Building Virtual Worlds n 50 students from art, design, drama, and CS n Randomly chosen teams, change per project n Two weeks to design, implement, and test n Five projects during the semester The First Year n Listed in Five Departments (I love CMU!) n Content: Anything you want No shooting violence No pornography n They blew me away w/first assignment n I called Andy van Dam n The first show In McConomy for its A/V President Cohons reaction Campus-wide Exhibition BVW was a pioneering course n And as they say Don Marinelli (Drama) Randy Pausch (CS) The Dream Fulfillment Factory Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) n Artists + Technologists working in small teams to make things n 2 year professional degree: Masters of Entertainment Technology n Two kindred spirits: try things a new way; were both a little uncomfortable in academia n CMU is the only place I know where this could happen. Right Brain / Left Brain Don & I shared an office for six years Co-Director Credit for the ETCs Success The ETC is to masters degrees as Cirque Du Soleil is to circus ETC Curriculum: First Draft Project Course First Year Fall Optional Internship First Year Spring Second Year Fall Second Year Spring Project Course ETC Curriculum The Visual Story Improvisational Acting Intro to Entertainment Technology Building Virtual Worlds ETC Interdisciplinary Project Course II Elective First Year Fall Optional Internship First Year Spring ETC Interdisciplinary Project Course III Elective ETC Interdisciplinary Project Course IV Elective Second Year Fall Second Year Spring Key to the ETCs Success: Freedom n No deans to report to n License to Break the mold n Project-based curriculum n Intense, fun student experience n Field trips! Edutainment n Developed with FDNY n Networked simulation to train 1 st responders to chemical spills and terrorist attacks Companies guaranteed hiring our students Don has taken the ETC global: Australia, Korea, Singapore Keys to the ETCs Success: Focus on People and Learning to work in Groups Alice The Infinitely Scalable Dream Factory And I guess this makes me the mad hatter Alice n Novel way to teach Computer Programming n Kids make movies and games; the head fake is that they are learning to program n Over 1 million downloads, 8 textbooks, 10% of US colleges using right now Alice is my Professional Legacy n Helping millions of kids have fun while learning something hard n v3.0 will release in 2008, in Java, with characters from the best- selling PC game in history: The Sims n Cant mention everyone, but Dennis Cosgrove is building it Wanda Dann, Steve Cooper, Don Slater are developing the pedagogy Caitlin Kelleher is going to hit the home run with middle schoolers Lessons Learned The Roles of Parents, Mentors, and Students My Dad, age 80 My Mom n The theory qualifier n My son, the doctor Other people who help us n Teachers n Mentors n Friends n Colleagues Andy van Dam n Mythical creature n Dutch uncle-d me my sophomore year n Made me go to graduate school My Bosses: Respect authority while questioning it We learn from our students n The best head fake of all time Caitlins idea about storytelling in Alice More Lessons Learned President Cohons Advice n Tell them about having FUN n Like a fish giving a talk about the importance of water Decide if youre Tigger or Eeyore Never Lose the Child-like Wonder Help others Jessica Hodgins: The best gift ever Denny Proffitt: Forgotten more than Ill ever know MK Haley: Limit case of my large family theory Its kind of fun to do the impossible Professor boy Loyalty is a two-way street Never Give Up n Brown University didnt get in. n Carnegie Mellon for Graduate School didnt get in. Meeting with Nico How to Get People to Help You n You cant get there alone, and I believe in Karma n Tell the truth n Be earnest n Apologize when you screw up n Focus on others, not yourself (an example) Brick walls let us show our dedication Dont bail; the best gold is at the bottom of barrels of crap Get a feedback loop; and listen to it! Show Gratitude ETC admissions How can you do this? Dont complain; just work harder. Important Advice n Be good at something: it makes you valuable n Work hard whats your secret? n Find the best in everybody; no matter how you have to wait for them to show it n Be prepared: luck is where preparation meets opportunity Todays Talk n My childhood dreams n Enabling the dreams of others n Lessons learned: how you can achieve your dreams or enable the dreams of others How to achieve your dreams n Have you figured out the head fake? How to achieve your dreams Have you figured out the head fake? How to lead your life Have you figured out the second head fake? This talk wasnt for you guys. It was for Dylan, Logan, and Chloe. Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams Randy Pausch Carnegie Mellon University Sept 18, 2007