#Esports in Education

[nicholasandriani]

Welcome to ‘Learn Play Innovate’ - Navigating the Convergence of Educational Technology, Game Design, and Learning Through Storytelling

Unveiling the Synergy Between Learning, Tech Innovations, and Interactive Design Twitter Patreon GitHub LinkedIn YouTube Introduction: Greetings and a warm welcome to Learn Play Innovate! It’s an exhilarating moment to begin this journey with you, delving into the intricate blend of educational technology (EdTech), game design, and the profound influence of cultural narratives. Allow me to…

[useless-catalanfacts]

HI! Love your blog a lot!!💛❤️

I have a peculiar rant to make!

There are many motorsport events happening in Barcelona during the year, and they are often called "Spanish Grand Prix", and they are portrayed as the "home races" of people usually from other parts of Spain (most times these people are rich blokes from Madrid with links to Vox). I'm not Catalan, but that makes me so mad. It's once again the erasure of an entire history and culture. English-speaking media don't even make an effort to understand where they are, they are just happy to call it Spain and wonder why they're playing two anthems before the actual races.

But anyway, visca Catalunya i bona diada dels Països Catalans!

Thank you very much!

Yes, I completely agree with you that it's annoying. It's a way for the Spanish state (and every other state, because this happens to other occupied nations as well) to use the sports for propaganda and to cement the association "Catalonia=Spain" in the minds of everyone from around the world who's watching.

If I may, I will answer to your rant with another rant of my own. In general, most sports tend to be very state-centered. For example, for most sports you can't be a professional athlete unless you sign up for a specific state to represent it, wear its flag on your clothes while you compete, play their anthem if you win, the teams must be organized according to people who come from the same state, etc. And if you don't have one, then, bad luck, you either do it for the state that occupies your homeland or you don't get to become a professional sportsperson at all. But even if you have your own independent country that you identify with, still... why so much focus on it? Why is where these people come from so important that it becomes even more important that the person? Imagine if people did this with any other aspect of the athlete's background or identities: "Twilight fans won 5 gold medals this year, and Marvel fans went down to only 3". Or imagine if we did it by sexual orientation, conservatives would be so mad saying "why do you have to wave it in everyone's faces!?". All of those would be ridiculous, so why isn't this strong focus on what state they come from also ridiculous? It would seem more logical to focus on person, school/trainer, or teams that they could choose according to how they view the sport or how they think training works better or work better together. But we seem to just accept that the state (not even culture or nation, just a geographical-political administration unit) is the most defining trait.

That's why I personally never liked the Olympic games or world cups, it feels like it's more about nationalism than about sports. I used to follow them when I was young but I always felt like the gymnasts themselves weren't recognized enough because all the media was focused on "how many people from our country won", or "this sport was won by [country]". And Spanish media does this a lot, to the point that I think they are disrespectful to the sportsperson. Why do all Spanish people have to feel proud or like they won the games because someone from their state achieved something, but not when someone from another state did the same, even when someone from a state might be geographically closer to some parts of their neighbour state than other parts of their own? It's not like the random citizen who is supposed to feel like he himself won the games did, maybe he spent the whole competition eating chips at the sofa (that's me btw). It just never made sense to me. And even less for team achievements like F1 or MotoGP, where they play the anthem of the state that the pilot is a citizen of, but so much of that victory is owed to the rest of the team who worked on making and improving the car/motorbike, so it's a team effort but the anthem of the state of only one of them is chosen to be given the victory to. It makes no sense!

And if you're hosting on a city, it's the same. What does a state's anthem even have to do with an F1 racing? Why is it even there? Show the city and the area around it if you must show something, after all that's the people whose taxes are going to pay for that sport and whose lives are going to be inconvenienced by it.

Because that's another thing, events like the F1 race inside Barcelona (not on the actual track, when they made them fake-race on the street Passeig de Gràcia, afaik they were not even actually racing because the velocity limit was too low), the America Cup, etc contribute so much to worsening the worst problems of the city (touristic massification, gentrification, poverty, and pollution). For the America Cup, the neighbours of the Barceloneta quarter have to use cards that identify them as residents to be allowed in their own neighbourhood because that whole neighbourhood has been kidnapped by the America Cup people. And the F1 fake race thing in one of the busiest avenues of the city was very annoying to the citizens, too. It meant cutting a significant amount of the city's traffic, including public buses, and collapsing part of the metro system as a result. Some of my co-workers had difficulties arriving to our workplace that day because of it. Just so that cars can show off inside the city and pollute it, skipping the city's laws that aim to reduce air pollution by banning people whose cars pollute more than a certain amount (which in practise means old cars, the ones that poorer people are more likely to have). We can't use our cars in the city unless we can afford a green model, but they can cut off a whole avenue in the very centre of the city, asphalt it new just for them, and race there when they already have a track made for them to race in.

It's all part of the capitalist obsession with uncontrolled growth, they want everything to happen here for more and more people to come. Not just with sports events, but anything that will be used as an advertising for the city. Like the Louis Vuitton catwalk that was happening this month in Park Güell (a UNESCO World Heritage Site btw) and which damaged part of the architecture. Until now, the hotel lobby was the main promoter of many of these events because they wanted more tourists, but even the hotel owners are now saying that this has gone too far and the tourism monoculture model has become absolutely unsustainable and is ruining the city.

Don't get me wrong, sports are important and we need to support them and promote people practise sports, and it's good for entertainment purposes and we have to support people having fun (that's what life's about!). But the model that professional competitive sports use needs to be completely rethinked. I think every city that has gone through the devastating experience of hosting Olympic Games will agree with this.

