Building Virtual Worlds n 50 students from art, design, drama, and CS n Randomly chosen teams, change per project n Two weeks to design, implement, and test n Five projects during the semester

The First Year n Listed in Five Departments (I love CMU!) n Content: Anything you want ä No shooting violence ä No pornography n They blew me away w/first assignment n I called Andy van Dam n The first show ä In McConomy for its A/V ä President Cohon’s reaction

Campus-wide Exhibition

BVW was a pioneering course n And as they say…

Don Marinelli (Drama) Randy Pausch (CS) The Dream Fulfillment Factory

Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) n Artists + Technologists working in small teams to make things n 2 year professional degree: Masters of Entertainment Technology n Two kindred spirits: try things a new way; we’re both a little uncomfortable in academia n CMU is the only place I know where this could happen.

Right Brain / Left Brain

Don & I shared an office for six years

Co-Director Credit for the ETC’s Success

The ETC is to “masters degrees” as Cirque Du Soleil is to “circus”

ETC Curriculum: First Draft Project Course First Year Fall Optional Internship First Year Spring Second Year Fall Second Year Spring Project Course

ETC Curriculum The Visual Story Improvisational Acting Intro to Entertainment Technology Building Virtual Worlds ETC Interdisciplinary Project Course II Elective First Year Fall Optional Internship First Year Spring ETC Interdisciplinary Project Course III Elective ETC Interdisciplinary Project Course IV Elective Second Year Fall Second Year Spring

Key to the ETC’s Success: Freedom n No deans to report to n License to “Break the mold” n Project-based curriculum n Intense, fun student experience n Field trips!

Edutainment n Developed with FDNY n Networked simulation to train 1 st responders to chemical spills and terrorist attacks

Companies guaranteed hiring our students Don has taken the ETC global: Australia, Korea, Singapore

Keys to the ETC’s Success: Focus on People and Learning to work in Groups

Alice The Infinitely Scalable Dream Factory And I guess this makes me the mad hatter…

Alice n Novel way to teach Computer Programming n Kids make movies and games; the “head fake” is that they are learning to program n Over 1 million downloads, 8 textbooks, 10% of US colleges using right now

Alice is my Professional Legacy n Helping millions of kids have fun while learning something hard n v3.0 will release in 2008, in Java, with characters from the best- selling PC game in history: The Sims n Can’t mention everyone, but… ä Dennis Cosgrove is building it ä Wanda Dann, Steve Cooper, Don Slater are developing the pedagogy ä Caitlin Kelleher is going to hit the home run with middle schoolers

Lessons Learned

The Roles of Parents, Mentors, and Students

My Dad, age 80

My Mom n The theory qualifier n My son, the doctor…

Other people who help us n Teachers n Mentors n Friends n Colleagues

Andy van Dam n Mythical creature n Dutch uncle-d me my sophomore year n Made me go to graduate school

My “Bosses”: Respect authority while questioning it

We learn from our students n The best “head fake” of all time – Caitlin’s idea about storytelling in Alice

More Lessons Learned

President Cohon’s Advice n Tell them about having FUN n Like a fish giving a talk about the importance of water

Decide if you’re Tigger or Eeyore

Never Lose the Child-like Wonder

Help others Jessica Hodgins: The best gift ever Denny Proffitt: Forgotten more than I’ll ever know MK Haley: Limit case of my large family theory “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible” “Professor boy”

Loyalty is a two-way street

Never Give Up n Brown University – didn’t get in. n Carnegie Mellon for Graduate School – didn’t get in. ä Meeting with Nico

How to Get People to Help You n You can’t get there alone, and I believe in Karma n Tell the truth n Be earnest n Apologize when you screw up n Focus on others, not yourself (an example…)

Brick walls let us show our dedication

Don’t bail; the best gold is at the bottom of barrels of crap

Get a feedback loop; and listen to it!

Show Gratitude ETC admissions… How can you do this?

Don’t complain; just work harder.

Important Advice n Be good at something: it makes you valuable n Work hard … “what’s your secret?” n Find the best in everybody; no matter how you have to wait for them to show it n Be prepared: “luck” is where preparation meets opportunity

Today’s Talk n My childhood dreams n Enabling the dreams of others n Lessons learned: how you can achieve your dreams or enable the dreams of others

How to achieve your dreams n Have you figured out the head fake?

How to achieve your dreams Have you figured out the head fake? How to lead your life

Have you figured out the second head fake?

This talk wasn’t for you guys. It was for Dylan, Logan, and Chloe.

Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams Randy Pausch Carnegie Mellon University Sept 18, 2007