The internet has given us many gifts throughout the years – from music and video game codes to not so G-rated material. Therefore, it is no surprise that e-learning has made such a big splash in the web world. Within the past ten years, online education and internet training has provided many people with a new incentive to learn.
During the early 80′s, e-training was just starting to become a potential creation. Companies and educational institutes were strictly hiring instructors to train their students. This was because computers were only beginning to grow, therefore making it difficult to come up with any other plan. These instructors were great at the time because it allowed training to be very hands on, especially since students were able to interact with their classmates and visually see the lessons. However, the problem with having just instructors was that there was a lot of blank time in between. Students were not being able to learn the material on their own time, thus difficulty set in when training with hoards of other people.
Luckily, as the computer industry started to expand, e-training was becoming a reality. For the next ten years, multimedia was at everyone’s fingertips. Companies were just starting to use PowerPoint; a program that allowed people to create visually enhanced presentations. Video games and other multimedia programs were also popping up, thus resulting in a technology overhaul. As these advances continued, online education was only a step away.
The first type of online education was in the mid 1990′s. This was when the internet was a great success, and multimedia was being taken to another level. The first few e-training companies dedicated their services to mainly businesses who did not want to hire trainers. Although the online education courses were great for new employees who needed training, it was only the beginning of an uphill process. Education online was very slow, as pictures were small and the entire course was text based. Nevertheless, it was beginning to catch the eye of many.
As the 1990′s quickly ended, the millennium marked an entirely new period for technology. E-learning was finally on the map as online education courses were now very popular at colleges and businesses. Great streaming media, online video access, and fast web site servers made it possible for online education to make quite a splash. Students were also now able to learn from their homes during their own time, since working a job and going to school was quite a difficult task.
Today, online education has come a long way. Instructors are now being hired to solely teach online, which usually consists of being filmed for lesson videos. Companies are also hiring these online education programs, since a training session can not only be quick, but also be accessed at any time of the day or night. For many, it is a great opportunity because it gives us all more knowledge. We not only are able to get college degrees through this type of e-learning, but we also can have a life, without having to stay at the office overnight just to learn some material.
By: Natalie Aranda
Posts Tagged ‘Video Games’
A Brief History of Online Education
March 20th, 2010Video Game Tester Education Requirements
October 4th, 2009
Some people dream of nothing more than being able to become a video game tester. Education can be an extremely important part of becoming one. Video game testers are in high demand due to the fact that it is getting more and more expensive to make video games. Because of this, video game companies want to make sure that the products they put on the market work flawlessly and are enjoyable to play. This is why they hire people to make sure that they are!
Education?
Many want to become a tester and wonder if they need to have a specific education in order to make their dream happen. It honestly depends on exactly what you want to do in the video game world. If you are looking to design games, you will want to study computer programming. If you want to be able to draw and create the characters and background, you should go into graphic design.
Some believe that, by becoming a video game tester, they will be able to work their way further up the ladder in the video game industry. It depends on exactly what you’re wishing to do. If you believe that you are going to become a programmer after testing video games for a year and with no training or experience, you are unfortunately wrong. Programming takes a long time to learn, and it’s very rare that someone who has no training in it can work as a game programmer. If, however, you wish to become a games tester supervisor simply from being a video game tester, that goal is possible.
Writing
One of the best things you can do if you want to be a video game tester is to take courses in writing. Most video game testers have to report their findings in writing to the programmers. If the programmers are unable to understand, what you are trying to write, you probably will not go far. They want testers that they can understand, not testers that have a hard time explaining their findings. This is why taking writing courses is extremely important.
If you take writing courses you can also pursue another avenue of video game production: writing the storyline. The video game companies need people who are able to write the storyline and the dialogue. They appreciate people who have imaginations and are able to explain difficult concepts.
If you’re looking to become a tester, you may want to think about taking some courses, simply to be able to get ahead in the gaming industry. If, however, you’re more than happy playing video games all day, you probably do not need to worry about getting any more training than you already have. Remember, to be a video game tester education is not necessary, but it can always help you if you want to get ahead in the industry!
By: Michael Addison
