CodeBô: design and evaluation of a puzzle game for teaching data structures

• Luis Gustavo de Jesus Araujo IFBA
• Andreia Pinheiro dos Santos Silva Prefeitura Municipal de Juazeiro

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/educomp.2025.4893

Abstract

Programming courses have historically shown high rates of retention and dropout .Researchers seek to address this problem in different ways. Among these approaches, the use of educational games in the classroom stands out.Although there are many games focused on logic, algorithms, and computational thinking, there are limited games that cover data structure topics.This paper aims to present the development process of the code puzzle game CodeBô to aid in teaching data structures.The game was developed based on Flow Theory and the Zone of Proximal Development. To evaluate its effectiveness, a case study was conducted with players of various profiles. Evaluation using E-GameFlow showed positive results in terms of improved knowledge, concentration, goal clarity, feedback, challenge, and autonomy. The study includes a triangulation of logs and qualitative data to gain a deeper understanding of E-GameFlow-related issues.

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