Skip to main content

Board Games for Training Computational Thinking

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 11385))

Abstract

Computational thinking (CT) is a term widely used to describe algorithmic thinking and logic reasoning concepts and processes often related to computer programming. As such, CT as a cognitive ability builds on concepts and processes that derive from computer programming, but are applicable to wider real-life problems and STEM domains. CT has recently been argued to be a fundamental skill for 21st century education and an early academic success indicator that should be introduced and trained already in primary school education. Accordingly, we developed three life-size board games – Crabs & Turtles: A Series of Computational Adventures – that aim at providing an unplugged, gamified and low-threshold introduction to CT by presenting basic coding concepts and computational thinking processes to 8 to 9-year-old primary school children. For the design and development of these educational board games we followed a rapid prototyping approach. In the current study, we report results of an empirical evaluation of game experience of our educational board games with students of the target age group. In particular, we conducted quantitative analyses of player experience of primary school student participants. Results indicate overall positive game experience for all three board games. Future studies are planned to further evaluate learning outcomes in educational interventions with children.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Wing, J.M.: Computational Thinking. Theor. Comput. Sci. 49(3), 33 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Wing, J.M.: Computational Thinking: What and Why? The Link - The Magazine of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Wang, P.S.: From Computing to Computational Thinking, 1st edn. Chapman and Hall/CRC, New York (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Brennan, Κ., Resnick, Μ.: New frameworks for studying and assessing the development of computational thinking. In: Annual American Educational Research Association Meeting, Vancouver, BC, Canada (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Astrachan, O., Briggs, Α.: The CS principles principles project. ACM Inroads 3(2), 38 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Haddad, R.J., Kalaani, Y.: Can computational thinking predict academic performance? In: Integrated STEM Education Conference Proceedings. IEEE (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Yadav, A., Mayfield, C., Zhou, N., Hambrusch, S., Korb, J.T.: Computational thinking in elementary and secondary teacher education. ACM Trans. Comput. Educ. 14(1), 5 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Tuomi, P., Multisilta, J., Saarikoski, P., Suominen, J.: Coding skills as a success factor for a society. Educ. Inf. Technol. 23(1), 419 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Brown, N.C.C., Sentance, S.U.E., Crick, T.O.M., Humphreys, S.: Restart: the resurgence of computer science in UK schools. ACM Trans. Comput. Educ. 14(2), 9 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. European School Network Homepage: https://www.esnetwork.eu/. Accessed 6 May 2018

  11. European Coding Initiative Homepage: http://www.allyouneediscode.eu/. Accessed 6 May 2018

  12. Code.org Homepage: https://code.org. Accessed 6 May 2018

  13. National Science Foundation Homepage: https://www.nsf.gov/. Accessed 6 May 2018

  14. Tsarava, K., Moeller, K., Pinkwart, N., Butz, M., Trautwein, U., Ninaus, M.: Training computational thinking: game-based unplugged and plugged-in activities in primary school. In: 11th European Conference on Games Based Learning Proceedings, ECGBL, ACPI, UK (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Barsalou, L.W.: Grounded cognition. Ann. Rev. Psychol. 59, 617 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Tsarava, K., Moeller, K., Ninaus, M.: Training computational thinking through boar games: the case of crabs & turtles. Int. J. Serious Games 5(2), 25–44 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Papert, S.: Logo Philosophy and Implementation (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Papert, S., Solomon, C.: Twenty Things To Do With a Computer (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Echeverría, A., et al.: A framework for the design and integration of collaborative classroom games. Comput. Educ. 57(1), 1127 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Grover, S., Pea, R.: Computational thinking in K-12: a review of the state of the field. Educ. Res. 42(1), 38 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Pea, R.D., Kurland, D.M.: On the cognitive effects of learning computer programming. New Ideas Psychol. 2(2), 137 (1984)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Fullerton, T.: Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games. CRC Press, Boca Raton (2008)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  23. Tsarava, K.: Programming in Greek with Python. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Poels, K., de Kort, Y.A.M., Ijsselsteijn, W.A.: D3.3: game experience questionnaire: development of a self-report measure to assess the psychological impact of digital games. Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Eindhoven (2007)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katerina Tsarava .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Tsarava, K., Moeller, K., Ninaus, M. (2019). Board Games for Training Computational Thinking. In: Gentile, M., Allegra, M., Söbke, H. (eds) Games and Learning Alliance. GALA 2018. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 11385. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11548-7_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11548-7_9

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-11547-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-11548-7

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics