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Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

  • 1.  Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-16-2023 11:17 AM

    Hey guys, school is spinning up in my neck of the woods and hoping to get us back up and running as the rest of the country comes online as well.

    My check in for this week is simple, what classes do you get to teach this year? (game dev or otherwise)

    This is my first year I get to teach my capstone course at my new school!

    This Fall I have:

    • 2 sections of my Game Dev 1 course, with 36 students each, it is my intro game design class built mostly around tabletop game design and development.
    • 1 section of my Game Dev 2 Course, with 30 students, which is my computer graphics course, starting in pixel art, before moving onto blender. The are making small item sprites right now in Aseperite.

    This Spring I have:

    • 2 more sections of GD1, 36 students each (why?!)
    • 1 section, of Game Dev 3, with 25 students, which basically a unity class built around Create with Code as the intro before moving through some mini-games before finishing with their own group projects.


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    Brian Bautista k12teacher
    Citrus Heights CA
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  • 2.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-16-2023 02:43 PM
    The only Unity class I will have this semester is Digital Movie Making.  I am dreaming up the course on the fly.  Always good fun.

    --
    Garth Flint
    Computer Science Teacher
    Loyola Sacred Heart High School
    406-531-7497





  • 3.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-16-2023 02:48 PM

    That sounds amazing!

    I am so not the correct person to teach it, but that would be so fun.



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    Brian Bautista k12teacher
    Citrus Heights CA
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-16-2023 05:25 PM

    This year, I have:

    • 3 sections of AP CS Principles
    • 2 sections of Video Game Design (sophomores)  -1st semester design principles, maybe some pixel art and 3d modeling, then 2nd semester starting with Unity
    • 1 section of Video Game Programming (juniors) - mostly create with code and some extra projects throughout

    There's a chance they might give me another section of Programming so that we can split up my class size a bit. I'm right at the edge of having enough computers for the class as-is and there's at least one more student who's trying to switch in. Not sure what I can do without 1-1 computers if the district really expects me to get everyone certified by graduation.



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    Austin DeLoach
    New Tech HS
    Dallas, TX
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  • 5.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-17-2023 10:09 AM

    This Fall I have :

    • 1 section of Game Design Principles
    • 1 section of Digital Game Design
    • 2 sections of Exploring Computer Science
    • 2 sections of Business Tech Skills

    I'm excited to see where we go.    I'll be using Construct for the Digital Game Design course after using Unity through Itopia Labs went horrendously last year.



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    Nate Walker k12teacher
    Riverside CA
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  • 6.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-17-2023 10:16 AM

    Can I see your syllabus for that Game Design Principles Class? Want to see what other people are doing.



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    Brian Bautista k12teacher
    Citrus Heights CA
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-17-2023 02:32 PM

    Here's a link to the Course Proposal with Units and sequence.

    Game Design Principles Course Outline



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    Nate Walker k12teacher
    Riverside CA
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-17-2023 03:00 PM
    Thanks for the outline.  I promise to plagiarize the heck out of it.

    --
    Garth Flint
    Computer Science Teacher
    Loyola Sacred Heart High School
    406-531-7497



    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-17-2023 03:29 PM

    I would like to note that when this proposal was written, we were frankensteining together a semester Game Design class that was on the books (IIRC using visual basic) and a semester Photoshop class to create a 1-year course. Since then, all the Photoshop stuff is out, more traditional drawing with pencil and 3D modeling in Blender or Unity ProBuilder.

    This year we are rewriting the official course paperwork to reflect current reality.



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    Wesley Jeffries k12teacher
    Riverside CA
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-17-2023 02:15 PM
    Nate, I am like Brian, I would like to know what you are using for a curriculum or at least see a syllabus also.

    What went wrong with Unity last year?  Inquiring minds want to know.  I have been using Unity for about 6 years and never had a real problem.  But then I am the school IT guy also so all my stuff works.

    --
    Garth Flint
    Computer Science Teacher
    Loyola Sacred Heart High School
    406-531-7497



    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-17-2023 02:26 PM
    Edited by Nate Walker 08-17-2023 02:29 PM

    I teach virtually and my students were having to use a Virtual Machine to run the Unity.  The whole process involving the Virtual Machine is what was up and down and created the disaster.



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    Nate Walker k12teacher
    Riverside CA
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    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-17-2023 02:31 PM

    I have never actually gotten a virtual machine to work for this stuff. I have talked to a few different vendors about it, but I have been burned too much. 



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    Brian Bautista k12teacher
    Citrus Heights CA
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    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-17-2023 02:57 PM
    Yup, the virtual machine sounds good but not so good in practice.  We are a BYOD school so I have almost no issues.  I tell the students if they do not have a laptop that will run Unity I have loaners.  If I run out of loaners they cannot take the class.  Thins out the crowd.  We tell parents NOT to buy a POS chromebook.  I hate those things.

    --
    Garth Flint
    Computer Science Teacher
    Loyola Sacred Heart High School
    406-531-7497



    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-17-2023 11:32 AM

    Brian, are your classes only a semester (5 credits), or are students on a block schedule that gets them a year of content each semester (10 credits per class)?

    This year I am teaching 1 section of Game Design Principles, 2 of Digital Game Design, and 1 of my capstone course Video Game Development. I am also acting as an academic advisor for all CTE students on my campus with a focus on retention of current freshmen.

    Nathan and I teach the same courses and our Game Design Principles is a board/card game course that teaches mechanics and design. This year the goal is to get it reclassified from a "g" elective to an "f" art.



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    Wesley Jeffries k12teacher
    Riverside CA
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  • 15.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-17-2023 11:37 AM

    We are on a semester block so one semester is roughly a "full year" course, we lose a little time, but gain flexibility in their schedules.




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    Brian Bautista k12teacher
    Citrus Heights CA
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    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-17-2023 05:12 PM

    Working on my first year of teaching Game Design.  I'm using a combination of CodeHS along with Unity's create with code.

    I hope to sprinkle in some Blender as well as Bloxels for Pixel game creation.



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    John Hadenfeldt k12teacher
    Cairo NE
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  • 17.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-22-2023 12:40 AM

    I am on A/B schedule.

    Have 4 packed sections of CS Discoveries (Code.org).

    1 section of Game Design 1/2 (uses Construct with 2D)

    1 section of Game Design 3/4 (using Unity 3D)

    Honestly a bit worried... I don't think I know how to make a program AND teach it at the same time (took over in the middle of last year). I am just constantly prepping that I don't feel like what I am creating is really good enough or comprehensive enough.

    That said, trying to stay positive. I kind of feel like I need to just come up with strategies that let me be efficient and give some more structured freedom to the students (but at the same time, worried that this is me just not being a prepared teacher/being lazy...anyone have any advice for all this with a fair dose of imposter syndrome...please shoot!)



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    Jacob Jarecki
    Computer Science/Game Design Teacher
    San Diego Unified School District
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  • 18.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-22-2023 07:59 AM
    Jacob,
    Everyone feels that way in the beginning.  Some of us feel that way after 40 yrs of teaching CS.  Every class is a new adventure.  When I am teaching a new course (I have two this semester, Digital Movie Making with Unity and Cinematography (with cell phones)) I build a rough outline of where I want the course to go, give it to the kids, and then just get out of the way.  I end up giving guidance, help with ideas and find needed resources.  Rarely does the course go as planned, it usually is better than anything I had dreamed up.  The kids take ownership of the course.  Kids are smart and can solve a lot of the course issues for you.  Involve them.

    --
    Garth Flint
    Computer Science Teacher
    Loyola Sacred Heart High School
    406-531-7497



    Original Message


  • 19.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-23-2023 01:16 AM

    Thanks for the thoughts and support everyone!



    ------------------------------
    Jacob Jarecki
    Computer Science/Game Design Teacher
    San Diego Unified School District
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 20.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-22-2023 12:07 PM

    Gotta agree with Garth, my program is the ship of theseus.

    Something, often many things get changed every time I teach a class.



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    Brian Bautista k12teacher
    Citrus Heights CA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 21.  RE: Wednesday Check in - So what classes you teaching?

    Posted 08-24-2023 11:10 AM

    I teach 4 classes, all year long, Game Design 1, 2 sections of juniors, and Game Design 2, 2 sections of seniors.

    My classes are pretty full, 33-35 classes. Last year I had up to 38 in one class.

    I'm switching to Godot and using the GDQuest curriculum Learn Game Dev from Zero, which they are finishing up the rewrite for so it aligns with the update Godot 4.

    The last couple of months for my seniors they work in teams to make a game and that's their Capstone project.

    We have NO CS classes at all in my school so I say 50% of my Game Dev classes are learning programming. I know that turns off some students but it's the least I can do to offer some programming in our school. So many students want it, but we only have 6 period days and until the master schedule changes, we just don't have many elective classes.

    I do a lot of things on the fly, that's why it's crucial to be connected to folks all over the world who can help.



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    Owen Peery k12teacher
    SAN FRANCISCO CA
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