Integration of mobile game development into introductory CS courses: Lessons learned

Abstract

Computer games are widely used to improve student motivation and engagement in Computer Science courses. The process of design and implementation of a playable game, however, is a challenging task and is best accomplished in upper-level courses. Mobile games, on the other hand, are simpler and, thus, easier to program for students in lower-level courses. By exposing these students to a breadth of advanced topics in computing, we can also demonstrate that CS reaches far beyond coding. This paper describes our evaluation of several learning modules designed for introductory CS courses that use mobile game development as a learning context aimed to boost student motivation and engagement with the course material.