An Interactive Serious Mobile Game for Supporting the Learning of Programming in JavaScript in the Context of Eco-Friendly City Management

• Published in: Computers (Basel) Vol. 9; no. 4; p. 102
• Main Authors: Maskeliūnas, Rytis, Kulikajevas, Audrius, Blažauskas, Tomas, Damaševičius, Robertas, Swacha, Jakub
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.12.2020
• Subjects: Acceptance tests; Algorithms; Collaboration; Communication; Computer & video games; Computers; Context; Design; Educational software; Educational technology; game-based learning; Gamification; Java; Learning; mobile app; Pedagogy; Preschool education; programming teaching; serious game; Smartphones; STEM education; Students; sustainability teaching; Teaching; Technology Acceptance Model; Technology assessment; Technology utilization
• ISSN: 2073-431X; 2073-431X
• DOI: 10.3390/computers9040102

In the pedagogical process, a serious game acts as a method of teaching and upbringing, the transfer of accumulated experience and knowledge. In this paper, we describe an interactive serious programming game based on game-based learning for teaching JavaScript programming in an introductory course at university. The game was developed by adopting the gamification pattern-based approach. The game is based on visualizations of different types of algorithms, which are interpreted in the context of city life. The game encourages interactivity and pursues deeper learning of programming concepts. The results of the evaluation of the game using pre-test and post-test knowledge assessment, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and the Technology-Enhanced Training Effectiveness Model (TETEM) are presented.