Anyway, that's just my opinion and what you pointed out is definitely more offensive, but when I stop to think of it I can't but see how it's all.... not great. Sorry for getting out of topic but I have been personally very annoyed by these sports and fashion events this month.

Thank you for your message and your understanding, I read it on the Sant Joan but I'm answering late. I hope you had a good diada dels Països Catalans and that you're having a great beginning of summer 🌞

[edebi-yat]

Yıkık kent gibi şimdi insan…

[scottishgames]

Scottish Esports in Education Mini-Conference 2024

The first Scottish Esports in Education Conference takes place on November 15th at the University of the West of Scotland's Paisley campus.

What is Esports? Scottish Esports, in partnership with the University of the West of Scotland, is holding the inaugural Scottish Esports in Education Mini-Conference 2024 (#SEEMC2024). This new annual event plans to establish a new network of esports and games educators from across Scotland sharing best practice and understanding of the role competitive video games play within Scottish…

[jcmarchi]

Faces of MIT: Nick Jewell

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/faces-of-mit-nick-jewell/

Faces of MIT: Nick Jewell

Nick Jewell, associate director of club sports, intramural sports, and sport camps for MIT’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER) became a recreation professional because of the impact club sports (competitive, nonvarsity athletic teams) has made on his life. His participation in club sports has allowed him to find community anywhere he travels, whether domestically or abroad. In addition to creating an environment that provides education, inspires leadership, and promotes wellness, a pillar of DAPER is developing community, which makes Jewell’s professional and personal background an asset to the department.

After graduating from Clemson University with a master’s degree in education, student affairs for college athletics, Jewell moved to Boston. Five years ago, he began his career at MIT overseeing the front desk for DAPER. Moving up the ladder, Jewell now runs a variety of programming throughout the year. Much of his job is dedicated to the execution of MIT’s intramural and club teams.

Annually, MIT fields 20 to 25 intramural sport leagues, with the majority of them competing in the fall. Seasons last between six and eight weeks each semester, and teams are available for various skill levels. Current offerings include badminton, 3v3 basketball, and volleyball. MIT’s Club Sports Program complements the Institute’s intercollegiate athletic and intramural programs. MIT students, faculty, staff, alumni (and their spouses) are encouraged to join one of 34 club teams that range from alpine skiing to wrestling. Intramural sports are intended to be casual, while club sports require players to have a higher level of skill and commitment.

Jewell credits the success of club sports to the students who run them, and lends his supervision as needed. For example, if a club team wants to participate in a tournament in New York City, student officers ask Jewell to approve their participation. After Jewell signs off, the students reserve hotels and transportation, either through the Division of Student Life or by using their allowed budget (which Jewell manages) themselves. Clubs can also fundraise for their travel and have found that the most successful method is to host a tournament on campus. While these are also largely managed by students, Jewell serves as the liaison between the club officers and facility operations to reserve spaces and troubleshoot issues that may arise. 

Jewell is also in charge of the MIT All Sports Summer Day Camp, which runs for seven weeks and offers a variety of athletic activities along with swim instruction. Each winter, he hires 50 part-time employees, including counselors, for camp. When camp registration opens, Jewell and his team input the information of 800 registered campers in their database in time for them to arrive on campus.

Always looking for innovative offerings for the community, Jewell recently attended the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) conference to learn what other university recreation departments are providing for their students. One takeaway was that arcade games are making a comeback. At the start of the pandemic, MIT students were engaging with each other by playing “Mario Kart” and other interactive video games, as it was easy to stay socially distant and compete while communicating over headsets. When students no longer needed to social distance, they continued to participate in competitive video games. With a squash court that was no longer in use, excitement from students, and newly raised funds, Jewell created MIT’s Esports Room. The room includes a PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch with four controllers for each, and a mini movie theater with a large projector and beanbag chairs for 15 people to sit. With the equipment in place and the space complete, Jewell’s next plan is to create e-sports tournaments. 

Jewell’s pitch about intramural and club sports is simple: join one. When he speaks at orientation for new students, he tells parents about how the offerings from DAPER will enhance their child’s experience as a student — and beyond. Jewell and his colleagues want to ensure that when graduates have a career opportunity in a new city, or if they travel somewhere where they do not speak the language, they will be able to find community through sports. 

Soundbytes

Q: What project at DAPER are you the proudest of?

Jewell: During the pandemic, I wanted to help students get outside and stay active. Because of this I created the “Simply Walk to Mordor Challenge” (from “Lord of the Rings”). Students made teams (fellowships) of up to six and added the steps they took each day into a spreadsheet. They could not only race characters Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins, but they could also race other adventuring parties the distance from the Shire to Mount Doom. There was also a personal bar graph that showed students where they were in the book if they wanted to read along while they walked. It gained a lot of traction, and over 100 students participated. I was proud to get it off the ground and we got a lot of positive feedback from the students.

Q: What do you like the most about the MIT community?

Jewell: At MIT there is no such thing as a bad idea. Community members come to me with ideas that they know may not come to fruition, but that does not diminish their enthusiasm. For example, a student contacted me who wanted to start a varsity paddle ball team. I told him that starting a varsity team is tough, and we do not have any paddle ball courts. He suggested that we use one of our tennis courts to create a court for paddle ball. Eventually I had to tell him that it wasn’t going to work, but you don’t get creative, fun ideas without tossing everything against the wall and seeing what sticks. I love that students, staff, and faculty are creative enough to come up with ideas and ask, “What if we tried this?” Sometimes we can’t, but when we can it’s magic.

Q: What advice would you give to a new staff member at MIT?

