Video games have been around for a long time, but how many of them have been successful and educational at the same time? This question intrigued us enough to compile a list of the best of the best that we believe accomplished this goal.
Without further ado, here are our Top 5 Video Games that Taught Us Something:
1. Star Wars DroidWorks
Created by Lucas Learning in 1998, this games purpose was to create a droid using the many different parts that were provided. After the droid was created the user was to complete specific missions and that's where the educational portion comes into play. The missions consisted of puzzles that taught the user energy, force, simple machines, light, magnetism, and motion.
2. Donkey Kong Jr. Math
Also known as Donkey Kong Jr.'s Calculation Game, Nintendo released this game in 1983 for the original NES console. This was the main "educational" related game created by Nintendo for North America. The game unfortunately was noted as one of the worst video game launches ever made.
3. Mario Paint
This game was created by Nintendo in 1992 and required the user to have a special SNES Mouse to play the game. Mario Paint was very well known because it needed the extra device to play the game. The game taught users to be creative while playing games in the early 90's. Mario Paint was ahead of its time until Microsoft Paint came out.
4. Buzz Aldrin's Race Into Space
Buzz Aldrin's Race Into Space also known as BARIS, was a big feat for the MS-DOS OS in 1993. BARIS simulated space exploration and was a strategy game. The object of the game was to have a successful manned moon landing.
5. Acme Animation Factory
Created by Sunsoft in November of 1993 for the Super Nintendo console. This video game taught children the skills to be creative and learn animation. The game consisted of giving the user a series of tools for them to create his or her own cartoons from the Looney Tunes crew.
Word came down this week that Harvard University will be inviting back ROTC to its campus for the first time in 40 years. What caused the sudden change? The armed forces can thank Congress for repealing its ban this week on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military.
This change will end a 40 year old stalemate between the military and one of the country’s best universities. Some quick history on this, the Vietnam War was the catalyst of the initial change and it continued over the last few decades due to student, faculty and Harvard administrators believing that it was unfair that the armed forces were discriminating against gays and lesbians. This has some profound implications on the military now that it will be able to recruit some of the brightest young minds in the country on campus.
University administrators will start up talks soon with high ranking military officials about the timetable for getting them back on campus. It seems as if the “don’t ask, don’t tell’’ policy was the last hurdle they needed to overcome to get Reserve Officers’ Training Corps started up at Harvard again.
Here is what Drew Faust, the president of Harvard had to say; "I look forward to pursuing discussions with military officials and others to achieve Harvard’s full and formal recognition of ROTC," and, "I am very pleased that more students will now have the opportunity to serve their country." So it looks like school officials are definitely on board with this. One thing is for sure, the brain trust in the military is about to get that much smarter over the next decade or so.
An article about the Most Legendary College Pranks of All Time was recently posted by the Huffington Post. Here are some of the pranks they uncovered and included in their list. It seems like college pranks are still around, but they are not quite as grandiose as they once were. I am guessing that has to do with the fact that you can be sued for just about anything now-a-days. Sneeze on a statue and you may be liable for destruction of private property. =)
In 1979, the student body government of University of Wisconsin was led by the infamous Pail & Shovel Party. Their platform? Use the school's budget for art projects and wacky pranks. Their masterpiece was putting a fake Statue of Liberty in the nearby (and, at the time, frozen) Lake Mendota, placing half of Lady Liberty's head and torch on top of it.
The Great Dome, Massachusettes Institute Of Technology
One of the most famous college prank schools, the Massachusetts school is famous for its history of jokes involving the MIT Dome. The most legendary case was back in 1994 when students installed an MIT campus police car on top of the dome -- which is 15 stories high. The clever pranksters built the frame of the car in pieces on top of the dome. It's now a tradition for copycats follow up the trick by putting all kinds of strange objects on top of it, like a firetruck and a piano.
In 2001, a gang of Canadian engineering students tied nylon cables to a red Volkswagen bug and pushed the bug off the eastern side of the Golden Gate bridge, leaving the car hanging 100 feet above water for more than four hours, halting both car and ship traffic. Police cut the cables before the car plunged into the bay and sank.
