyes see, as we are only able to observe the tip of a huge big iceberg. We must feel the life by immersing ourselves in it, discovering the uniqueness of each moment…

wondering about age….

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week 1 of 2011
from Distrito Federal, Mexico

why do we have the tendency to make age groups?  For example, we study specific age groups,  and  it exists a trend to be with people within certain age range. But does it make sense that always?!

My year started with full power, no time to waste. One reason was that for first time I was able to live intensively with people of different generations simultaneously (from 2.5 years old to 92 years old). It is such a rich experience I haven’t lived earlier.

generations

sprint of 20 days (aprox)

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It is hard to explain my actual situation to anyone, it just is.

August 2010  a milestone month for myself.  My aim is to deliver a complete draft of my thesis to  Erkki before he leaves to Mozambique. I am behind schedule, challenges are popping, light is also showing up,  and the time is flying fast….

challenges, speed and light

challenges, speed and light

source of photo here (CC)