Jewell: Go to all of the meetings and activities that you can and interact with people outside of your department. There is a lot happening on campus that you can participate in and a lot of interesting people to meet. If a staff member wants to play flag football with undergraduates, we encourage that! Staff members can also get a membership to the DAPER gym, and we offer a lot of different athletic events and recreation opportunities for both mental and physical health. 

[k12academics]

The Long Island Gaming League (LIGL) is excited to introduce our Understanding Esports program, with a focus on education, training and professional development, to K-12 schools, non-profits and small businesses. Our industry partnerships combined with facilitators coming directly to your sites to offer mentoring, use of machinery and technology helps us create an engaging and educational environment for the youth while giving them an opportunity to play and learn in a casual or competitive esports environment.

Esports is more than just playing games--it can be used to help students grow their interests STEM Fields and develop valuable life skills. Many of the skills acquired by gamers are in line with STEM initiatives. Since there are more students than after school programs that holds their interest, it's about time we foster an opportunity that will incorporate a fun and educational setting in a form they are accustomed to using at home.

What We Do:

Customized Esports Curriculum: We develop customized esports curriculum tailored to the needs and interests of afterschool programs. Our curriculum covers a wide range of topics including game mechanics, career development, entrepreneurship, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

Professional Coaching: Our team of experienced esports coaches provides professional coaching and guidance to students. They offer personalized feedback, strategies, and support to help students improve their gaming skills and reach their full potential.

Competitive Gaming Opportunities: We organize and facilitate competitive gaming opportunities for students, including intra-school and inter-school esports tournaments. These events provide students with a platform to showcase their skills, compete against peers, and build camaraderie. Technology Integration: We integrate technology into our esports programs to enhance the learning experience. Students have access to state-of-the-art gaming equipment, gaming consoles, and gaming peripherals to immerse themselves in the gaming environment.

How It Benefits Students:

Skill Development: Our esports programs help students develop a wide range of skills including critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, communication, and teamwork. These skills are essential for academic success and future career readiness.

Engagement and Motivation: Esports programs provide an engaging and motivating learning environment for students. By incorporating their passion for gaming into afterschool activities, students are more likely to participate actively and remain engaged in the program.

Social and Emotional Learning: Through team-based gameplay and collaboration, students learn important social and emotional skills such as sportsmanship, resilience, and empathy. Esports programs foster a sense of belonging and community among students, leading to positive peer relationships.

How It Benefits Schools:

Increased Student Engagement: Esports programs contribute to increased student engagement in afterschool activities, leading to higher attendance rates and improved overall school climate.

Enhanced School Reputation: Schools that offer esports programs demonstrate their commitment to innovation and student- centered learning. Esports programs can attract new students and families to the school, enhancing its reputation within the community.

Opportunities for Recognition: Schools can showcase student achievements in esports through competitions, awards, and recognition events. This provides opportunities for students to be recognized for their talents and accomplishments, boosting school morale and pride.

[iismmumbai]

IISM students came third in Valorant E-Sports Tournament at UMANG 2023

🥉 Savouring the taste of victory with our third-place finish! 🎮🏆

🏆 A huge shoutout to the incredible IISM students who dominated in the Valorant e-sports tournament at UMANG’23! 🔥👾

🔥 They brought their A-game and battled it out with top-tier teams, showing off their mad skills and teamwork. 🙌💥 Proving once again that we've got some serious gaming talent at IISM! 🎯💪

[cosmerelists]

If Cosmere Characters Had Real-World Jobs (But Not The Obvious Ones)

In this list, I wanted to try to give Cosmere characters jobs in our world while avoiding the jobs that would be the most obvious picks--like, for example, the real world equivalent of whatever their canon job is.

1. Kaladin: Professional Football Player

It's a dangerous job that Kaladin's dad would scoff at, but the other kids in town think it's really cool and also the recruiters are coming through town and, I mean, he's really good at football.

2. Lirin: Public Defender

If we avoid the obvious job (doctor), then Lirin still needs a job where he is doing good, but it's pretty thankless and the general public are suspicious and think he might actually be evil somehow. So I figure: public defender. He's highly educated, helping people who need it, and just getting nothing but grief as a result. Worst of all, his smart son wants to be a FOOTBALL player!

3. Marsh: Masseuse

I feel like people who are good at hemalurgy know about the body and its pressure points and things like that. And frankly, "acupuncturist" felt too on the nose.

4. Shallan: Park Ranger

Shallan HATES to be confined, so no way she's going into an office job. Plus, she likes nature and animals, but I'm trying to avoid the more obvious jobs (like botanist or ecologist). It's just too bad that Shallan is SO bad at staring a campfire, though.

5. Navani: Wedding Planner

Navani is VERY good at managing people and events, as seen when she had to manage everything while Gavilar was off plotting. She's also very organized and literally invented wristwatches. So I think she's be very good at this job.

6. Elend: Grad Student

This one may be too obvious, but I figure something like "politician" or "philosopher" are more obvious. But to me, Elend has major grad student energy.

7. Nale: Insurance Adjuster

Nale is a cop, of course, through and through. But if he wasn't a cop, then he'd need some other job where he uses the rules to screw people over. So I see him as, like, an evil insurance guy who's denying people medical coverage because the company wants him to.

8. Blackthorn-Era Dalinar: Debt Collector

If flashback Dalinar couldn't make a living mowing people down in battle and had to find a less obvious job, then I could see him being the guy to hunt down people and demand money they don't have. He doesn't really care about the money. He just likes the hunt.

9. Adolin: eSports Player

It's a job where you can head-to-head battle people and your dad is vaguely puzzled and thinks you should be doing something more important with your life.

