Motivations and informing frameworks of game degree programs in the United Kingdom and the United States

  • Authors:

  • Monica M. McGill

  • Affiliations:

  • Bradley University, Peoria, IL, USA

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 2011 conference on Information technology education
  • Year:
  • 2011

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Abstract

The rise of games in the marketplace has resulted in a birth of a number of academic institutions establishing game degree programs. These programs may be entirely technical, like those based on a more traditional computer science program, or may be less technical and more focused on design and creativity. Unlike more established fields where information sharing is the norm, the newness of game degree programs means there is less information to guide faculty during the curriculum planning process. Further, though there has been much speculation about why these programs have been created, there is no formal research that explores the motivation behind their establishment. This study employed an explanatory mixed methods design to examine methods institutions used to inform the creation of their curriculum. The results provide important groundwork for educational researchers to consider when further examining the curriculum planning process for game degree programs.