Education

As I substitute teacher, I was inspired by the committment, collegial nature, engagement with students as well as fellow instructors, and interesting subject matter of the teachers I worked with. I went back to Bethel University in the evenings and weekends for one and one-half years and obtained my teaching certificate in Social Studies 5-12.

Even though there was a wide range and ages, background and interests, my co-hort group was very supportive and encouraging. The faculty also came from a wide range of backgrounds and interests: there were the permanent faculty as well as educators and former educators. Each one had many special things to offer and entice us in the new field we chose.

William Mitchell College of Law

When I attended William Mitchell College of Law, it was strictly a night school. Along with most of my classmates, I worked during the day, and attended school in the evening. This legal background helps me and those around me solve problems before they come up. This education continues to give me additional insight and possible options and poroblems with education, computers, the Internet, interaction with students and countless other issues.

When I started law school,I thought I was a good writer - I was, but getting a J.D. sharpened my writing and analytical skills even more.

Macalester College

I obtained two degrees from Macalester College: a degree in History and a degree in Geography. Many of my professors were nationally known. My advisor, David Lanegran, is currently referred to as Mr. Geography for Minnesota. I do not like to name drop, but David and I are still good friends many years later.

Like now, Macalester was hard to get in and the classes were all rigorous and demanding. These classes sharpened my writing and analytical skills.

There is a billboard that says that college is the "Best Four Years of Your Life." I enjoyed Macalester very much and continue to have close connections to the college as an alumnus. I served on the Alumni Board for six years and my wife served on the Alumni Board for six years; we were also co-chairs of our latest reunion. (My wife and I met at college but did not get married until many years after college.) Two of our three children went to Macalester' and our son played on the football team.

Mason City High School

I graduated from Mason City High School, Iowa. My rank was roughly 55/800 students. While there, I participated in the band, debate team and plays. I was in the highest level classes all three years. During this time, I had a letter to the New York Times published - they had made an error in some article.

Both of my parents were teachers in Mason City, and I knew many of the teachers at the High School before I attended there.

Online MOOC Classes

I am learning about gamification and have completed a few classes:

Gamification: Gamification is the application of game elements and digital game design techniques to non-game problems, such as business and social impact challenges. This course will teach you the mechanisms of gamification, why it has such tremendous potential, and how to use it effectively. For additional information on the concepts described in the course, you can purchase Professor Werbach's book For the Win: How Game Thinking Can Revolutionize Your Business in print or ebook format in several languages. Instructor - Kevin Werback, Associate Professor Legal Studies & Business Ethics 3/1/16

Principles of Game Design

You have a great idea for a game. Turning that idea into a reality isn't just about knowing the tools. In this course you will practice moving from game concept through design documentation, prototyping and testing. Numerous elements go into the overall process of game design. These range from topics such as idea generation, story, character, and game world development, game mechanics and level design, and user experience design. You will explore the process for designing meaningful experiences for your players. At the end of the course learners will have produced a game's high concept document, one page blueprint, a physical prototype, pitch and supporting design documentation to move from an idea in your head to a fleshed out design, ready for implementation. Instructor: Casey O'Donnell, Associate Professor, Media and Information 12/29/15

Introduction to Game Development

If you love games and want to learn how to make them, then this course will start you down that path. Making games is a creative and technical art form. In this course you will familiarize yourself with the tools and practices of game development. You will get started developing your own videogames using the industry standard game development tools, including the Unity3D game engine and C#. At the end of the course you will have completed three hands-on projects and will be able to leverage an array of game development techniques to create your own basic games. This course is for individuals interested in becoming a game designer, game artist, or game programmer.

Instructor: Brian Winn, Michigan State University - in process (March 2016)