Originally posted by SuperXero89

Originally posted by popinjay

 

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Originally posted by SuperXero89
I don't get this video.  You need to have a Ph.D to show people how to play a video game?

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Just the ones who think it's a good idea to spend 80-100k of their own (future) money on college loans to attend such a class in this economy.

 

I'm in college.  Sometimes wish I wasn't.

I'm an Information Technology Services Major which means I should be able to find jobs in end-user support, PC repair, and IT administration when I graduate, but I only take one class in computer maintenance, office management, and data networks.  The rest of my classes are business courses and an assorted mishmash of classes that teach me how to use various other programs like Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Adobe InDesign.

Meanwhile, I have a friend who is at a technical college getting his associates in IT, and he has taken 4 computer maintenance classes, two classes in CISCO networking, and two programming classes amongst other classes that I can't think of off the top of my head.

At the end of the day, you tell me who is more prepared for a job in the IT field and who is more prepared for certifcation exams.

Life sucks when your parents buy into the whole "college is the key to your future" BS schools have been shoving down society's throats for years.  When you actually step foot on a college campus, you realize what a cold, unfriendly place that can be -- full of professors who'd rather be anywhere on earth than lowering themselves to having to teach you classes every week.  It's not a place conducive to learning.  It's an assembly line where they farm out degrees then they throw you out into the unemployment line with a $40,000 dollar debt.  All college is good for is giving students stress related heart trauma and making them hate their life.  That is, of course, assuming they're actually doing their work rather than partying and skirting by doing as little as possible.

I could go on and on about my experiences at a university, but it was amazing the contrast between a lowly community college and a public university.  The community college was so warm, welcome and efficient in everything they did.  My advisors frequently sent me e-mails and reminders about various things,  my teachers actually seemed to enjoy teaching. and everyone was simply so approachable.  At my university, for example,  I didnt' even know who my advisor was when I moved here until I called my department head.  Additionally, I go to sign up for advising at 3:00 PM on the first day for student advising, and my advisor doesn't even have his timesheet up.  Every time class has been cancelled, the professors just leave a note on the door, meaning I drove to school that day for no reason.  No one knows anything.  If you have a question about something, you're directed to this department.  That department directs you to this department.  Most of the professors I've had here couldn't care less about teaching. They have Ph.Ds but they teach worse than high school teachers.  Of course, a lot of them have this arrogant attitude and are completely unwilling to work with you in any way whatsoever.

Like I said in my previous post, thats going to depend on what college you go to.  Honestly, if I was in charge of hiring I would never hire anyone from a technical school or online college because they simply don't get as much as someone who went to a full university.  How can you possibly take 4 or 5 years of school and cram it into 1-2 years and still get the same information with the same level of understanding? 

What university do you go to so that I can remember to never reccomend it?  As I said before I go to Texas Tech and have never had expirences like at your university.  My school has 40,000 students and is easily more akin to your expirences at your community college.   When my classes are cancled (and its very rare) we get emails sent to us well in advance unless it was an emergency, but I've never had a professor just leave a note and not tell us in advance.  Regarding my professors, they seem to love what they do.  If I ever have questions they are free during office hours (which are clearly stated) and all of them can have appointments made.  I dont think I've had a single professor or teacher that seemed like they didnt really enjoy what they are doing.

Our MIS major (which is Managment Information Systems, which seems to be the same as yours) undergrads take much more than you seem to take in regards to systems.  http://is.ba.ttu.edu/ugrad/curriculum.php that is their junior and senior year curriculum which seems to be loaded with relevant classes.  (But, of course this point isnt relevant if the major isnt the same).

As a finance Major I know for a fact that I'll get hired on much faster than anyone who didnt go to a university. I'm actually on track for NYU or UPENN for my grad degree in Finance (which I will complete before going into the workforce).  I dont care how good people think those Technical, FOR PROFIT, schools are.  They simply can not compare to the education you will recieve at a university.

Edit: Sorry for double post.

Originally posted by SuperXero89

Originally posted by popinjay

 

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Originally posted by SuperXero89
I don't get this video.  You need to have a Ph.D to show people how to play a video game?

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Just the ones who think it's a good idea to spend 80-100k of their own (future) money on college loans to attend such a class in this economy.

 

I'm in college.  Sometimes wish I wasn't.

