Community links artistic, technical
By Glen Sovian
Staff Writer
North Lake Learning Community is a group
of linked courses with common themes, content and
material that are taught together with innovative
assignments and activities. There are three Learning
Communities offered for Fall 2005: Computer/Video
Game Development, Speech/Cultural Communications
and Psychology of Politics. This is the first of
a three-part series that highlights the Learning
Communities at North Lake College. Conventional
belief holds that one can be either artistic or
technical but not both. Whether it is a myth or
reality, it is still a matter of scientific discussion.
However, with the launch of the new Computer/Video
Game Development program, the convergence of art
and technology at North Lake College is moving
one step closer to reality.
This highly intensive Learning Community teaches
the basics of computer and video game creation,
design, computer programming and animation. Two
North Lake instructors, Sharon Huston and Mark
Horbovets of the Business and Information Technology
department, combine their respective specialties
to provide the teaching instructions.
“Good art and good programming stem from
creativity combined with a relentless drive for
excellence,” said Huston, Web design coordinator.
“The main objective is to help students
become better thinkers. We feel that video games
can be used to teach not only technical skills
but also important academic skills like research,
writing and giving presentations.”
But the motivation does not just stop there.
Great career opportunities are awaiting those
skilled in this field, too.
The Entertainment Software Association reports
that 75 percent of American households play computer
and video games. Last year alone, Americans purchased
an average of two games for every household. In
less than two decades, the video game industry
has grown from a mere cottage industry to a multiple
billion dollar business. The sales figures for
the games have more than doubled in the past decade.
“The video game market is growing by leaps
and bounds, but there is still plenty of room
for growth and expansion,” Huston said.
To prepare the students for the tasks, the program
is carefully designed to integrate essential learning
materials from different classes. Though challenging,
this approach expects to give the students more
well-rounded skills.
“Professional video game design studios
generally have an art department, a programming
department and a design department. We choose
to teach three classes to give students basic
experience in all three areas,” Huston said.
“It’s important to know the basics
in all areas so a game artist can communicate
with a game programmer.”
The students shared the same opinion.
“I think it has a perfect blend of classes.
I think the instructors have the courses selected
very well,” said sophomore Ken Houston.
As much as the instructors try to mimic the real-world
environment, attaining the required level of expertise
may take years to develop. The good news is the
instructors recognize the challenges that students
may face and are willing to work with them.
“I feel the program is very intense but
is designed so that even people who are not familiar
with certain computer programs have time to learn
them,” said Mary Ingles, another student
in the program.
Houston, Ingles and the other students in the
program may be eager to finish the program now,
but by the end of the semester they may also unwittingly
realize that being both artistic and technical
is not such a hard thing to learn after all.
— Next month: Speech/Cultural Communications
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