Crafting Worlds: A Course in Concept Art for Aspiring Game Designers | TTLL Season 2, Episode 6

In this article, Michael Curtin's concept art for video games course focuses on digital arts and gaming, but in order to enhance his students' creativity and expand their range of inspirations, Michael centers his students on the analog virtues of sketching and the rich, physical spaces and specimens available to those at the University of Illinois. For Michael, this "gigantic ecosystem" at Illinois provided his students with world-class insect collections, gardens, and library collections.

The course emphasizes rapid idea generation through drawing, collaborative projects, and real-world industry practices, engaging students in a simulated game development environment. Guest lectures from industry professionals like Bruce Nesmith of Bethesda enhance the learning experience, guiding students to create cohesive game worlds.

To explore Michael Curtain’s approaches and insights, check out the full article and interview.

Did you enjoy this episode, or do you have a story to share about your teaching? Drop us a note at ttll@illinois.edu.

This podcast was produced by the Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning at the University of Illinois. Episodes can be found on our website, citl.illinois.edu. We hope you’ll find us there and join the conversation!

Summer 2: Free Data, Analytics, and Survey Consulting Services

Do you or your students need help with data, troubleshooting code, statistical analyses, or survey research? Consulting is available to anyone on campus on the following programs: Stata, SAS, SPSS, R, Python, Qualtrics, and Alchemer. Drop-in hours on Zoom are from 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Please note we are closed on official University holidays. To request an appointment please fill out this request for assistance form. 

All services are free through a partnership with CITL, the Library of Scholarly Commons, and Tech Services.

Apply to be a CITL Graduate Affiliate

CITL is looking for at least one new Graduate Affiliate. Grad Affiliates are experienced TAs who work as hourly employees for CITL. The job involves just a few hours per week, so is best for those who have primary funding from another source. See this letter for more information. This is a competitive position, and the best candidates are those with teaching experience, knowledge of pedagogy, and familiarity with CITL services. Sound like you? Apply before the end of June.

Canvas Open Office Hours
Recurring: every Thursday, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Zoom
Host: CITL Instructional Support Team

Overview of Backward Design: Summer Course Design Series #1
Tuesday June 18, 1 - 2 pm
Armory Building, Room 182
Host: Lucas Anderson, (CITL)
Registration Link

Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone: Designing Inclusive Courses - Summer Course Design Series #2
Tuesday June 18, 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm
Armory Building, Room 182
Host: Lucas Anderson (CITL)
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Crafting Learning Objectives: Summer Course Design Series #3
Thursday June 20, 1 - 2 pm
Armory Building, Room 182
Speaker: James Steur, CITL Graduate Affiliate
Host: Lucas Anderson (CITL)
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Choosing Assessments that Align with your Learning Objectives: Summer Course Design Series #4
Thursday June 20, 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm
Armory Building, Room 182
Speaker: James Steur, CITL Graduate Affiliate
Host: Lucas Anderson (CITL)
Registration Link

Managing Student Motivation: Summer Course Design Series #5
Tuesday June 25, 1 - 2 pm
Armory Building, Room 182
Speaker: Kathleen McGowan, CITL Graduate Affiliate
Host: Lucas Anderson (CITL)
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Active Learning and Student Engagement Techniques: Summer Course Design Series #6
Tuesday June 25, 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm
Armory Building, Room 182
Host: Lucas Anderson (CITL)
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Giving Valuable Student Feedback: Summer Course Design Series #7
Thursday June 27, 1 - 2 pm
Armory Building, Room 182
Speaker: Kathleen McGowan, CITL Graduate Affiliate
Host: Lucas Anderson (CITL)
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Putting it Together: Crafting Your Syllabus - Summer Course Design Series #8
Thursday June 27, 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm
Armory Building, Room 182
Speaker: Jordan Leising (CITL)
Host: Lucas Anderson (CITL)
Registration Link

Stay tuned for this summer's events! Bookmark the CITL Event Calendar for all upcoming workshops and the Training Services (formerly FAST3) Calendar for additional training opportunities.