TY - GEN
T1 - Know your enemy
T2 - 12th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children, IDC 2013
AU - Weintrop, David
AU - Wilensky, Uri
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - In this paper we present a novel approach to the design of game-based learning environments in which the content to be taught is embodied by the opponents the learners compete against as they play. By providing the player with the resources to make sense of the concepts exemplified by their opponents, as well as the tools needed to incorporate the concepts into their own gameplay strategy, players are challenged to learn from their opponents in order to advance in the game. This paper introduces RoboBuilder, a blocks-based, program-to-play game that uses this design strategy to introduce programming novices to core computer science concepts. Along with more fully developing this design principle, we provide evidence from a preliminary study conducted with RoboBuilder of players learning from their opponents to create winning strategies that use the concepts designed into the opponents they are facing.
AB - In this paper we present a novel approach to the design of game-based learning environments in which the content to be taught is embodied by the opponents the learners compete against as they play. By providing the player with the resources to make sense of the concepts exemplified by their opponents, as well as the tools needed to incorporate the concepts into their own gameplay strategy, players are challenged to learn from their opponents in order to advance in the game. This paper introduces RoboBuilder, a blocks-based, program-to-play game that uses this design strategy to introduce programming novices to core computer science concepts. Along with more fully developing this design principle, we provide evidence from a preliminary study conducted with RoboBuilder of players learning from their opponents to create winning strategies that use the concepts designed into the opponents they are facing.
KW - Computer Science Education
KW - Design
KW - Game-based Learning
KW - Visual Programming
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84880566930&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84880566930&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1145/2485760.2485789
DO - 10.1145/2485760.2485789
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84880566930
SN - 9781450319188
T3 - ACM International Conference Proceeding Series
SP - 408
EP - 411
BT - Proceedings of IDC 2013 - The 12th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children
Y2 - 24 June 2013 through 27 June 2013
ER -