Monthly Archives: September 2017

Washington Post: “Video game players get varsity treatment at more US colleges”

September 15, 2017

Students who represent their schools say it teaches them lessons in strategy, teamwork and time management, and it offers camaraderie with other gamers on campus.

“It really builds a sense of community,” said Griffin Williams, a senior at UC Irvine who captains a team for the game “Super Smash Bros. Melee.” ‘’I actually feel more school pride than I would have had otherwise.”

Read the full story at The Washington Post.

UCI part of NSF-funded study of big data ethics

September 11, 2017

UCI principal investigator Matthew Bietz, assistant informatics researcher in the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences, will lead a team exploring how those who create pervasive data – through social media, fitness trackers, etc. – feel about it being used in research. The group will also focus on how vulnerable populations are affected. “Big data has the potential to transform our understanding of human behavior and health,” Bietz said. “We want to ensure that this research is conducted ethically and in line with individuals’ expectations.”

Read the full story at UCI News.

Deadline: “Amazon Prime Unveils Kids Fall Slate” (Ito mentioned)

September 8, 2017

When you give a mouse a cookie, he’ll probably ask for a glass of milk, and then…who knows what he’ll ask for next? Based on the beloved books by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie follows the adventures of Mouse, Oliver, Moose, Pig, Cat, and Dog, as they discover that when you’ve got a curious Mouse for a friend one thing always leads to another, then another, and then another! The show’s learning approach was developed in consultation with authors Mimi Ito and John Seely Brown and revolves around a cause and effect narrative structure that sparks imagination and the creativity engendered by knowing that possibilities are endless.

Read the full story at Deadline.