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Video Games and Beer? Olds College Offers Innovations in Learning
By
Linda Galeazzi
|
2 Min Read
Video game teaches entrepreneurship at Olds College, and the school launches Western Canada’s first Brewmaster diploma program!
Olds College in Olds, Alberta has found a novel way to gets its students trained in entrepreneurial skills: by playing some video games!
Starting this fall, all students at the college will participate in a mandatory entrepreneurship course, with one aspect of the curriculum requiring them to complete an iPad game in which they open a lemonade stand and build it up into a business empire. The game, called The Spirit of Entrepreneurship, was built by Calgary game developer Robots and Pencils. Further course content was provided by the GoForth Institute, an online business trading company, also located in Calgary. The project cost more than $2 million to develop.
“This is the first time that something like this has been tried in North America, as far as we know,” says Toby Williams, director of entrepreneurship and international development at Olds College.”What we’ve done is take the things that make computer games so addictive and appl[ied] them to education. It’s not a real-life situation, but it’s close to that.”
Inaugural Program First of its Kind in Western Canada
Olds College is also making history this month by launching its Brewmaster & Brewery Operations Management program for the very first time. Through a partnership with Ontario’s Niagara College, which already has an established program of the same name, Olds College will offer training in a brand new 2,300 square foot facility, which includes state-of-the-art brewing equipment.
“There’s a very high demand for skilled brewers in the industry,” said Karsten Henriksen, the college’s dean of Environment and Continuing Education. Students in the program, he says, “will be exposed to every aspect of the brewing industry, from the field to distribution.”
The program will be the first of its kind to be offered in Western Canada.
Colleges mentioned: Olds College
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In Canada there are a plethora of student aid programs to help students across all walks of life in pursuing post-secondary education. These programs provide the necessary financial assistance to go back to school and excel in your career.
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Some corrections to note, the game is not called Lemonade Stand, it is called Spirit of Entrepreneurship, the same name as the course. Also, Karsten Henriksen is referred to as a “she”, but is indeed a man.