Chinese college offers course on DOTA game

A college in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality has started offering an optional course on the popular computer game DOTA, fueling Internet debate about the value of online gaming in academia.

The course, named "Recent development of electronic sports and analysis of DOTA teams," aims to improve students' teamwork spirit, according to the course's teacher, Zeng Qingqing at Chongqing Energy College.

The weekly course has been a hit at the college, with each class drawing more than 200 students, though only 90 are supposed to show up, according to a student surnamed Wang.

"It's insanely popular and has become the hottest optional course in our college," Wang said.

On Sina Weibo, China's answer to Twitter, the topic attracted a flurry of comments, with gamers saying that they are "very jealous" of students at the college.

"If I could choose this class, I would never fail the final exam," read one.

But netizens remain divided on the topic, as many expressed concerns about possible game addiction.

Zeng Qingqing told Xinhua that class content centers on the analysis of teamwork strategies, rather than teaching students how to play online games.

"Electronic sport courses cultivate their ways of thinking, a sense of perseverance and team coordination, which are necessary after they step into society," Zeng said.

Zeng added students should view it like other sports courses such as basketball, football and chess.

Xiao Jian, deputy head of the college academic administration, said they will conduct a selective examination of students at the end of the school term to evaluate the worth of the course.