Title: Rapid digital game creation for broadening participation in computing and fostering crucial thinking skills

Authors: Nikunj Dalal, Parth Dalal, Subhash Kak, Pavlo Antonenko, Susan Stansberry

Addresses: Information Systems, Spears School of Business, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA. ' Computer Science, College of Arts and Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA. ' Computer Science, College of Arts and Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA. ' Education Technology, College of Education, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA. ' Education Technology, College of Education, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA

Abstract: Computer games have a broad appeal that transcends gender, culture, age and socio-economic status. We outline the case for using rapid computer game creation as an innovative pedagogical approach for broadening participation in computing and fostering crucial thinking skills in the populace, thereby helping bridge the digital divide. Rapid computer game creation allows a designer without formal knowledge of programming to build games quickly. It involves the use of rapid prototyping tools to create objects with visual representations, assign properties to the object instances and define event-driven behaviours. We provide a theoretical basis for this approach, survey its use in the classroom, and study the relationship between rapid computer game creation and creative, critical and computational thinking.

Keywords: rapid computer game creation; digital divide; broadening participation; pedagogy; thinking skills; creativity; critical thinking; computational thinking; humanistic computing; computer games; rapid prototyping.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSHC.2009.031002

International Journal of Social and Humanistic Computing, 2009 Vol.1 No.2, pp.123 - 137

Published online: 17 Jan 2010 *

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