research-article

Using scalable game design to teach computer science from middle school to graduate school

Authors:

Ashok R. Basawapatna,

Kyu Han Koh,

Alexander RepenningAuthors Info & Claims

ITiCSE '10: Proceedings of the fifteenth annual conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education

Pages 224 - 228

https://doi.org/10.1145/1822090.1822154

Published: 26 June 2010 Publication History

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Abstract

A variety of approaches exist to teach computer science concepts to students from K-12 to graduate school. One such approach involves using the mass appeal of game design and creation to introduce students to programming and computational thinking. Specifically, Scalable Game Design enables students with varying levels of expertise to learn important concepts relative to their experience. This paper presents our observations using Scalable Game Design over multiple years to teach middle school students, college level students, graduate students, and even middle school teachers fundamental to complex computer science and education concepts. Results indicate that Scalable Game Design appeals broadly to students, regardless of background, and is a powerful teaching tool in getting students of all ages exposed and interested in computer science. Furthermore, it is observed that many student projects exhibit transfer enabling their games to explain complex ideas, from all disciplines, to the general public.

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Cited By

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Wu CChien YChou MHuang Y(2025)Integrating computational thinking, game design, and design thinking: a scoping review on trends, applications, and implications for educationHumanities and Social Sciences Communications10.1057/s41599-025-04502-x12:1Online publication date: 8-Feb-2025
https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04502-x
Pan YAdams EKetterlin-Geller LLarson EClark C(2024)Enhancing middle school students’ computational thinking competency through game-based learningEducational technology research and development10.1007/s11423-024-10400-x72:6(3391-3419)Online publication date: 8-Jul-2024
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-024-10400-x
Chugh RTurnbull D(2023)Gamification in education: A citation network analysis using CitNetExplorerContemporary Educational Technology10.30935/cedtech/1286315:2(ep405)Online publication date: 2023
https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12863
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Index Terms

Using scalable game design to teach computer science from middle school to graduate school
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education
      1. Computing education programs
        Computer science education
        Information science education

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Published In

ITiCSE '10: Proceedings of the fifteenth annual conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education

June 2010

344 pages

ISBN:9781605588209

DOI:10.1145/1822090

General Chairs:
Reyyan Ayfer
Bilkent University, Turkey
,
John Impagliazzo
Qatar University, Qatar
,
Program Chair:
Cary Laxer
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, USA

Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Bilkent University: Bilkent University

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Published: 26 June 2010

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ITiCSE '10: Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education

June 26 - 30, 2010

Ankara, Bilkent, Turkey

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Overall Acceptance Rate 552 of 1,613 submissions, 34%

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Wu CChien YChou MHuang Y(2025)Integrating computational thinking, game design, and design thinking: a scoping review on trends, applications, and implications for educationHumanities and Social Sciences Communications10.1057/s41599-025-04502-x12:1Online publication date: 8-Feb-2025
https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04502-x
Pan YAdams EKetterlin-Geller LLarson EClark C(2024)Enhancing middle school students’ computational thinking competency through game-based learningEducational technology research and development10.1007/s11423-024-10400-x72:6(3391-3419)Online publication date: 8-Jul-2024
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-024-10400-x
Chugh RTurnbull D(2023)Gamification in education: A citation network analysis using CitNetExplorerContemporary Educational Technology10.30935/cedtech/1286315:2(ep405)Online publication date: 2023
https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12863
Puttick GCassidy MTucker‐Raymond ETroiano GHarteveld C(2023)“So, we kind of started from scratch, no pun intended”: What can students learn from designing games?Journal of Research in Science Teaching10.1002/tea.2191861:4(772-808)Online publication date: 5-Dec-2023
https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21918
Kosmas PPhilippou APsomos P(2022)Towards the Development of a Game for Computational ThinkingDesigning, Constructing, and Programming Robots for Learning10.4018/978-1-7998-7443-0.ch007(136-158)Online publication date: 2022
https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7443-0.ch007
Kosmas PPhilippou APsomos P(2022)Towards the Development of a Game for Computational ThinkingResearch Anthology on Game Design, Development, Usage, and Social Impact10.4018/978-1-6684-7589-8.ch025(507-529)Online publication date: 7-Oct-2022
https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-7589-8.ch025
Theodoropoulos ALepouras G(2022)Digital Game-Based Learning and Computational Thinking in P-12 EducationResearch Anthology on Developments in Gamification and Game-Based Learning10.4018/978-1-6684-3710-0.ch091(1894-1919)Online publication date: 2022
https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-3710-0.ch091
Gatzoulis CAndreou AZaharias PChrysanthou Y(2022)Using Epistemic Game Development to Teach Software Development SkillsResearch Anthology on Agile Software, Software Development, and Testing10.4018/978-1-6684-3702-5.ch043(861-883)Online publication date: 2022
https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-3702-5.ch043
Tsan JEatinger DPugnali AGonzalez-Maldonado DFranklin DWeintrop DBecker BQuille KLaakso MBarendsen ESimon (2022)Scaffolding Young Learners' Open-Ended Programming Projects with Planning SheetsProceedings of the 27th ACM Conference on on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education Vol. 110.1145/3502718.3524769(372-378)Online publication date: 7-Jul-2022
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Druga SBall TKo A(2022)How families design and program games: a qualitative analysis of a 4-week online in-home studyProceedings of the 21st Annual ACM Interaction Design and Children Conference10.1145/3501712.3529724(237-252)Online publication date: 27-Jun-2022
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Recognizing computational thinking patterns

Making university education more like middle school computer club: facilitating the flow of inspiration

Using Foundational CS1 Curricula for Middle School & Early High School Computer Programming Education

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