10. Lightsong: Customer Service Agent

In canon, Lightsong's job is to face down a huge line of people and tell them "no" in response to them asking for something they want. So, I mean, I feel like that's equivalent to one of those shitty customer service jobs where you're not really allowed to help people (until, of course, Lightsong goes rogue and does start helping people, but that's another story...)

11. Stormfather: Bus Driver

He has his route, and he's not deviating from it. And if you miss the bus, he's not stopping. He's not going back. You can try to run, but you will not catch up to him.

12. Tress: Mechanic

As a Sprouter, Tress had to figure out how each of the spores worked and how to use them. I just feel like she'd be good at diagnosing issues in machinery and then fixing them.

13. Steris: Programmer

She's precise, she's smart, she likes rules. I think coding would suit her.

14. Yumi: Waitress

She could stack the plates SO high.

15. Marasi: Investigative Reporter

Which, honestly, is what I wish she had been rather than being a cop like in canon. I think it would suit her! She'd get to research, investigate, find the truth...

16. Kelsier: Motivational Speaker

He tells you about the power of smiling no matter what, so that you are never defeated. He tells you to carry something small, some memento or photo, to help you find your motivation. You tells you that no goal is out of reach--you just have to find the right people and the right steps to move forward. And he tells you that the most important thing is to survive.

[asksmg4hollowau]

Garth from @ask-marios-apprentice asks

I decided to ask each of you a question

SMG3: How is your loan to get your coffee business currently coming along. I know it's a bit hard considering your job as a meme guardian gets in the way a bit.

SMG4: How is your family, what was their reaction to you becoming a meme guardian.

Meggy: Were you born a sort of demon inkling hybrid but then became a full demon? How did that work?

Melony: what was your relationship with Axol like in this universe.

Karen: as a werecat. Would have been possible that you were born this way or did you get infected by another were creature. Like a were human or were wolf, or a were cat, or a were gearmo, or a were Koopa.

Tari: is there an esports league in the Mushroom Kingdom. If so who is currently part of it.

Kaizo: how true is your name are you. Do you have any involvement with obstacle courses that are insanely hard for no other reason other than satisfaction for completing set obstacle courses.

Bob: are you still friends with Boopkins and Whimpu.

Mario: what is your favorite platforming technique.

Saiko: Do you remember playing in the 2019 summer Spicy Man cross Splatfest. I think my dad got tickets since AC/DC or Metallica os going to be playing at the event.

Belle: How is the efforts to educate the prejudiced individual. Assuming you didn't beat them up.

Hopefully you're able to answer these questions. But if you can't, i understand.

"Oh that... I got that already... it's doing..."

"Fine I guess..."

2. "I don't have one... haha... ha..."

3. "Uhhh... not hybrid... I think my parents are both sinners... and I'm a hell born I believe... because I was never human... for the inkling part it's due to my parents both being inklings, people kind of just call them squid demon... blunt but not wrong. Now I'm kind of just more hominoid and stuff... not too bad... as for how it works... I don't actually know... it's confusing as hell..."

4. "I think he's wonderful... such a sweetheart... and a good drawer... we had a great relationship... but..."

"He's uh... no longer alive sadly..."

5. "Well I did use to be human... what turned me... I'm unsure... it was so long ago... even then I wasn't sure... my mind was just... fuzzy..."

6. "Yeah there is! The only person I know the name of though is this girl named Evylen."

[Meta runner ref hehehe]

7. "I have no clue what you are talking about."

8. "YeAH lOL... It'S prETTy chILl..."

9. "Any one that does make Mario see his own stuffing on the floor!"

10. "Yeah I did play in one... don't think it was the 2019 one though..."

11. "It's going fine... not as hard as I thought..."

[brookston]

Holidays 10.21

Holidays

Abby Cadabby Day

American Frog Day

Antillean Day (Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius)

Armed Forces Day (Honduras)

Babbling Day

Back to the Future Day

Barrel Day (French Republic)

Boiler Switch On Awareness Day (UK)

Can-Can Day

Celebration of the Mind Day

Check Your Meds Day

Count Your Buttons Day

Egyptian Naval Day (Egypt)

Everyone Writes Day (UK)

Funafuti (Tuvalu)

Global Clinical Engineering Day

Global Encryption Day

Global Iodine Deficiency Day

GTA Day

Heroes and Foreparents Day (British Virgin Islands)

Humble Yourself By Having Your Picture Made Wearing A Bicycle Helmet Day

International Day of Action on Big Biomass

Jailhouse Rock Day

Light Bulb Day

Loud Shirt Day

Mashujaa Day (Kenya)

National Alexander Day

National Annual Tree Loving Day (Thailand)

National Archives Day (Philippines)s

National Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day

National Check Your Meds Day

National Check Your Transmission Day

National Dental Hygiene Day (Thailand)

National Heroes’ Day (Jamaica)

National Jameson Day

National Nurses’ Day (Thailand)

National Pets for Veterans Day

National Raymond Day

National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day

National Shut-In Day

National Social Welfare Day (Thailand)

National Throw Short People Day

National Witch Hazel Day

Ndadaye Day (Burundi)

Overseas Chinese Day (Taiwan)

Police Commemoration Day (India)

President Ndadaye Melchior (Burundi)

Reptile Awareness Day

Take Time and Watch the Sunset Day

Trafalgar Day (UK)

USS Constitution Day

Uzbek Language Day

Wonder Woman Day

World Earthworm Day

World Energy Saving Day

World Esports Day

World Feminist Radio Day

World Gaming Day

World Iodine Deficiency Day

World War II Victims Remembrance Day (Serbia)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Apple Day (UK)

