Norwegian high school adds eSports to the curriculum

School was a lot different back when I attended. Only in the later years did we spend time in the computer lab more than a couple of times per year. I distinctly remember having an exam in the 8th grade that consisted only of playing and completing Oregon Trail. Well, if you live in Norway, you might have a Counter-Strike match for your final exam.

One particular school by the name of Garnes Vidaregåande Skole in Bergen has announced that they will be putting eSports on the curriculum. Students can elect to take the eSports class, instead of one that focuses on traditional sports. If chosen, you'll spend five hours per week over the three-year program.

The class won't be all about pwning n00bs, however. There will be physical exercises meant to help your dexterity and reflexes. There will also be a focus on teamwork and communication, both things that are necessary to win any team sport or game. Current titles being considered for the course are Counter-Strike, League of Legends, StarCraft, and Dota 2.

The school will be providing gaming chairs, as well as gaming rigs decked out with NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 980Ti's. Students will be required to bring their own mouse, keyboard, and headset. Which makes sense, because you don't want to game on some greasy dome-switch keyboard that someone else has been using.

It's great to see something like this being offered in schools, as there is more to competitive gaming than just sitting around, drinking Mountain Dew and playing games. It's truly a sport that you must train both your body and mind for, which can be great in a school setting.

VIA: Destructoid