Learning to communicate computationally with Flip: A bi-modal programming language for game creation

Howland, Kate; Good, Judith

doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2014.08.014

Cited by 83 publications

(91 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The results indicated that there is no significant difference between their acceptance scores in terms of gender, programming background, and the high school type they graduated from and there is also no significant correlation between programming experience and their acceptance. These results mean that students have acceptance of Scratch regardless of gender and programming experience, although it was reported in the literature that the challenge of learning programming varies depending on gender (Howland & Good, 2015;Yurdugül & Aşkar, 2013) and experience (Lau & Yuen, 2011;Özmen & Altun, 2014). For this reason, the non-significancy has important implications for programming instruction at the university level, since this could be considered an advantage of Scratch for its widespread adoption by all learners, particularly novice programmers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

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ICT Teachers’ Acceptance of “Scratch” as Algorithm Visualization Software

Saltan¹,

Kara²

2016

HES

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This study aims to investigate the acceptance of ICT teachers pertaining to the use of Scratch as an Algorithm Visualization (AV) software in terms of perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. An embedded mixed method research design was used in the study, in which qualitative data were embedded in quantitative ones and used to explain the results. The data were collected from 214 pre-service ICT teachers studying in four large public universities. Data was gathered through a questionnaire adapted from David's Technology Acceptance Survey (1989) and through open-ended questions. T-test and Pearson correlation, as well as descriptive statistics, were used to analyze quantitative data and constant analysis techniques were used to analyze qualitative data. Both kinds of data were mixed and are presented in the results section. The results show that pre-service ICT teachers mainly have positive and similar Scratch acceptance scores in terms of usefulness and ease of use. The factors explaining participants' perceived usefulness are identified as visual interface (37%), pedagogy(36%), and computational thinking (27%). The majority of the participants also found Scratch to be easy to use. Pre-service ICT teachers explained that what makes AV software easy to use is color separation (40%), drag and drop (30%), and familiar interface (30%). Additionally, no significant difference between the acceptance scores of the participants was found in terms of gender, years of programming experience, programming background, and the high school they graduated from as indicators of programming experience. Results congruent with previous studies regarding Scratch were found by the current study.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…6, No. 4;2016 training and subsequent teaching and support (Howland & Good, 2015;Robertson, Macvean, & Howland, 2013;Meerbaum-Salant et al, 2013). In this regard, the recommendations for the solution of the current problems point out teacher training.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

ICT Teachers’ Acceptance of “Scratch” as Algorithm Visualization Software

Saltan¹,

Kara²

2016

HES

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“…In other words, these opportunities may not be available, or constructed as possible or doable, for everyone. Robertson (2013) reported, from an intervention which focuses on gaming as a way to facilitate computing interest, that this seems to work better for boys than for girls, even though Howland and Good (2015) found evidence that girls can write more complex programming scripts than boys when it comes to making computer games. DiSalvo, Guzdial, Bruckman, and McKlin (2014) also found that African-American boys who participated in a computing-related work placement often play down their participation in the presence of others, in order to 'save face' and to maintain a 'cool' identity in an apparent attempt to avoid any identity stigmas or conflicts between their everyday identity and the identity discourses typically associated with computing enthusiasts.…”

Section: Broader Gender Discourses Of Computingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Technical boys and creative girls: the career aspirations of digitally skilled youths

Wong

Kemp

2017

Cambridge Journal of Education

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School of education, university of roehampton, london, uK ABSTRACT Digital technology is increasingly central to our lives, particularly among young people. However, there remains a concern from government and businesses of a digital skills gap because many youths, especially girls, tend to be consumers rather than creators of technology. Drawing on 32 semi-structured interviews with digitally skilled teenagers (aged 13-19), this article investigates their digital career aspirations and examines how identities and discourses of gender can interact with the type of digital careers that are of interest to these youths. While it was found that digitally skilled young people still articulate traditional gendered discourses of digital competence, especially around technical abilities, the growing importance of creativity as a career pathway into digital technology is highlighted. Implications of the findings are discussed in relation to the new computing curriculum in England, which prioritises technical computing skills, and the discontinuation of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which facilitates a broader usage of software and digital productivity.

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“…Numerous other studies have documented students' learning of computational concepts (see Al-Bow et al, 2009;Basawapatna, Koh, Repenning, Webb, & Marshall, 2011;Holbert & Wilensky, 2014;Howland & Good, 2015;Owston, Wideman, Ronda, & Brown 2009;Pelletier, Burns & Buckingham, 2010;Repenning et al, 2015;Robertson, 2012;Robertson & Howells, 2008;Seaborn, El-Nasr, Milam, & Young, 2012). Although the learning of computational concepts can appear heavily scaffolded in these contexts by providing students with scripts that can be remixed and highly prescriptive game contexts (e.g., remix the classic Pong or Ms. Pac-Man, or make your own platform game), these scaffolds likewise need to be recognized as often necessary first steps to bring children into the game-making process.…”

Section: Personal Dimensionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Constructionist Gaming: Understanding the Benefits of Making Games for Learning

Kafai

Burke

2015

Educational Psychologist

228

170

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There has been considerable interest in examining the educational potential of playing video games. One crucial element, however, has traditionally been left out of these discussionsnamely, children's learning through making their own games. In this article, we review and synthesize 55 studies from the last decade on making games and learning. We found that the majority of studies focused on teaching coding and academic content through game making, and that few studies explicitly examined the roles of collaboration and identity in the game making process. We argue that future discussions of serious gaming ought to be more inclusive of constructionist approaches to realize the full potential of serious gaming. Making games, we contend, not only more genuinely introduces children to a range of technical skills but also better connects them to each other, addressing the persistent issues of access and diversity present in traditional digital gaming cultures.

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Learning to communicate computationally with Flip: A bi-modal programming language for game creation

Cited by 83 publications

References 24 publications

ICT Teachers’ Acceptance of “Scratch” as Algorithm Visualization Software

ICT Teachers’ Acceptance of “Scratch” as Algorithm Visualization Software

Technical boys and creative girls: the career aspirations of digitally skilled youths

Constructionist Gaming: Understanding the Benefits of Making Games for Learning

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