LudoScience

Develop computational thinking through the design of educational video games Jérémy Ledu, Julian Alvarez, Daniel Schmitt - 2024

Informations

Support : Publications
Author(s) : Jérémy Ledu, Julian Alvarez, Daniel Schmitt
Editor : Distances et Médiations des Savoir
Date : 2024
Lang : Lang


Description

Video games are becoming an increasingly important part of children’s daily leisure activities. Their use as an educational tool seems to be a good way to combat the decline in motivation and the loss of meaning in learning that has been observed among students. The constructionist approach proposed by Papert aims to explore the creation of video games by learners. Several studies have shown that it is associated with the development of computational thinking. However, a recent meta-analysis has tempered these conclusions due to a lack of relevant quantitative evidence (Denner et al., 2019). This article aims to identify the optimal way to integrate video game design activities in French schools, with a view to developing computational thinking. Based on a literature review and a test phase carried out with a group of 50 students, an experimental research programme has been developed: the “Educational Game & Play Design Project.” It has been offered to dozens of French schools since the start of the 2022 school year. Its aim is to enable participating students to strengthen their 21st century skills, starting with computational thinking. Read Paper: https://journals.openedition.org/dms/10697

Keywords : Serious Game, Game design, Constructionism, Computational Thinking, 21st century skills, Ludopedagogy, Edutainment