This course immerses students in the process of building and testing their own digital and board games in order to better understand how we learn from games. We explore the design and use of games in the classroom in addition to research and development issues associated with computer–based (desktop and handheld) and non–computer–based media. In developing their own games, students examine what and how people learn from them (including field testing of products), as well as how games can be implemented in educational settings.

This document details a simple way for anyone to create an interactive digital adventure game with zero programming. This activity can be done as an individual or with a team. Use a cloud-based PowerPoint program to get started (Google slides recommended).  

CMS.611J / 6.073 Creating Video Games is a class that introduces students to the complexities of working in small, multidisciplinary teams to develop video games. Students will learn creative design and production methods, working together in small teams to design, develop, and thoroughly test their own original digital games. Design iteration across all aspects of video game development (game design, audio design, visual aesthetics, fiction and programming) will be stressed. Students will also be required to focus test their games, and will need to support and challenge their game design decisions with appropriate focus testing and data analysis.

With a focus on the creation of functional prototypes and practicing real magical crafts, this class combines theatrical illusion, game design, sleight of hand, machine learning, camouflage, and neuroscience to explore how ideas from ancient magic and modern stage illusion can inform cutting edge technology.

This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of the process of designing games and playful experiences. Students are familiarized with methods, concepts, techniques, and literature used in the design of games. The strategy is process-oriented, focusing on aspects such as: Rapid prototyping, play testing, and design iteration using a player-centered approach.

This course offers an introduction to the interdisciplinary study of videogames as texts through an examination of their cultural, educational, and social functions in contemporary settings. Students play and analyze videogames while reading current research and theory from a variety of sources in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and industry. Assignments focus on game analysis in the context of the theories discussed in class. Class meetings involve regular reading, writing, and presentation exercises. No prior programming experience required. Students taking the graduate version complete additional assignments.

Through a scavenger hunt, students are introduced to the world of nanotechnology. In the form of a competition, groups race to locate symbols that correlate to an answer to a general nanotechnology question. Each team receives paper slips with questions; the remaining questions are hidden behind QR codes. Groups need to answer eight total questions in the correct order. Because this is an intro to nanotechnology and its associated engineering, students need to use problem-solving skills in order to identify the correct answers. After the initial scavenger hunt, a brief class discussion explores advances in nanotechnology. Next, students work in teams to research different areas of nanotechnology as they create their own scavenger hunt games.

Students explore augmented reality audio through the design and evaluation of prototypes. Participants will probe design space and illuminate creative possibilities. This includes productive, playful, and social applications, as well as the intersection between games and music. The course builds understanding of the limitations and strengths of iterative design and rapid prototyping as research methods, familiarizes students with the theoretical foundations of design exploration, and practices working with physical and digital materials.

The Software Engineering Program (SEP) is a multi-year, comprehensive, standards-aligned computer science education program for grades 6 to 12. The goals of the program are:

-Increase the number of high school graduates, particularly from traditionally underrepresented groups, that are ready to pursue new and emerging technology-driven roles across industries.

-Develop student computational thinking and problem-solving skills in real-world contexts.

The SEP curriculum gives students instruction and experience in the following areas: computer programming, robotics, web design, physical computing, and game design. SEP students participate in local and central hackathons, and in work-based experiences with major industry leaders and partners.