Pink Flamingos On Bascom Hill, University Of Wisconsin-Madison
The Pail & Shovel party struck again in 1979 by putting 1,008 fake plastic pink flamingos on the front lawn of campus landmark Bascom Hill. By afternoon, students had plucked most of the flamingos from the lawn for their own keeping. Flaming-planting soon became a tradition on campus.
In 1933, staffers from the Harvard Lampoon managed to steal the Sacred Cod, a five-foot long wooden fish that hangs from the ceiling of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. As the Museum of Hoaxes reports, the theft of the cod of was quite simple: "Three Lampoon staffers walked into the state house armed with a pair of clippers and a flower box. They waited until a discreet moment when no tourists were around. Then they quickly clipped the wires holding up the fish, tucked it away in their flower box, and disappeared." To prevent the cod from being stolen again, authorities raised it six inches higher.
To see the rest of the pranks, please check out the original article at the Huffington Post. Use AnyCollege.com to find a college where you can learn about all of their heritage and traditions.
With the rise of video games in today’s culture it was just a matter of time before they started showing up in classrooms. The New York Times recently published an article talking about this very subject. Learning by Playing: Video Games in the Classroom follows a journalist who visits a non-charter middle school in New York City that is on the forefront of this burgeoning frontier. This particular school would probably remind you of any other middle school if it weren’t for the fact that video games play a role in their everyday curriculum.
“It is a radical proposition, sure. But during an era in which just about everything is downloadable and remixable, when children are frequently more digitally savvy than the adults around them, it’s perhaps not so crazy to think that schools — or at least one school, anyway — might try to remix our assumptions about how to reach and educate those children.”
The article raises a lot of good points and concerns. It seems that this could be a powerful learning tool moving forward, but it has some evolving to do. Definitely worth checking out if you have the time. Once you have read it swing back by AnyCollege and leave your thoughts.
Recently we posted blogs dealing with Studying Tips and Time Management in College. While a majority of students lean heavily on their laptops to get the job done, we wanted to know if the iPad is a good fit for college life, can it help with your time management and studying habits? Is it a possible computer replacer or is it a higher end gadget for those looking to show off their money and technological habits? Well, we’re about to find out.
With the emergence of the iPad several months back and the new fall school year just underway, the idea of the device’s practicality has risen on college campuses. As you can see from the Google Trends graph below, the popularity of the iPad is on the rise and is primed to pass laptops by the end of the year.
The iPad’s usability in class for note taking may not take the advantage over the laptop, except in the area of size and portability, but it does hold its own. You can use a Bluetooth keyboard for faster, more conventional typing or simply use the on screen keyboard as your makeshift notebook. Was there mention that you can open up an application and draw diagrams and other figures with the touch of your finger? Well, you can!
In addition, to its user-friendly typing and doodling functions, the iPad also offers the perks of whipping out Wikipedia or a dictionary app quickly in case you’re looking for clarification during a lecture or just want to be the star student with the answer to the question.
Whether you’re in the classroom, at the library, in your dorms, on the bus or on the go, the iPad doesn’t seem to fail in delivering. You can draft essays, articles, blog posts, important emails to teachers, and spreadsheets all from the comfort of your little bundle of technological joy.
Beyond the classroom, you get access all your social media sites like facebook, Twitter, You Tube and the like. Listen to your itunes, watch DVDs, surf the web, chat online and find any other method of procrastination that you can fathom with the versatility of the iPad.
Starting at $499 and peaking at $829 the iPad is a revolutionary device that could be seen as the catalyst for the future. Does that mean that you should ditch your desktop or laptop for the iPad? No.
During college you’re going to value having your desktop or laptop in the long run because for just a smidge more than the iPad you can have the assurance that a decent computer will have more storage, act as a more sophisticated gaming device and possess quicker and more powerful capabilities all around. However, if you’ve got the extra $500 to spare – if you’re a college kid that answer is probably a resounding no – you could benefit from an iPad. It’s portability, applications and convenient features do allow the user to stay in touch in just about every way imaginable – minus a desired camera feature.
Overall, the iPad is a great device. Is it suitable for a college student? Absolutely. Is it better than your trusty computer? Probably not, at least not yet. Who knows what the future will hold…feel free to share your opinion at AnyCollege.com.
