project title: e-sports gaming expansion department
TRANSCRIPT
E-sports, Education, Xue, 2018-19
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Project Title: E-sports Gaming Expansion Department: Department of Sport Management
FSU College of Education Hanhan Xue
1. Project description
The Department seeks funding that will enhance the gaming infrastructure within our e-sports teaching facilities (Tully B005 and Tully 2016 Computer Lab). The Tully B005 room currently features 5 Wii gaming consoles and 5 TV monitors. We will use this funding to purchase 8 Xbox One X devices (the most popular gaming platform) and an additional 3 TV monitors. This will give students access to the most popular games and gaming systems and increase the number of students who can use the technology in a given class period. We also seek funding for licenses to many popular e-sports games to attract student interest in the gaming center and help them meet course learning outcomes. Expanding the center’s equipment and game titles will also allow faculty and guest speakers to use the games while discussing topics such as team management, marketing, tournament play, and online platforms. The rationale for this expansion is presented below. As e-sports continues to evolve into a major global industry, the number of participants playing and watching competitive gaming has increased. Elite level tournaments are streamed live to millions of viewers around the world. According to an Entertainment Software Association study, there are more than 1.8 billion active gamers world-wide (ESA, 2015). Research has shown that there are 162 million global e-sports enthusiasts, a number projected to grow to 286 million by 2020. (Statista, 2017). There are over 20 million e-sports enthusiasts in the United States, and of that group, approximately 24% were between the ages of 10 to 20 and 49% fall within the 21 to 35 age group (Newzoo, 2017). Given that college-age students make up the key demographic for the industry, we want to expand the Department of Sport Management’s offerings in e-sports gaming and e-sports management. According to Shaw (2018), the growth in the e-sports industry has created significant educational opportunities for universities. In the United States, many university athletic programs have developed university-sponsored competitive video gaming teams in the past three years. Operating under the same budget as their competitive NCAA teams, e-sports teams at Robert Morris University, University of California Irvine, Columbia College, Maryville University, and Southwestern University now compete in online and in-person tournaments around the United States. Moreover, Ohio State University and UNLV have recently launched comprehensive e-sports programs that bring together academics, collegiate competition, and multidisciplinary research to provide students with opportunities to be a part of the booming e-sports industry. An expanded e-sports curriculum will also create new unique educational, career, and technology opportunities for FSU students. To better prepare our students to be engaged in the new industry, the Department of Sport Management in College of Education has embraced e-sports topics and sessions in various levels of classes, including modules in PEM 1001 Esports and Exergaming, SPM 4604 Sport Governance, and SPM 5605 Sport Governance. Moreover, we have been developing new courses to provide theoretical and practical instruction on the management of e-sports events and related business activities. In the future, we plan to develop a specialization/certificate program in e-sports management that will prepare our graduates to work in the administrative, marketing, and managerial sides of the sector.
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2. Impact of this project on instruction
Approximately 1,000 students annually will be affected by this project. Each fall and spring semester, the Lifetime Activities Program (LAP) offers multiple sections of PEM 1001 eSports and Exergaming and PEM 1121 Stretch and Relaxation within its core schedule. eSports and Exergaming is also offered in summer sessions A and B. The enrollment for each section is set at 12-19 to maximize student engagement, participation, and enjoyment, while expanding the number of sections to contribute to the faculty-to-student metrics in the US News national public university rankings. The Department of Sport Management provides qualified teaching assistants for each section. SPM 4604 and SPM 5605 Sport Governance covers topics specific to the governance and regulation of the e-sports industry, and students develop projects that require interaction with the games themselves. This approach is similar to how Sport Management majors engage in the sports they will eventually market and manage. Please see Table 1 for detailed information.
Table 1: Courses affected by this project
Course Name & Prefix
Description of the course Average Annual Enrollment *
Utilization of the technology in the class
PEM1001 eSports and Exergaming
This course utilizes an interactive gaming system to introduce new methods of participating in sporting games to students. The course provides students with the opportunity to participate and gain knowledge of multiple sports and activities interactively within the comfort of an open classroom. This innovative method of introducing interactive sports aims to create a lifetime connection between the students and physical activity, whether through interactive participation or involving oneself with the actual sport or activity.
80
Consoles and games will be used to expand the maximum number of simultaneous student participants in eSports and exergaming and Stretch and Relaxation. Overall availability will be increased.
PEM1121 Stretch and Relaxation
In this course students are introduced to basic stretching principles and techniques. The course also introduces students to several relaxation methods and provides them with practical experience in both areas.
750
SPM4604 Sport Governance
In this course, topics and issues discussed involve the organizational theory, behavior, and structure of various sport organizations. The evolution of power and political activity engulfing sport organizations is examined as well as concepts of leadership and management related to the sport industry. The course also includes an outside project enhancing the student’s
160
Students will be able to test and interact with the latest popular gaming technology and titles. Furthermore, e-sports games will allow students to learn the fundamentals of organizing, marketing, and managing e-sports teams.
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Course Name & Prefix
Description of the course Average Annual Enrollment *
Utilization of the technology in the class
understanding of a selected sport organization and its event.
SPM5605 Sport Governance (Master’s)
The description is the same as SPM4604. It is a Master’s-level course.
50
*Data provided by COE office of Quality Assurance and Reporting.
3. Project plan
Table 2 shows the project plan and milestones, followed by expected outcomes.