Caramel Apple Day

Garbanzo Bean Day

Great British Cheese Day

International Day of the Nacho (Mexico, US)

National Honey Day (UK)

National Mezcal Day

National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day

Pop Rocks Day

World Apple Day

Independence & Related Days

Narsiryn (Declared; 2021) [unrecognized]

3rd Monday in October

Boss's Day [10.16 or nearest work day]

Circular Economy Monday (Canada) [3rd Monday]

Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day [3rd Monday]

Day of Races (Colombia) [3rd Monday]

Hurricane Thanksgiving Day (Virgin Islands) [3rd Monday]

International Adjust Your Chair Day [3rd Monday]

Manic Monday [3rd Monday of Each Month]

Meatball Monday [3rd Monday of Each Month]

Meditation Monday [Every Monday]

Monday Musings [Every Monday]

Motivation Monday [Every Monday]

Multicultural Diversity Day [3rd Monday]

National Heroes Day (Jamaica) [3rd Monday]

Weekly Holidays beginning October 21 (3rd Full Week of October)

Bone and Joint Health Action Week (thru 10.27) [3rd Week]

Disarmament Week [Week of 10.24]

Fairfield Restaurant Week (Fairfield, Connecticut) [thru 11.3]

Hepatitis Awareness Week (thru 10.27) [3rd Week]

International Infection Prevention Week (thru 10.27) [3rd Week]

National Baking Week (thru 10.27) [3rd Week]

National Culinary Week (thru 10.27) [3rd Week]

National Food Bank Week (thru 10.27) [3rd Week]

National Health Education Week (thru 10.25) [3rd Mon-Fri]

National Kraut Sandwich Week (thru 10.27) [3rd Week]

National Nuclear Science Week (thru 10.25) [3rd Mon-Fri]

YMCA Week without Violence Week (thru 10.25) [3rd Week]

Festivals Beginning October 21, 2024

CHC GALA (New York, New York)

NC Yam Festival (Tabor City, North Carolina) [thru 10.26]

Ohio Bar Owners Bar Expo (Columbus, Ohio)

Philly Music Fest (Ardmore, Pennsylvania) [thru 10.27]

Feast Days

Abby Cadabby (Muppetism)

Asterius of Ostia (Christian; Saint)

Berthold of Parma (Christian; Saint)

The Birdman (Muppetism)

Bruno Hauptmann Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Charles of Austria, Blessed (Roman Catholic Church)

Domenichino (Artology)

Festival of Parlor Shamanism

Fintán of Taghmon (Christian; Saint)

Great Horn Fair (Pagan)

Hilarion (Christian; Saint)

John of Bridlington (Christian; Saint)

Katsushika Hokusai (Artology)

Laura of Saint Catherine of Siena (Christian; Saint)

Leticia (Christian; Saint)

Lord Bacon (Positivist; Saint)

Maha Saptama Great Ceremony; Hinduism) [7th Day of 9th Moon]

Malchus of Syria (Christian; Saint)

Mary Blair (Artology)

Nikos Engonopoulos (Artology)

Patrick Kavanagh (Writerism)

Peter Yu Tae-chol (Christian; Saint)

Phulpati [7th Day of Dashain]

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Writerism)

Seek the King Week (Shamanism)

Severinus of Bordeaux (Christian; Saint)

Try Thinking Day (Pastafarian)

Tuda of Lindisfarne (Christian; Saint)

Ursula (Christian; Saint)

Ursula K. Le Guin (Writerism)

Viator of Lyons (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Fortunate Day (Pagan) [43 of 53]

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 49 of 60)

Premieres

All the Right Stuff (Film; 1983)

The Awful Truth (Film; 1937)

Bad as Me, by Tom Waits (Album; 2011)

The Banshees of Inisherin (Film; 2022)

Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (WB Animated Film; 2003)

Bat Out of Hell, by Meatloaf (Album; 1977)

Big Heel-Watha, a.k.a. Buck of the Month (Tex Avery Screwy Squirrel MGM Cartoon; 1944)

Black Adam (Film; 2022)

The Boys from Brazil, by Ira Levin (Novel; 1976)

Bullets Over Broadway (Film; 1994)

Chase Me (WB Cartoon; 2003)

Comes a Time, by Neil Young (Album; 1978)

The Dead Zone (Film; 1983)

Doctor Pink (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1978)

Dopey Dick the Pink Whale (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1957)

Down Beat Bear (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1956)

Dune Messiah, by Frank Herbert (Novel; 1969) [Dune #2]

Everything to Everyone, by Barenaked Ladies (Album; 2003)

Footlight Parade (Film; 1933)

For Whom the Bell Tolls, by Ernest Hemingway (Novel; 1940)

The Framed Cat (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1950)

The Geezer (Super Chicken Cartoon; 1967) [#7]

The Good Egg (WB MM Cartoon; 1939)

Goonland (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1938)

It Can't Happen Here, by Sinclair Lewis (Novel; 1935)

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (Film; 2016)

The Mandarins, by Simone de Beauvoir (Novel; 1954)

Moonlight (Film; 2015)

My Fair Lady (Film; 1964)

Mystic Pizza (Film; 1988)

The Newcomer (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1938)

Next Time, Take the Train (George of the Jungle Cartoon; 1967) [#7]

Oliver and the Artful Dodger (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Movie; 1972)

One Horse Town (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1968)

Orpheus in the Underworld, by Jacques Offenbach (Operetta; 1858)

The Peripheral (TV Series; 2022)

Pink Pictures (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1978)

Plague Dogs (Animated Film; 1982)