In one of our previous blog post Adjusting to College Life, we touched on the Freshman 15 and felt it deserved a post entirely devoted to this topic. “Freshman 15” is a phrase that strikes fear into the hearts of College freshman across the nation, a somewhat somber reminder of what they can expect after their freshman year. Most freshman enter into their first year of college with the full expectation of gaining weight their freshmen year.
These freshmen would be able to avoid these extra pounds by simply understanding what causes the “freshman 15” and what they can do to avoid freshmen fifteen weight. Here are some good tips that will help educate you on the freshman 15 and give you tips on how to combat it.
Freshman 15 Causes
The Freshman Fifteen are caused by the perfect storm of lifestyle changes, with multiple factors coming together to cause weight gain. Freshmen who are worried about gaining weight during their freshman year need to realize that their new lifestyle change will require a change in habits.
Freshmen are known for eating on the go. With random and busy schedules, freshmen can rarely find time to sit down for a meal. When freshmen can sit down for a meal, they are limited to whatever they can fit in their mini-fridge and cook in a refrigerator. This often leads to poor food choices, which can lead to weight gain.
Freshmen are also notorious for staying up late on a regular basis. The snacks that you eat during the late hours of the night will come back to haunt you, as your body is more likely to store sugars and fats at night. A simple snack of fries and a pop, over the course of a year, can lead to significant weight gain.
Freshmen fifteen statistics show that freshmen are less active in college. When you move to college, your lifestyle changes, and the idea of going to the gym for a workout is less attractive. Many freshmen do not have cars, making getting to the gym difficult. The combination of bad foods, late night eating, and fewer workouts will lead to a Freshman 15.
Avoid the Freshman 15
Freshmen are constantly looking for tips to avoid freshman 15 weight, trying to learn how to avoid the freshman 15. There are some simple and easy tips to follow that will help individuals to lose freshman 15 weight.
One simple tip is to control your eating habits. Set specific times for snacks and meals, keeping flexible for last minute schedule changes. The most important time to set is a cut-off time; do not let yourself eat past a certain time of day. Stopping your food intake around 8PM or 9PM will help you to avoid the freshman 15.
Another tip is to post pictures of yourself in the places that you eat. These “Freshman 15 pictures” will help to keep you motivated, reminding you of the body that you would like to keep as you debate your food choices.
The best tip for those looking to lose the Freshmen 15 is to go on a steady and reasonable diet. Crash dieting never works for those who gain the freshmen fifteen, as they simply gain the weight back when they stop the diet. Small diet changes, including fewer carbohydrates, no fast food, and no soda, will help you to avoid the freshman 15.
Freshman 15 Stories
Most stories start out with “why me” and “what did I do wrong?” It’s usually the perfect storm of a change in lifestyle and diet. If you follow some of the advice above, you may actually have a good story to tell about it. Just be sure and keep your head up and realize there are ways you can overcome these challenges physically and mentally.
Feel free to share you freshman 15 stories on AnyCollege.com.
As a freshman year college student, give yourself time to adjust to the college transition. You need some time to digest all of the new things around you before you go home for a visit. It's very common to become homesick when you first move into a dorm. Especially if you're within driving distance of home, you may be tempted to go back within your first few weeks because of that feeling. Try to avoid doing so and instead give yourself time to experience your new surroundings. Look into college programs on campus that can help keep you engaged in the campus social life. Be sure to check out our College Freshman Survival Guide for tips on making this adjustment easier.
Dorm living
Leaving your family to move into a dorm and become a college freshman is something that you might be looking forward to or you might be dreading. For most undergrad students, adjusting to college life is a combination of both. The idea of going away and being independent is exciting but there is some worry about being alone, possibly for the first time and some people have trouble adjusting to college. Below you will find some tips or adjusting to college.
Many college freshman tips talk about how to adjust to dorm life, how to budget your time and your money and how to handle living with a roommate that you don't know. They will also talk about moving out checklists, dorm checklists, dorm stuff and the dreaded freshman 15. Not as much college preparation seems to be spent preparing you for how you'll feel when you leave your family. This could be one of the toughest things to do. But you have to consider your family and your place within it, as well. It's often just as much an adjustment for parents and family members as it is for you when you leave home. Though they know you'll be coming back for visits (and maybe even bringing your laundry with you!) it may be the first time you've been away from home for weeks at a time.
