Abstract
This qualitative case study reports descriptive findings of digital game-based learning involving 15 Taiwanese middle school students’ use of computational thinking skills elicited through programmed activities in a game design workshop. Situated learning theory is utilized as framework to evaluate novice game designers’ individual advancement in developing a designer language, mindset, and use of computational thinking skills. Three strands of findings were extrapolated from analyzing observational data, participant-generated written responses and artifacts: Understanding games as systems and how components work together in meaningful relationships in game design; Developing growing sophistication in communicating with other novice game designers using language germane to game design; Improving understanding and application of computational thinking skills through game design activities. Extended discussions on three focal cases revealed that using design pedagogy, participants operationalized computational thinking skills in design tasks. Promises and pitfalls of using game design to facilitate computational thinking skills are discussed.
Highlights
In recent decades, video games have served primarily as a source of recreation with which players engage arduously in hours of play to improve playing skills and progress through different levels and games
The researcher conducted qualitative analysis on the data gathered from questionnaires, design worksheets, and observations and coded the data using a scheme modeling the theoretical underpinning of situated learning theory—learning is situated in a community of practice where learners share similar goals for learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991)
The coding scheme was refined after successive passes and eventually evolved into three broad schemes which described these novice game designers’ differing approaches, successes and frustrations in learning game design, in relation to their emergent development of computational thinking (CT) skills in design-related tasks
Summary
Video games have served primarily as a source of recreation with which players engage arduously in hours of play to improve playing skills and progress through different levels and games. The goals of game-using teachers and educational game designers are to integrate learning objectives with elements of gameplay and fun while assuring learner/players acquire concepts or knowledge useful in real world applications. Van Eck (2006, 2015) discussed four forms of digital game-based learning (DGBL) for classroom implementation—Using teacher-designed games, student-designed games, commercially off-the-shelf (COTS) games, and gamification. The current study opts for student-designed games as vehicle for delivering DGBL and investigates how game design tools and design pedagogy combined with a researcher-developed curriculum could be leveraged to support students’ emergent development of computational thinking (CT) skills. Studying how K-12 students develop CT skills through game design poses significant implications for educating our 21st Century learners in the core subjects of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM)
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