Mary Kiernan

Learning Programming at the Computational Thinking Level via Digital Game-Play

This paper outlines an innovative game model for learning computational thinking (CT) skills through digital game-play. We have designed a game framework where students can practice and develop their skills in CT with little or no programming knowledge. We analyze how this game supports various CT concepts and how these concepts can be mapped to programming constructs to facilitate learning introductory computer programming. Moreover, we discuss the potential benefits of our approach as a support tool to foster student motivation and abilities in problem solving. As initial evaluation, we provide some analysis of feedback from a survey response group of 25 students who have played our game as a voluntary exercise. Structured empirical evaluation will follow, and the plan for that is briefly described.

Understanding Computational Thinking before Programming: Developing Guidelines for the Design of Games to Learn Introductory Programming through Game-Play

This paper outlines an innovative game-based approach to learning introductory programming that is grounded in the development of computational thinking at an abstract conceptual level, but also provides a direct contextual relationship between game-play and learning traditional introductory programming. The paper proposes a possible model for, and guidelines in support of, this games-based approach contextualized by an analysis of existing research into the issues of learning programming and game based learning approaches. Furthermore, the proposed game-based learning model focuses not only on procedural and applied knowledge and associated skills acquisition in computational thinking, but also provides contextualised theoretical knowledge on Computer Science concepts. By way of illustration, the authors introduce a game prototype currently being developed to combine a puzzle solving game-play that uses Computer Science concepts as the game elements.

Enchanting e-learning through the use of interactive-feedbak loop in digital games

One of the driving forces behind developing digital games is the idea that digital games have the potential to provide engagement in learning by delivering timely and well structured feedback. This paper discusses how the interactive-feedback loop found in digital games can be used to effectively support the engagement and also the progress of learners. We investigate key motivational factors in providing feedback and then explore current approaches in the use of feedback. This study introduces the concept that learning in games should be an integral part of the game play rather than layering games on top of traditional learning. By way of illustration, we introduce the game based approach we are currently developing to support first year undergraduate computer science students learning introductory programming.