College Activities
Going home early or often in the beginning can actually make you more homesick. Do your best to stay on campus as much as you can and get involved in social activities around your campus to help distract you from those feelings until you adjust. Ask your RA if there is a college activity list or if they have any ideas on what you can do. Some colleges also have a college activities board that can help place you in the right group. Call home, write, e-mail or talk via web cam when you feel home sick, and express your feelings. Your parents or family members are bound understand because they're going to be missing you, and they may remember what it was like for them when they went away to college.
College Freshman Tips
There are a lot of sites that have college freshman tips and advice for students that are having some problems. Here is an idea that could help, revive the somewhat forgotten art of letter writing and actually mail them home. Your parents will probably be thrilled to hear from you in this way and the act of manually writing down how you feel and writing to them about your college freshman adventures can help you feel less homesick and make the adjustment easier. This is also a lot more personable and only takes a few more minutes to complete than sending an email.
College Depression
If you're a freshman year college student and you're having some homesickness, don't forget that your family may be having a harder time than you. Call home and contact your family on a regular basis to help ease their transition to your college life. Staying in touch with your family and friends can help keep your spirits high. And don't hesitate to contact a school counselor if your feelings of homesickness persist, or you start to feel lonely or depressed, because counselors have great college freshman tips to share. Those tips listed above will help you avoid college depression, college anxiety, or feelings of being home sick or bipolar. There are a lot of college depression facts that show a correlation of college success vs. college drop outs. So be sure to seek help if you feel you are starting to struggle with any of these feelings.
Comparing Colleges
One way to make sure you find the right college that’s not too far from home, is to use AnyCollege. You can compare college and universities though our online search engine. We also have a great resource center with stats, charts and worksheets on colleges in your area.
Some of the most repeated college freshman tips include how to deal with difficult roommates or how to win your new roommate over and make him or her a friend. No one wants to live with someone who is distance or unpleasant. And statistics show that not only can it be annoying, it can threaten your higher education.
Freshman College Statistics
An article in the College Student Journal suggests that not only is social adjustment desirable, it can help make or break your success as a college freshman. According to the stats, about 30% to 40% of college students eventually drop out before they earn a degree. And aside from having problems with classes and other issues that make a student drop out of college, not adjusting to dormitory life and the social changes that college brings on can make it more likely that a student won't finish school.
A college education is a huge financial investment in your future. It should be your priority to get the most you can out of it, so adjusting socially to your new environment is very important. Whether you're attending school on college freshman scholarships are you're paying for it yourself with the help of family, it's often easy to forget just how expensive it is and how important it is when you're feeling down or lonely.
College Freshman Social Advice
Making connections and bonds as quickly as possible when you're a college freshman can help you, not only throughout your freshman year, but your entire college career. Of course, reach out to your roommate and try to forge a connection there. One of the best pieces of college freshman advice is it's best if you don't have any preconceived notions before you meet your roommate that way you won't be disappointed if they don't turn out to be your best friend right away. And there's no point in wasting time and energy worrying about a roommate that might be terrible. Try to have an open mind and decide to go with the flow.
Also, reach out to people in your dorm and in your classes. If you're lucky enough that some of your friends are attending the same college, that's a social safety net but don't let that keep you from making new friends. Cloistering yourself among what's already familiar isn't going to help you adjust to college. Get involved in some organizations or sports to get yourself out of your dorm room and among new people can help you make new friends and adjust socially, and can help you avoid the dreaded "freshman 15."
The Freshman Fifteen
Gaining 10 to 15 pounds is something that's common among freshmen because of changes in eating habits, and the tendency to eat when you're lonely or frustrated. But you don't have to come home a heavier college freshman than when you went if you focus on staying active and meeting new people. And if you have problems adjusting socially, there are on-campus guidance counselors and psychologists that can help you, so don't hesitate to contact one for college freshman tips and moral support.
Visit AnyCollege to find colleges and universities near you where you can make new friends and get a higher education.
This change will end a 40 year old stalemate between the military and one of the country’s best universities. Some quick history on this, the Vietnam War was the catalyst of the initial change and it continued over the last few decades due to student, faculty and Harvard administrators believing that it was unfair that the armed forces were discriminating against gays and lesbians. This has some profound implications on the military now that it will be able to recruit some of the brightest young minds in the country on campus.