Polka Party, by Weird Al Yankovic (Album; 1986)

Romantic Melodies (Betty Boop Cartoon; 1932)

Rumble Fish (Film; 1983)

The Sheik (Silent Film; 1921)

Sex, by Madonna and photographer Steven Meisel (Book; 1992)

Speed Racer (Film; 2008)

Stooge for a Mouse (WB MM Cartoon; 1950)

Tapeheads (Film; 1988)

What’s My Lion (WB LT Cartoon; 1961)

You Don’t Know What You’re Doin’ (WB MM Cartoon; 1931)

You Want It Darker, by Leonard Cohen (Album; 2016)

Today’s Name Days

Karl, Ulla, Ursula (Austria)

Hilarion, Kajo, Uršula, Zvjezdan (Croatia)

Brigita (Czech Republic)

Ursula (Denmark)

Ulla, Ulrika, Ursula (Estonia)

Ursula (Finland)

Céline, Ursule (France)

Celina, Holger, Ulla, Ursula (Germany)

Christodoulos, Efkratis, Orsalia, Socrates, Sokrates, Sokratis, Ursula (Greece)

Orsolya (Hungary)

Orsola (Italy)

Garlibs, Ginta, Gints, Severins, Urzula (Latvia)

Hiliaras, Raitvilas, Uršulė (Lithuania)

Bergljot, Birger (Norway)

Bernard, Celina, Dobromił, Elżbieta, Hilary, Klemencja, Pelagia, Pelagiusz, Urszula, Wszebora (Poland)

Taisia (Russia)

Uršuľa (Slovakia)

Úrsula (Spain)

Ursula, Yrsa (Sweden)

Ada, Ilarion, Larry (Ukraine)

Celina, Celine, Nobel, Selena, Selina, Ursula, Wanda, Wendall, Wendell, Wendy (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 295 of 2024; 71 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 8 of Week 43 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 23 of 28]

Chinese: Month 9 (Jia-Xu), Day 19 (Wu-Wu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 19 Tishri 5785

Islamic: 17 Rabi II 1446

J Cal: 25 Orange; Foursday [25 of 30]

Julian: 8 October 2024

Moon: 76%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 15 Descartes (11th Month) [Cujas / Grotius]

Runic Half Month: Gyfu (Gift) [Day 15 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 30 of 90)

Week: 3rd Full Week of October

Zodiac: Libra (Day 29 of 30)

[scottishgames]

Esports In Education For Angus Primary School Children

Primary pupils across Angus will be learning more about games and esports thanks to a new programme to introduce them to the opportunties of the interactive future.

Angus primary schools are taking part in an innovative new project to teach young people about esports and its industry to fuel children’s imagination and help them explore the vast possibilities within the exciting STEAM industries. Funded by Round four of the Education Scotland STEM CLPL Grants and Angus Council, and working in partnership with Esports Scotland, Dundee and Angus College and…

[jcmarchi]

Unveiling Neural Patterns: A Breakthrough in Predicting Esports Match Outcomes

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/unveiling-neural-patterns-a-breakthrough-in-predicting-esports-match-outcomes/

Unveiling Neural Patterns: A Breakthrough in Predicting Esports Match Outcomes

In a groundbreaking discovery, NTT Corporation, a leading global technology company providing services to consumers and businesses as a mobile operator, infrastructure, networks, applications, and consulting provider has identified neural oscillation patterns that are closely linked to the outcomes of esports matches, achieving prediction accuracy of approximately 80%. This innovative research marks a significant advancement in understanding the brain’s role in competitive performance and opens new avenues for individualized mental conditioning.

Key Findings:

Patterns in Pre-Match EEG Linked to Outcomes: Specific neural oscillations were found to be strongly associated with match results.

High Accuracy in Predicting Match Outcomes: Including the prediction of upsets, the research achieved an 80% accuracy rate.

Potential for Personalized Mental Conditioning: Insights from neural oscillation patterns can be used to optimize brain states for improved performance.

Figure: Pre-round EEG correlates with match outcomes in fighting video game.

The Research Journey

NTT’s Communication Science Laboratories have long focused on how the brain regulates mind and body to enhance individual capabilities. Athletes, especially, strive to reach optimal mental states under competition pressure, a practice known as mental conditioning. Despite advancements in sports analytics, accurately predicting outcomes of “similar-level matches” or “upsets” has remained elusive.

Breakthrough in Esports

By focusing on a fighting video game in esports, researchers could observe and analyze players’ brain states during matches using electroencephalography (EEG). This method allowed for the identification of pre-match brain activity patterns strongly linked to winning or losing. Esports, a rapidly growing field, provides a unique opportunity to study these brain patterns due to its emphasis on mental over physical skill.

Discovery of Brain Activity Patterns

The study measured the neural oscillations of skilled esports players during real competition conditions. Results indicated that left frontal gamma oscillations, related to strategic decision-making, and left frontal alpha oscillations, associated with emotional control, were significantly increased in winning matches. These findings highlight the brain’s critical role in determining competitive outcomes and suggest that certain neural states can predict success.

Predicting Match Outcomes with High Accuracy

Machine learning models trained on pre-match EEG data were constructed to predict match outcomes. These models achieved an 80% accuracy rate, outperforming traditional models based on past match data. The high predictive accuracy was consistent for both similar-level matches and upsets. This breakthrough demonstrates the potential of EEG-based predictions in fields where traditional data analytics fall short.

Implications for Mental Conditioning and Performance Enhancement

This research not only reveals the existence of an ideal brain state in competitive situations but also suggests that mental conditioning based on bio-information can enhance performance across various fields such as sports, healthcare, and education. By understanding and optimizing the brain states associated with peak performance, individuals can improve their outcomes in high-pressure environments.

