Faculty Advisor: Assistant Professor, Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota

Research Practicum Introduction

Digital games are one of the fastest growing sectors of the entertainment media industry, generating enormous profits for game companies as well as wide-ranging implications for society. Related developments in mobile applications and virtual reality simulations are also becoming more than big business; they are changing the very way we think about media, augmented reality, and our human relationships.

 In this program, students will:

1. Be introduced to the academic study of video games and related media;

2. Examine digital games as forms of communication, culture, and interactive storytelling, as well as in their various uses for entertainment, commerce, social activism, education, and more;

3. Study the history, ethics, and socio-cultural impact of digital games and related technologies; and

4. Consider next generation virtual reality and other game-related technologies that may change the way we think about media and society.

 In addition to reading about games, students will also be expected to engage with them as part of both individual and interactive online work. Specifically, they will be asked to reflect on their own experiences playing with specific games and interacting with others through games. Although this project will touch on the design and development of these digital tools, it will not involve the actual production of games, sims or apps. Rather, we will concentrate on writing prototypes for potential game designs as well as analyzing existing games as cultural objects, interactive media, and vehicles for promoting social transformation.

Students will also learn general and subject-specific research and academic writing methods used in universities and scholarly publications. Students will focus on individual topics and generate their own work products upon completion of the program.

Project Topics

• The history of gaming: early companies (Atari, Nintendo, Sega, and others)

• Technologies of gaming: PCs, arcades, consoles, online gaming, and mobile games

• Gaming communities: multiplayer interactions, eSports, and in-person gaming

• Gaming and social issues: what risks are presented by gaming addiction and toxic gaming communities, and can games reduce these risks?

• Gamification: how can organizations seek to create goals and rewards for work?

• The business of gaming and interactive media: emerging technologies and trends

• Games and globalization: the present and future of interactive media

Program Detail

• Cohort Size: 3-5 students

• Workload: Around 4-5 hours per week (including class time and homework time)

• Target Students: 9-12th grade students interested in digital media, business, communications, global studies, and the social sciences broadly.

• Schedule: TBD. Meetings will take place for around one hour per week, with a weekly meeting day and time to be determined one week prior to the class start date.