Gatlin International

It has been well documented that education in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) is critical to the future of all those wishing to remain competitive in a worldwide market.  In a recent article in US News and World Reports, Allyson Peerman writes about the connection between computer game design and STEM training.  Research has shown that over 90% of teenagers today engage in some sort of computer game playing as a regular pastime.  Additionally, a significant amount of research suggests that game-based learning has great potential in elementary and secondary education.  Therefore, it only makes sense that computer games designed with STEM training in mind would be beneficial to students and educators alike.

One company, AMD, has made this idea a reality.  AMD’s Changing the Game initiative is an educational program that encourages young people to learn through gaming.  According to the AMD website the Changing the Game program, “teaches kids how to create their own video games on subjects such as energy and the environment and other important social issues. By creating games, students learn science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills as well as problem solving, critical thinking, language skills and teamwork. They are so engaged in the process they don’t realize how much they are learning.”  To showcase how Changing the Game can support learning in the STEM subjects, AMD recently conducted a two-week workshop on their program in Abu Dhabi for Emirati youth.  The teachers and students participating in the workshop were able to see how the program guides STEM education as well as improves skills like problem solving, collaboration, and communication.  Ideally, additional software and technology companies will follow suit and create programs that support STEM education through the engaging medium of gaming.

If computer game design is something that appeals to you, consider taking one of Gatlin International’s newest eLearning courses, Computer Game Design.  Gatlin International’s Game Design Virtual Internship experience is appropriate for those who are interested in learning the basic skills of programming and game design. This course is ideal for anyone who would like to experience the thrill of creating a video game and who might like to see if a career in game design or programming is a fit. This course is also perfect for the game enthusiast who has never had the chance to create and program their own game, or someone who would like to add to their experiences for their CV or resume.

Upon completion of this computer game design course, students will receive a Certificate in The Basics of Programming and Video Game Design. Two complete game production projects, a portfolio documenting your creative process, and a personal experience working within an industry setting will showcase the technical and soft skills employers are looking for. With Gatlin International’s unparalleled comprehensive training program, master the skills to open doors in the growing video game industry.  To learn more about Gatlin International’s Computer Game Design course, visit http://gatlininternational.co.uk/catalogue today.

Playing computer games and video games is a popular form of entertainment for many people of all ages.  While some may think of playing video games as simply a hobby or pastime, there is at least one computer game that reaches beyond just fun by contributing to the greater good of mankind.  The game we are talking about is called Phylo.

Dr. Jérôme Waldispuhl of the McGill School of Computer Science and collaborator Mathieu Blanchette designed a computer game called Phylo as a method to assist scientists in decoding human DNA sequences.  Phylo has about 17,000 registered users who have helped decode various genetic diseases over the past year since the game’s release in November of 2010.  These video game players have assisted scientists in making significant advancements in the understanding of the genetic basis for several diseases including Alzheimer’s, diabetes, epilepsy, and certain types of cancer.  Phylo has assisted scientists in decoding the behavior of over 500 genes in a variety of diseases.

The puzzle-like game asks players to find solutions to arranging a sequence of colored blocks.  Game designer, Waldispuhl, explains “computers are best at handling large amounts of messy data, but where we require high accuracy, we need humans. In this case, the genomes we’re analyzing have already been pre-aligned by computers, but there are parts of it that are misaligned. Our goal is to identify these parts and transform the task of aligning them into a puzzle people will want to sort out.” So Phylo is his solution to solving these sequence alignment problems.  Players must enjoy the game and helping medical advancement because researchers have received over 350,000 sequence alignment solutions over the past year.  Developers hope to release an upgraded version of Phylo for use on tablet devices some time in the near future.

If the thought of making medical and scientific advancements through computer games appeals to you, perhaps you should investigate a career in the computer game design industry.  Gatlin International has an eLearning course, Video Game Design course and Virtual Internship Experience , to help you reach this goal.  This award winning online course and training program is an appropriate starting point for students who seek a professional career as a game designer and developer. It is also well suited for enthusiastic amateurs and gamers looking to explore this exciting field as a recreational endeavor.  Combining concepts in computer graphics, computer aided instruction and marketing, Gatlin International’s Video Game Design course is easy to use.  There is no prior game or graphics programming background required to enroll in this course; students will acquire the skills needed through Gatlin’s project centered Virtual Internship.  Your daily work in a game design job will depend largely on the specific job path you take. You can choose to focus your work on any phase of the computer game design process, from the initial planning, to designing characters and environments, to programming.  To register for this course or to view more details, visit the Gatlin International website today.