Applications Beyond Esports

The implications of this research extend far beyond esports. The ability to predict performance based on brain activity can be applied to traditional sports, where mental conditioning plays a crucial role. In healthcare, understanding brain patterns associated with optimal performance can aid in the treatment of mental health conditions. In education, insights from this research can help develop techniques to improve learning and cognitive performance.

Future Research Directions

NTT Corporation plans to continue exploring the applications of neural oscillation patterns in various fields. Future research will focus on refining the prediction models and expanding their use to other competitive environments. Additionally, the potential for transferring skills through digital twin computing represents an exciting avenue for further investigation.

The Digital Twin Concept

The digital twin concept involves creating a virtual representation of an individual’s brain state, which can be used to transfer skills and knowledge. By digitizing the brain states of experts, this technology can facilitate skill transfer and training in various fields. This approach has the potential to revolutionize how we learn and acquire new skills, making advanced training more accessible and efficient.

Enhancing Well-Being Through Bio-Information

NTT Corporation aims to enhance well-being by using bio-information-based mental conditioning techniques. By providing feedback on optimal brain states, individuals can learn to manage stress and improve their performance in various aspects of life. This approach aligns with the broader goal of improving mental health and cognitive function through innovative technological solutions.

Conclusion

NTT Corporation’s pioneering work in identifying neural patterns linked to esports match outcomes represents a significant leap forward in both neuroscience and competitive gaming. By harnessing these insights, there is potential to revolutionize mental conditioning and performance optimization in multiple domains. As research continues, the applications of this technology will expand, offering new opportunities to enhance human capabilities and well-being.

The discovery of neural oscillation patterns associated with competitive performance opens new possibilities for understanding and improving the brain’s role in various activities. With continued research and development, these findings could lead to significant advancements in mental conditioning, skill transfer, and overall performance enhancement across a wide range of fields.

[ghostieeeee]

𝐆𝐀𝐘𝐆𝐀𝐍𝐆

Sakura: may be the oldest but she doesn't act it (19 years old), studies esports, gets picked on for being the oldest, can never win any simple in-person games, "naturally funny," easily confused

Chaewon: proactive mother (18 years old), studies human communication, definitely has anger issues, very inclusive, hates when eunchae touches her feet, thinks kazuha should focus on education more than boxing and love

Kazuha: part of the boxing team on campus (18 years old), studies physiotherapy, relatively reserved, prefers to silently stand by and watch, only interferes if she feels the need to, does photography on the side, hates horror movies, a campus heartthrob

Eunchae: the baby of the group (17 years old), studies art, magically always hungry, has sakura be her personal snack bag, gets away with far more than she should, has a weird obsession with scaring chaewon, loves horror movies

ᶜᵘᵗ ʰᵉʳᵉ ✄-----------------------------------------

: A new college means new faces, and although you already have a set of friends to hang out with, you can't help but be drawn to the two campus heartthrobs... and they can't help but be drawn to you too...

ᶜᵘᵗ ʰᵉʳᵉ ✄-----------------------------------------

𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 | 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 | 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓

[tourneyposting]

i decided to randomise megamix

see under the cut for sourcelists & fan-names

01 - MAU5TRAP

-Claymation/Stop Motion -Gnarls Barkley & It's members -Snakes, Serpents, & Reptiles -Kero Kero Bonito

02 - Summer Swimming

-Rivals of Aether & flashygoodness -Mysteries, Detective Media, & Puzzles -Royalty & Time -School & Education

03 - Lord Farquaad

-RayWilliamJohnson -Studio Ghibli & Their Image Albums -Pre-2012 Internet Culture & Bait-And-Switch memes (NO SIIVAGUNNER)

04 - Heaven Ascension Dio

-Big Time Rush/Stephen Glickman, Boy Bands & Their solo acts -Jojo's Bizzare Adventure & other Shonen Jump media -Wayforward & ArcSystem

05 - Ace D. Copular

-Smash Mouth & Shrek Artists -Webcomics, Animated Webseries, & Indie Web Animation -Quad City DJs/Space Jam Artists

06 - Maddumb

-90s Hip Hop/Rap -Lofi Hip-Hop & Shiloh Dynasty -Dreamworks -Pokémon & It's mainstay artists

07 - Neil Cipher

-Well-Known Music Producers -Insects & Skeletons -Otaku Culture/Sex -Alt Rock, Britpop, & Post-Britpop

08 - Tomska

-Sleep, Dreams, & Nightmares -Twitch/Esports games -Jojo's major antagonists references -First Person/Class-Based shooters, & Guns

09 - Tord

-Turner Broadcasting Media -Space & Aliens -Danny Baranowsky

10 - Charles "All-Star" Barkley

-Geico Commercials/Made for Ads -Progressive House & Dubstep -Sampled by Neil/Featured in his Mouth albums -Robots, Ghosts, & Felines

11 - Hot Hats

-Lou Bega, Mambo, & Big Band -Skating/Boarding & Skate Punk/Ska -Madeon & His collaboraters

12 - Last Peace

-S3RL/Happy Hardcore -SoundClown sources & SoundCloud rappers -Gears for Breakfast/Indie Platformers & Collectathons -Racing Games, Cars, & Bikes

13 - Scatman John

-Tally Hall & It's members -Christmas, Winter, Snow, & Ice -R&B & Soul

14 - Baba

-War, Explosives, & Flight -Electro Swing -Interscope solo female artists

15 - DARK ONES

-Voxel -Halley Labs -Psychadelic/Drugs

16 - UNCRE/ATIVE

-C418, Minecraft, & Sandbox -Lil Darkie/Spider Gang & Their Producers & Collaboraters -Gangs & Organised Crime -Creepypastas

