Teaching Problem Solving Skills using an Educational Game in a Computer Programming Course

• Published in: Informatics in education Vol. 18; no. 2; pp. 359 - 373
• Main Authors: Mathew, Roy, Malik, Sohail Iqbal, Tawafak, Ragad Moufaq
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vilnius Vilniaus Universiteto Leidykla 2019; Vilnius University Press; Institute of Mathematics and Informatics; Vilnius University Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Lithuanian Academy of Sciences; Vilnius University
• Subjects: Activity Units; Algorithms; College Science; College Students; Computer Games; Computer programming; Computer Science; Computer Science Education; Dropout Rate; Education; educational game; Educational Games; Educational Objectives; Electronic Learning; Foreign Countries; Game Based Learning; Game theory; Games; ICT Information and Communications Technologies; Instructional Effectiveness; Interviews; Introductory Courses; Learner Engagement; Learning; Learning Motivation; Learning Processes; learning to program; Literature Reviews; Novices; Outcomes of Education; Problem Solving; problem solving skills; Program Design; Programming; Programming Languages; pseudo-code technique; Repetition; Semantics; Skill Development; Skills; Student Attitudes; Student Motivation; Student Surveys; Students; Syntax; Teacher Attitudes; Teachers; Teaching; Units of Study; Web Based Instruction; Oman; pseudocode technique; problem solving skills; learning to program; computer programming; educational game
• ISSN: 1648-5831; 2335-8971
• DOI: 10.15388/infedu.2019.17

Problem solving skills are considered an important component in learning to program in an introductory programming (IP) course for novices. This study introduced a PROSOLVE game to enhance problem solving skills of novice programmers in the introductory programming course. The game is based on pseudo-code technique. A survey was employed to collect students' feedback and semi-structured interviews were organized to collect instructors' opinion about the game. The results show that the game helped most of the students in understanding the programming concepts, structures and problem solving strategies. Moreover, the game supports students' cognitive engagement, gains, and affective engagement in the IP course. Instructors appreciated the game and considered it as an additional supporting teaching tool in the IP course. Moreover, they considered the game as good alternative of traditional pen and paper learning approach in attracting students' interest in the programming domain.