Introduction
Welcome to Geelix School of Serious Games and Edutainment. We offer
academic extension courses and projects within computer game
development and art. We focus exclusively on teaching and making computer games
with educational content and christian values. We currently only offer online courses.
Please click here for enrollment information
Organization
Geelix has been developed by, and is currently offered by, Gridmedia Technologies AS,
a computer software company in Norway. We have also organized Geelix Foundation as a
public non-profit university and Geelix Corporation as a California C-corporation in
the United States. Geelix Foundation offers and manages the educational programs and
courses. Geelix Corporation manages intellectual property rights and publishes serious
games and content that are produced by students, researchers and others. The current
organization structure enables us to provide highly discounted educational programs to
young people that would otherwise not be able to afford an education.
Instructors
We currently have one instructor. Ole Holthe is currently a Ph. D. candidate at
the Department of Telematics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in
Norway. Ole Holthe is the founder of Gridmedia Technologies AS, Geelix Foundation and
Geelix Corporation. His research experiences and
interests include computer game technologies, multimedia presentation, social media
and safer content technologies for young people and children.
Strengths and weaknesses
Our focus on computer game education and research has given us a unique and growing
expertise in these fields. We continuously work on research projects and publish research articles
within the fields of computer game technologies, systems and multimedia.
We are, however, a small start-up organization with limited
ability to handle a large volume of applications and students. We currently do not offer
any degree seeking programs. Our courses are currently not accredited, but we provide
transcipts and certify of and attest to the educational quality of each graduating student.
Organizational vision
- Preach the gospel of Jesus Christ through serious games and edutainment.
- Enable serious games and edutainment with education and new technologies.
- Protect young people and children from harmful experiences.
There are important problems related to young people and children using computer and video games.
In Norway, 30% of children (ages 9 to 12 years) and 57% of young people (ages 13 to 16 years) have
played computer and video games that are rated 18 years or older [1]. Similar statistics can be
found in other countries as well. There are many ways to access
such games, such as through relatives, piracy, downloads, etc.
There exists a large amount of research on violence in media and video games,
and the relation to aggressive thoughts, feelings, behaviours, empathy, etc. Anderson et. al. have
in [2] conducted two studies where they found relations between violent video games and aggressive
behaviour, lower academic achievements, as well as increased aggressive thoughts. The study has lately
been extended significantly in [3], with comments from sceptics, to include a meta-analytic review of
related research for evidence to illustrate and document the many negative effects of violence in video
games. There are many that have opposing viewpoints and arguments [4].
There have been incidents of violence where young people seem to have copied
the violence of characters and game play in games [5]. An example of this is a 14 year old boy who
was murdered with a claw hammer by a 17 year old friend that was obsessed with a violent video game
called "Manhunt" (where the game play is set out to kill people with weapons like hammers and knives) [6].
We wish to provide that young people and children are also struggling with a
range of other problems as well that makes for aggravating circumstances for producers of violence in
computer games, video games, and the Internet. The World Health Organization [7] suicide prevention
program Web site provides that almost one million people die from suicide each year. In the last 45
years, there has been a 60% increase worldwide. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among
those aged 10 to 24 years old. WHO notes that the statistics do not include suicide attempts, which
are much more frequent. WHO further notes that rates among young people have increased to such an
extent that they are now the group at highest risk in a third of the countries. The fact sheet on
the health of children and adolescents in Europe provides that the probability of children dying
before the age of five has been reduced significantly in the last few decades, but suicide is a
major cause of death in adolescents and young adults. The highest rates in the world are found in
the European Region. 4% of children aged 12 to 17 year and 9% of 18 year olds suffer from depression.
The number of young girls diagnosed with depression has increased. Additionally, the fact sheet provides
that child overweight and obesity has increased. The prevalence of overweight among schoolchildren in
Europe has increased from around 8% in 1975 to around 24% in 2004.
We believe that serious computer games are a great opportunity to reach
young people and children with positive (or serious) content. It is a very unfortunate fact that
many computer games contain a lot of violence, bad language and other harmful experiences. The majority
of the other games contain little but mindless entertainment. What if computer games contained
educational content that continuously afforded young people and children with useful knowledge and
skills (e.g. mathematics)? And, what if computer games preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to young
people and children to teach His salvation and healing?
Organizational mission
- Gridmedia Technologies AS offers computer game technologies.
- Geelix Foundation manages the school of serious games.
(Eventually with an on-campus non-denominational christian church.)
- Geelix Corporation publishes serious games for education and
christian values.
We will produce and publish christian computer games that have a strong christian message (i.e. to see
young people saved); provide educational programs and church to young people; explore new ways
to make and publish serious games with christian content (as well as other educational content with
christian values); and educate game developers and designers in computer game christian ethics (as well
as how to make good serious games).
References
[1] The Norwegian Media Authority's Report on Children and Digital Media. The Norwegian Media Authority, 2010.
[2] Anderson, C. A., Dill, K. E. Video Games and Aggressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior in the Laboratory and in Life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2000, Vol. 78, No. 4, 772-790.
[3] Anderson, C. A., Ihori, N., Bushman, B. J., Rothstein, H. R., Shibuya, A., Swing, E. L., Sakamoto, A., Saleem, M. Violent Video Game Effects on Aggression, Empathy, and Prosocial Behavior in Eastern and Western Countries: A Meta-Analytic Review. Psychological Bulletin 2010.
[4] The Entertainment Software Association: http://theesa.com
[5] Video game controversy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_controversy
[6] BBC News. Game blamed for hammer murder (July 29, 2004): http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/ leicestershire/3934277.stm
[7] The World Health Organization (WHO) Web site: http://who.int
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