17 - Oven Beats

-RPGMaker -Hardstyle/Trap Metal -88rising & Their collaboraters

18 - Elliana

-Streamers, Streaming, & Streamer BGM -Arena Fighters & 3D Brawlers (NO ARMS) -Live Action Sitcoms

19 - Sex Rulers

-Mods -The Apocalypse -Snail's House/Kawaii Future Bass

20 - Mettaton EX

-Tyler, The Creator & His collaboraters -Damon Albarn -Eddsworld & It's collaboraters -French Touch/Ed Banger

21 - Bad Snails

-Big Beat, Plunderphonics, & Turntablism -Gigi D'Agostino & Fatman Scoop -Undertale/Deltarune -Eastern European Culture, Food, & Culinary arts

22 - Sleepless Nights

-Deadmau5, his collaboraters, & Mau5trap artists -Bedroom Pop -VGM & Chiptune EDM

23 - The Mutant Enderman

-Beat Em Up -Game & Watch/Other Category -ARGs -Glam-Rock

24 - Rocque Banger

-Industrial, Dark Techno, & IDM -Bodies of Water & Sea Life -80s/90s Nintendo Non-VGM -Valve & It's fancontent

25 - CA7 & MATT

-NES, SNES, & Gameboy -FGC Competitions & 2D Fighting Games -Neil Cicierega -Money & Partying

26 - Cursed ARMS

-Nickelodeon/Nick Records -Vampires & Religion -Synthpop/Synthwave -One-Hit Wonders & 90s Hits (NO RAP/HIP HOP)

27 - Snail's Stream

-YTPs/YTPMVs & Keygen -Disney Channel/Disney XD & Disney child stars -Billboards Top 100 2010 & 2019

28 - Misako

-Newgrounds/Flash & Their creators -Rythm Games -Rick Astley/80s New Wave

29 - Lou Bega

-ARMS/Switch Exclusives -Huey Lewis & The News -Dungeon Crawlers/Roguelikes

30 - The Grinch

-Heat/Fire & Summer -Zombies -Chipzel

31 - Ke$ha

-Murder & Killing -Sports, Training Segments, & Montages -Ke$ha, Billie Eilish, & Their collaboraters

32 - GAME: BEAT: HUNT

-Cowboys, Deserts, & The Wild West -Illumination/Dr Seuss -Scatman John, Eurodance, & Jazz -Monstercat artists

i'm pretty sure i forgot a source in there. don't know what it is though. whatever it is goes to ke$ha.

[eliteprepsat]

Elite Open School Achieves Outstanding Niche.com Rankings and Earns A+ Overall Grade

Elite Open School (EOS), a pioneer in personalized education, is proud to announce its remarkable rankings and exceptional "A+" Overall Niche Grade in Niche.com's latest assessment of the Best Private K-12 and High Schools in America and California.

Elite Open School National Rankings:

#55 of 3,142 – Best Private K-12 Schools in America (Top 2%)

#116 of 4,990 – Best Private High Schools in America (Top 3%)

Elite Open School has also climbed the ranks significantly in the past year, securing the #8 spot in the list of the 214 Best Private K-12 Schools in California, up from #36 the previous year. This remarkable jump underscores EOS's ongoing commitment to improvement and innovation in the field of education.

Elite Open School California Rankings:

#8 of 214 – Best Private K-12 Schools in California (Top 4%)

#26 of 454 – Best Private High Schools in California (Top 6%)

In addition to being named one of the Best Private K-12 and High Schools in America and California, EOS has garnered outstanding individual Niche Grades across various categories:

Elite Open School Niche Grades:

Overall Niche Grade: A+

Academics: A+

Teachers: A+

Clubs and Activities: A+

Diversity: A

College Prep: A+

These exceptional grades reflect EOS's unwavering commitment to academic excellence, a dedicated faculty, and a comprehensive college preparatory program that equips students for success.

Elite Education Group Founder and CEO Jonghwan Patrick Park expressed pride in Elite Open School's accomplishments, stating, "Earning an 'A+' Overall Niche Grade and excelling in various categories is a testament to our dedication to providing a world-class educational experience. We are honored to have been ranked in the top 2% of Private K-12 Schools in America, and we remain committed to raising the bar for educational excellence."

Elite Open School continues to make waves in the education landscape by delivering personalized learning experiences that empower students to excel academically while pursuing their passions and interests outside the classroom.  With more than 95 Advanced Placement, Dual-Credit, and Honors courses in Computer Science & Technology, Esports, Business, Art and many more subject areas, EOS gives students the opportunity to take a range of fully accredited courses far beyond those offered at most high schools. Additionally, Elite Open School has been newly certified by the College Board to offer the AP Capstone Diploma™ program and AP with WE Service program.

For more information about Elite Open School and its innovative personalized learning programs, please visit eliteopenschool.org.

About Elite Open School:

Elite Open School (EOS) is an accredited private school specializing in blended learning for students in grades 5-12. EOS offers a certified American education with cutting-edge, adaptive curriculum, empowering students to excel academically while pursuing their passions and opportunities beyond the classroom. With a commitment to personalized learning, EOS offers full-time and part-time enrollment, providing a superior educational experience for families worldwide. Elite Open School's Learning Resource Centers include the 45 physical campuses of Elite Prep, where students are able to take advantage of not only the space and mentorship, but also Elite Prep's 35 years of experience in academic planning, college admissions counseling, and test preparation.