General Honors 101

To Play or Not to Play: Theoretical Aspects of Games and Competition

Instructor: Dr. Pamela Malone Gresham

Course Meetings: Tuesday/Thursday 2-3:15pm *There will be opportunities to experience course content outside of the traditional classroom environment

Prerequisites: None

Course Description: People all over the world participate in and observe games. Many games and gaming events have significantly impacted the world, including the Olympic Games. Athletic, board, card, and digital games will be explored, as well as literature related to games. This course examines how games, including sports and other competitionsevolved and impact individuals, culture and society. This is a hands-on course that promotes critical thinking, discussion and consideration of ethical and moral dilemmas presented in the creation, production, and participation of games. Guest speakers and excursions will be included in the course.

Course Materials: Use of the internet, library and other resources will be included as part of the course.

Course Objectives:

  • Identify various usages and associations of the word “game” (Week 1)
  • Recognize the historical significance of games, including the Olympics, and how they have impacted political, economic, and social systems (Weeks 2-3)
  • Understand and discuss the usage of games in educational settings (Weeks 4-6)
  • Types
  • Production
  • Usage/Implementation
  • Describe the usage of games for individuals and families (Weeks 7-9)
  • Types
  • Production
  • Usage/Implementation
  • Analyze the value and problems of games from multiple perspectives

Projected Topical Schedule*

Week 1: What is a game? (Definitions/Types)
Week 2: Early games (Historical perspectives)
Week 3: Olympics
Week 4: Sports
Week 5: Sports
Week 6: Sports
Week 7: Board, Card, Misc.
Week 8: Board, Card, Misc.
Week 9: Board, Card, Misc.
Week 10: Digital Games
Week 11: Digital Games
Week 12: Digital Games
Week 13: Game Creation Phase 1
Week 14: Game Test Phase 2
Week 15: Game Presentation Phase 3
Week 16: Review and Final Exam

*Changes may become necessary and will be discussed with students if the need arises.

Evaluation:

Grades will be earned in the following way:
Sport Research/Presentation200 points
Board, Card, Misc. Research/Presentation 200 points
Digital Game Research/Presentation200 points
Game Creation-Phase 1100 points
Game Test Phase 2100 points
Game Presentation100 points
Final Exam 100 points
Total Possible Points*1000 points

*Changes may become necessary and will be discussed with students if the need arises.

  • Class participation is a privilege we will share. You will be allowed one absence or tardy in the event of illness, etc. that will not count against you. All other absences will result in a -10 point deduction from your final grade.
  • Cell phones can be valuable tools for communication and research. There will be times when you will be welcome to use your cell phone as part of our class sessions. However, usage (texting, etc.) without prior permission will result in the loss of class participation points (-10).
  • Final grades will be based on your total points earned divided by the total possible points. Grammar, spelling, formatting and informational errors will result in a loss of points. For every 2 errors, 1 point will be deducted from the assignment total. This percentage will be converted to a letter grade according to the following scale.

Grade Scale:

95-100=A / 92-94=A- / 89-91=B+ / 86-88=B / 83-85=B- / 80-82=C+
77-79=C / 74-76=C- / 71-73=D+ / 68-70=D / Below 68=F

Plagiarism:

“Academic integrity is a cornerstone of the University's commitment to the principles of free inquiry. Students are responsible for learning and upholding ethical, professional standards in research, writing, and assessment. Faculty must clearly outline expectations for ethical behavior with students & provide supportive measures. Academic departments and colleges should uniformly follow current guidelines and procedures, from reporting & documenting violations up to and including due process. At the request of the University, and in collaboration with other areas, the Indiana State University Library has created this web site to provide a resource clearinghouse for both students and educators.** Teaching faculty and others are urged to contribute materials and links to this site” (Online resource, 2014,

Instructor Background: Dr. Pamela Malone Gresham

Dr. Gresham’s research interests include teaching and learning theories/practices, brain development, poverty, learning disabilities, gifted and talented, and the University Honors Program. Her higher education teaching background includes courses such as The Science of Reading, Real World Applications in the Social Studies, Technology in Education and Methods of Teaching Mathematics.