A Game Oriented Approach for Teaching Computer Science

  • Esteban Walter Gonzalez Clua UFF

Resumo


Introductory computer science courses should be altered to use attractive, engaging contexts. After defending this claim, the paper provides evidence that the context of computer games qualifies as both attractive and engaging. The heart of the paper is a description of how certain logical, mathematical, and algorithmic concepts fundamental to computing may be taught and learned within a game-oriented context. Tools and languages adequate for this purpose are briefly discussed. The author describes his initial experiences and observations in using this approach.

Referências

AAUW. Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age. American Association of University Women Education Foundation, New York, 2000.

CAPES website - [link]

Chin, D., Prins, P., Tenenberg, J. The Role of the Data Structures Course int the Computing Curriculum, Panel Discussion at CCSC: Northwestern Conference, December, 2003.

Clua, E., Feijó, B., Rocca, J., Schwartz, J., Graça, M., Perlin, K., Barnes, T., Tori, R. Game and Interactivity in Computer Science Education. In Siggraph Educators Track Proceedings, Boston 2006.

Cormen, Thomas H., Leiserson, Charles E., Rivest, Ronald L., Stein, Clifford. Introduction to Algorithms. The MIT Pressm, 2 edition (September 1, 2001).

Guzdial, Mark. A Media Computation Course for Non-Majors. SIGCSE Bulletin, v. 35, n. 3, pp. 104-108, ACM Press, Sep. 2003.

Guzdial, M. Summary: Retention rates in cs vs. institution. Message posted on ACM SIGCSE moderated members list, Georgia Tech, April 23 2002.

Kids Programming Language - [link]

Margolis, J., and Fisher, A. Unlocking the Clubhouse: Women in Computing. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 2002.

McCracken, M., Almstrum, V., Diaz, D., Guzdial, M., Hagan, D., Kolikant, Y. B.-D., Laxer, C, Thomas, L., Utting, I., and Wilusz, T. A multi-national, multiinstitutional study of assessment of programming skills of first-year cs students. A CM SIGCSE Bulletin S3, 4 (2001), 125-140.

[link]

Phrogram - [link]

Roumani, H. Design guidelines for the lab component of objects-first csl. In The Proceedings of the Thirty-third SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, 2002, D. Knox, Ed. ACM, New York, 2002, pp. 222-226.

SBC website - [link]

Schwartz, J., Morrison, W., Stagner. Kid’s Programming Language (KPL). In Siggraph Educators Track Proceedings, Boston 2006.

Torque Game Engine - [link]

XNA - [link]

Wing, J.M., Computational Thinking, CACM, V. 49, No. 3 (March 2006) pp.33-35.

Barnes, T.; Powell, E.; Chaffin, A.; Lipford, H. Game2Learn: Improving the Motivation of CS1 Students. In Third International Conference on Game Development in Computer Science Education, February, 2008, pp. 1-5.

Rankin, Y.; Gooch, A.; Gooch, B. The Impact of Game Design on Students´ Interest in CS. In Third International Conference on Game Development in Computer Science Education, February, 2008, pp. 31-35.
Publicado
12/07/2008
CLUA, Esteban Walter Gonzalez. A Game Oriented Approach for Teaching Computer Science. In: WORKSHOP SOBRE EDUCAÇÃO EM COMPUTAÇÃO (WEI), 16. , 2008, Belém/PA. Anais [...]. Porto Alegre: Sociedade Brasileira de Computação, 2008 . p. 10-19. ISSN 2595-6175.