O perque el Programari lliure ho te molt dificil aqui a Estats Units, amb Micro$oft regalant creuers a professors universitaris...
________________________________________________________________________ **************************************************** Wanted to bring this timely gaming invite to your attention, please send it around s appropriate. Cheers! Mark Subject line: Invitation to attend Academic Days on Gaming, January 19th to 23rd, 2006 I'm writing to invite you to attend an Academic Days conference Microsoft is holding for computer science faculty interested in Enhancing Computer Science with Gaming Concepts & Technologies. This conference will be held aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Grandeur of the Seas (agenda attached), and will explore the use of computer gaming to teach and conduct basic research. Academic Days on Gaming will be held from January 19th to 23rd, and while this conference is open to the public, I am pleased to offer you a sponsored invitation – details are provided below. Background Gaming as a teaching paradigm is a recent innovation that is beginning to win mainstream acceptance at a variety education levels, from high school programming to research topics at elite universities. Some faculty see Gaming as a "silver bullet" to fix the dual problems of declining enrollments and student retention. The argument is that making computer science more fun and by appealing to the things that the new generations of students enjoy doing anyway, more students will choose a computer science program. Anecdotal evidence tends to support this claim, but few scientific studies have been published. During this conference, computer science faculty attendees will hear about numerous new technologies and game engines that facilitate deployment of gaming in the curriculum. The event should make it easier for faculty to implement game-related aspects into their teaching by providing appropriate teaching materials, including suitable game engines. One subject that will not be addressed by this conference is the issue of training students who are seeking careers in the commercial game development industry. The conference will be a unique opportunity to build networks with other faculty, learn from the experiences of peers at other academic institutions, and meet with Microsoft personnel involved in the gaming industry. Target Audience 1. Faculty with little or no experience with gaming who seek to learn how to integrate gaming concepts into their teaching and research. 2. Faculty already using gaming as a teaching or research paradigm who are interested in sharing their results with others and in finding out about the experiences of their peers and of Microsoft . 3. Faculty interested in Serious Gaming as a topic for teaching and research. 4. Faculty interested in the subject of Women in Gaming. By the end of this event, attendees should have a better understanding of how gaming may be integrated into their programs, both as a supplement to existing materials and as a potentially new program. Attendees will gain practical knowledge of game engines suitable for teaching and research and will have a better appreciation of the challenges and opportunities that the gaming paradigm presents for educators. Logistics Microsoft recommends that faculty travel to Tampa, Florida arriving by Wednesday evening, January 18th. The conference package includes overnight accommodations at the Tampa DoubleTree Hotel on Wednesday night which is also the site of the first three conference keynote sessions on Thursday, January 19th. A chartered bus will transport conference attendees with any family members/traveling companions to the cruise ship terminal on the afternoon of the 19th and the cruise will depart returning to Tampa the morning of January 23rd. We recommend return flights be arranged for Monday, January 23rd with departures in the afternoon. This conference will include faculty guests from North America, Asia, and Europe. It is strongly recommended that all attendees consult the websites of the US State Department and the Embassy of Mexico for entry requirements for both countries. Further information will be supplied by Royal Caribbean International. I am very pleased to offer you a special rate of $100 which will include all conference fees, your hotel in Tampa on January 18th if necessary, and the costs of your travel on board the Grandeur of the Seas. You will be responsible for any incidental expenses incurred. We have a limited number of these sponsorships available, and I would encourage you to let me know as soon as you can if you will be able to take advantage of this. The deadline for registration for this event is December 18. Conference attendees are expected to arrange and pay for their own round trip air travel to the DoubleTree Hotel at Tampa airport . During the online registration process, conference attendees will be given a choice of a private cabin ($680), a shared cabin with another faculty attendee ($100 -- with a space to indicate the name of a cabin mate), or a shared cabin with 1-3 family members or traveling companions (prices vary and availability is limited). These fees include the overnight stay at the Tampa DoubleTree Hotel on January 18th. Please keep in mind that there are a very limited number of cabins with space for 3 or 4 travelers, and these will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. The registration website can be accessed at: https://www.academicalliance.net/ We are very excited about the prospect of engaging your participation in this Academic Days conference on Gaming. Sincerely, M ---------------------------------------------------------------- Podeu consultar els arxius d'aquesta llista o canviar la vostra subscripci� a http://www.softcatala.org/llistes/ ----------------------------------------------------------------
