Exploring the Effectiveness of Sandbox Game-Based Learning Environment for Game Design Course in Higher Education

Abstract

Sandbox game learning environment provides graphical programming teaching, and provides personalized learning services for learners, which helps to stimulate students’ interest in learning, improve learning motivation and learning efficiency. This study takes the game development program design of China Tencent company’s Ylands as an example. The graphical programming interface is embedded in the game design learning environment. Through two groups of different undergraduate game design courses, the experimental research is carried out from two ways: traditional teaching and game-based teaching. After the initial game based programming teaching, students are required to design different types of games and experience them, According to Felder Silverman learning style model, recognition, learning efficiency and influencing factors of sandbox games were studied. The results show that students’ learning efficiency is significantly improved in sandbox educational games which adapt to their own learning styles. This comparative study helps the academic curriculum to understand the impact of Sandbox-Game-based Learning Environment in for game design course and the innovative teaching style in the classroom.