Game Design Camp accommodated at Harvard University

Dates*

July 15– July 27, 2019   (see calendar below for details please)

* Tentative Dates. Dates might change within July 2019. Exact dates to be finalized and published on this page in October. Please contact us for more information. 

Location

Classes will be held at: Harvard University*

Residential Students will stay at: Harvard Square
 
Outstanding Teachers!

Please see our faculty page for our instructors. Summer game design course instructors will be some of the instructors listed on our faculty page or other outstanding teachers with similar credentials.
 
What will the students learn in our game design course?

In our game design camp, we use a research-based curriculum developed at University of Colorado, Boulder. While having a lot of fun, our students will design 2D and 3D games and acquire crucial computational skills under the guidance of expert teachers. Students will use basic algorithms to track values. During the course , students will work collaboratively to:

• program a simulation
• annotate the code
• create a video that records how the program works and they process used to create it

Computational Thinking Patterns that the students will learn:
Our course will enable students to use and describe the following computational thinking patterns

• Collision
• Absorb
• Generate
• Transport
• Cursor Control
• Hill Climbing
• Diffusion
• Polling
• Pull
• Push
• Seeking
• Collaborative Diffusion
• Script
• Multiple needs
• Perceive/Act Sync

Skills
Students will:

• Design and develop games
• Design and develop computational science models
• Outline sequence of exploratory steps
• Experience complete bottom-up and top-down design processes
• Employ algorithmic thinking for creating programs to solve problems
• Effectively combine interactive simulations, text, images in web pages
• Know how to orchestrate a set of applications to achieve goals, e.g., make game and simulations using Photoshop (art), AgentSheets (programming), and Excel (data analysis)
• Work in teams to build and publish their simulations as web pages containing java applets
• Define project roles and work collaboratively to produce games and simulations
• Debug games and simulations that are not working

Guest Lectures by Harvard, MIT Researchers

TBA.

The guest lectures will be held at the 250-year old courtroom at Harvard University on the first day of the camp.

Students’ Forum

Learn how to get accepted to top colleges from students who currently attend Harvard, MIT and other top colleges.

Harvard, MIT Campus Tours and Lab Visits

Harvard and MIT Campus Tours and laboratory visits are scheduled each year.

Sightseeing

We will visit the historical places to see first-hand where the United States was founded and learn about its history. Walk along The Freedom Trail, try many tastes at Quincy Market, when tired of walking hop on a Duck Tour and take a walk along Charles River. Feel smarter (pronounced SMAHTAH) at Harvard Square, join sessions at Harvard and MIT. 
 
Schedule of Activities

* Domestic residential and international students who will be staying with us overnight at our game design camp are expected to arrive at Boston Logan International Airport or at the camp site between 7 am – 7 pm on July 14th. For tuition and fees, please see below. 
 
Daily Schedule

*Day students who wish to attend supervised evening recreational and academic activities at the residential program may do so for an additional fee. The cost will be $200 (including dinner and all activities).

Activities in Morning and Afternoon Sessions

Morning Sessions: Introduction of Topics and Samples

Afternoon Sessions: Guided Practice and Student Projects

 
Transportation

Bus Service for Day Students

We offer bus transportation to our camp site if enough number of students sign up for our Summer Math Camp as day students from the cities listed below. Extra charge will apply and space is limited.

For day students, we provide buses from the following cities: Acton, Lexington, Weston, and Newton

Airport Pickup

Domestic residential and international students who will be staying with us overnight at our summer math camp are expected to arrive at Boston Logan International Airport or at the camp site between 7 am – 7 pm on July 14th. For tuition and fees, please see below.
 

 
Tuition and Deadlines

Deposit: A $250 non-refundable deposit will be requested at the time of registration if the student is admitted. The remaining balance will be due April 30th.

Residential Tuition covers classes & activities, accommodation, meals and in-camp transportation.

Fees

International Students’ Fee: Additional $585.
Airport Pickup/Dropoff fee: $120
Lunch Fee for Day Students: $240 (Day Students might choose to bring their own lunch or purchase lunch at Harvard University.)

You can save up to $790 by registering early!