Table 2: Project plan and milestones
Project Activities/Milestones
Who When (dates or periods)
Outcomes
Purchasing and installing e-sports games
Department of Sport Management, COE ITS
2019 Spring
Installation of all platforms and games completed in the B005 and computer lab of Tully.
Class instruction and related activities in Tully B005 and computer lab
Instructors and students of PEM 1001 Esports and Exergaming (12 students each session * 4 sessions per semester) and PEM 1121 Stretch and Relaxation
2019 Summer; 2019 Fall and onward
Students will be familiar with the rules of games, be able to participate and gain knowledge of multiple sports and activities interactively within the comfort of an open classroom.
Hosting an E-sports session in the annual Sport Management Conference (https://education.fsu.edu/alumni-and-friends/events/sport-management-conference)
Guest speakers from the industry; all FSU students/faculty; non-FSU students/faculty
2019 Fall The students will get opportunities to network with experts in the industry, increase hands-on understanding, and enhance their employment potential.
Participate in the College of Education Tech Showcase
Project team October 2019
Workshops and demonstrations of the technology and information about how it was incorporated into the classroom and course content.
Participate in FSU DigiTech
Project team March 2019
Create a display and demonstrate the use of the technology in the classroom.
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4. Relationship of this project to other university activities, FSU strategic plan, and College of Education strategic plan
The primary impact and contribution this project will have with respect to the FSU Strategic Plan is bolstering the University’s efforts toward achieving Goals I, V, and VI. For Goal I, this investment will allow students to gain experience with innovative instruction in the world’s most popular digital platforms. By playing, studying, and learning to manage the Xbox catalogue of e-sports games, students will gain first hand exposure to the burgeoning field of e-sports. They will also learn sector-specific marketing, management, and governance practice. For Goal V, it is clear that e-sports is one of the fastest growing job markets for our graduates. Students already receive world-class training in traditional Sport Management and this project will allow faculty to include competencies in digital gaming. Finally, by increasing instruction in LAP and small-section undergraduate courses, this initiative will benefit Goal VI by expanding the number of sections the department can offer and further contribute to lower faculty-to-student ratios.
This project aligns closely with Strategic Priorities I.4, III.1, and III.2 in the College of Education’s recently adopted strategic plan. Each of these priorities address how faculty and students can better utilize technology to enhance instruction and professional preparedness. In this case, we will synthesize traditional forms of pedagogy (textbooks, lectures, instructional videos, etc.) and actual gameplay as a way of immersing students in gaming environments and providing hands-on learning strategies.
5. Cost and plan of ongoing support
We do not foresee any need for ongoing support of hardware after the initial purchase. Some game titles are released annually, while some are released only once and will not need ongoing support. If needed, the Department will acquire funding for new releases only.
6. Description of the project team
The project team consists of the FSU Sport Management faculty, the College of Education Office of Information and Instructional Technologies (OIIT) team, and the Coordinator of the Lifetime Activities Program (LAP). Tech support will be handled by OIIT, while instruction, scheduling, and programming will be provided by faculty and the LAP coordinator. Games and hardware will be purchased from FSU approved vendors. Given that the Department has for two years now offered e-sports-related courses, we are well-prepared to deliver the content at both the undergraduate and graduate levels of instruction.
The faculty members and graduate students on the project team are:
• Dr. Jeffrey James, Chair, Professor, Department of Sport Management (SM) • Dr. Hanhan Xue, Assistant Professor, Department of Sport Management • Dr. Katie Flanagan, Assistant Instructor, Department of Sport Management • Nikolas Webster, Lifetime Activities Program Director, SM Doctoral Student LAP
instructors
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7. Budget explanation/justification
To successfully implement this project, we are requesting $12,343.84 to purchase e-sports games, Xbox One X consoles and controllers, gaming headsets, TVs, and necessary accessories. After consulting with FSU Facilities, we added expenditures for wall-mounting the new TV monitors, re-mounting existing monitors, and wiring, which is estimated to be $3,750.00. The overall cost of the project to enhance learning experiences for over 1,000 students is $16,093.84. An itemized budget is provided in Appendix A. Price quotes are enclosed in Appendix B.
References
Entertainment Software Association (ESA). (2015). Essential facts about the computer and video game industry. Retrieved from http://www.theesa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/ESA-Essential-Facts-2015.pdf
Newzoo. (2017). 2017 Global games market report: Trends, insights and projections toward
2020. Retrieved from https://resources.newzoo.com/hubfs/Reports/Newzoo_Global_Games_Market_Report_2017_Light.pdf?t=1517934076965
Seo, Y. (2013). Electronic sports: A new marketing landscape of the experience economy.
Journal of Marketing Management, 29(13-14), 1542. Shaw, A. (2018, October 3). The Ohio State University launches first-of-its-kind comprehensive
esports program. Retrieved from https://news.osu.edu/the-ohio-state-university-launches-first-of-its-kind-comprehensive-esports-program/
Statista. (2017). eSports audience size worldwide from 2012 to 2020, by type of viewers (in
millions). Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/490480/global-esports-audience-size-viewer-type/
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Appendix A Budget Proposal
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Appendix B
Price Quotes
Xbox One X
Samsung J5200
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HyperX Cloud II Headset
Xbox Elite Wireless Controller
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NBA 2K19
UFC 3
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Golf Club 2019 PGA
FIFA 19
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NFL Madden 19
Forza Horizon 4
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WWE 2K19
NHL 19
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Injustice 2 Legendary
Wall Mounted Shelf Bracket
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Rocket League
Mortal Kombat XL
Sonic Mania Plus
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TV Mount