I want to college for some crazy science that I have never used (except for problem solving skils).  I ended up working in tech support (mainly remote), maintenance, networking and I even do a little coding now.  University experience is nice, but in the end it doesn't matter as much as you think.  I just kind of got lucky, had some certifications, my school didn't have much to do with it.  Experience is what matters :D 

College was a blast... I miss it heh.  I still ponder more education but then I think about how I still have leftover bills from the first round!

edit:  oh and against my better judgement i clicked on link in op, it was lame.  i curse you youtube.

I didn't watch all of the video; I just wan't that interested.  As for university, I enjoy it.  I already have a few qualifications BA Sociology/Anthropology, MRes Social Anthropology, working on my MPH right now, and will be starting my PhD in October 2012.  I love academia and research!

Originally posted by Corehaven

They did this for their thesis at Arizona State University. 

 

Oooooohh.....so CREEEEPY!   Disturbing! 

 

This is plain cool.  So you're saying being allowed to do a thesis on an mmorpg is some sort of disturbing horrible thing?  No its not.  Thats awesome.  It means mmorpgs have become so culturally relevent they can be the focus of a thesis in college.  Its genious. 

 

It means while most people struggle with playing games and doing their school work and making time for both, these people figured out how to turn gaming INTO their school work. 

 

Games are often mocked and gamers considered immature.  Games have been said to be anything but art.  Yet college thesis' have now been conducted on them.  TAKE THAT OLD FARTS! 

 

How can you call this creepy or disturbing?  Its awesome.  Fantastic stuff.   There's absolutely nothing wrong with this.  At all.

Seriously! I think it is awesome that someone would take so much interest in mmorpgs as to do a thesis on them!

I mean, the video isn't exactly what I would call great, but hey, the music isn't half bad at least... in my opinion anyways haha

Originally posted by Kost

What concerns me, is that the vid author (who claims to have a Ph. D) couldn't even spell persistent correctly.

Red flag right off the bat.

The description says the video *featured* their professor though, I don't think their professor made the video? Of course that student would hopefully not get a PhD if he doesn't know how to spell easy words.

i thought that this link was super cool. the graphics were amazing, the music rocked, and there was a good theme and story for the game. rock on university students!

Someone explain how this in any way can be helpful. This research is obscure.

Originally posted by dida12

Someone explain how this in any way can be helpful. This research is obscure.

  Meh...it may be obscure, but this has been happening for more than 20 years now.  This is hardly the  first 'research' or investigation' done in an online game :D!

I watched this video, I feel as if it had alot to say about the gaming society in general. It's definetly something to just check out and get your own view on though.

The study is by the Psychology department pretending to be the computing department.

They are actually testing how mentally ill people play multiplayer games. They chose Warhammer Online as the only people that could possibly play Warhammer are mentally ill....

Dum Dum Tish !

Originally posted by Saorlan

The study is by the Psychology department pretending to be the computing department.

They are actually testing how mentally ill people play multiplayer games. They chose Warhammer Online as the only people that could possibly play Warhammer are mentally ill....

Dum Dum Tish !

 

lol you may be on to something. Just kidding!

Mentally ill to play Warhammer? Well like all level based questing mmos with snoring combat systems and gameplay that has not changed since 2001 then yes it would help to be mentally ill !

I am not sure how a sane person could play basically the same game reskinned a hundred times like all the WOW clones are.

Well this is actually kinda cool.  its like an introductory video to the concept of an mmo.  I'm curious how the rest of the thesis presentation went along with this video, and like others have echoed, what they were actually looking at in their thesis.  The video description says it was "Group Performance in Virtual Worlds."

"I wonder what compels people to come together for hours on end to tap buttons on a keyboard in response to images on the screen?  Furthermore, what makes these people so good at what they do?"

Lol, quite the interesting line of research to consider.

Originally posted by Jakdstripper

any excuse to play video games in university....

The professors have to be getting tired of handing out those "D"s for "Hay guyz! Answer my survey questionz plz! I'm doing 'research' about online gamez!"

Then these guys--and the people who gave them the grant money for it--should be ashamed of themselves.

I wonder the same. But it doesn't really matter because video is awesome. I didn't play WarHammer before, but when I watched it I got hooked!!!

after watching this video, i really want to attend psychology classes at asu. then maybe i will be able to combine my love of gaming with my love of watching and anazlying people....

No way! This is an awesome thesis, totally creative. 

Originally posted by stayontarget

Man this is right up there with wine testing, sweet.  I wonder how many credits you get for it?

Haha, it definitely is! I want to research people playing video games... By playing them myself... :P

I ran an almost identical project using EQ1 for my Psych Masters over a decade ago. You'll find this happens a lot.

You, YES, YOU, have probably helped provide a student with data at some point. 

Creepy, huh?

Hehe