As described in an earlier post, the context version of our three games was tested with three groups in Arizona. In this post, we report on the results for our first game about algorithms as experienced at the Tempe Library. Tempe Library There’s excited chatter in the room as the game is introduced. Keeping the age of […]

As described in an earlier post, the context version of our three games was tested with three groups in Arizona. In this post, we report on the results for our first game about algorithms as experienced at Ward Traditional Academy. Ward Traditional Academy This group begins with a discussion of what an algorithm is along with the […]

As described in an earlier post, the context version of our three games was tested with three groups in Arizona. In this post, we report on the results for our first game about algorithms as experienced at Gilliland Middle School. Gilliland Middle School One of the facilitators started out asking what an algorithm was. They knew that […]

As previously described, our second game for our fall experiment covered the computer science concept of organizing the data for the purpose of searching it later. This post summarizes some of the game-day observations made of the participants. Note that the full set of game rules used in this experiment is available as a PDF. Abstract Group […]

The third and final game we tested in our fall experiment is about organizing data in ways that facilitate easier retrieval later on. Computer Science Concept How we organize data can affect how easily we can retrieve it later. For example, if you throw playing cards into a jumbled mess in the middle of the table, it […]

As previously described, our second game for our fall experiment covered the computer science concept of writing and performing algorithms.  This post summarizes some of the game-day observations made of the participants. Note that the full set of game rules used in this experiment is available as a PDF. Abstract Group The session began with a recap […]

The second game we tested in our fall experiment is about writing, understanding, and performing the steps of algorithms. Computer Science Concept An algorithm is a series of very clear directions (in a natural language) of how to accomplish a task. Each step in an algorithm needs to be clear and concise, and no steps […]

As previously described, our first game for our fall experiment covered the computer science concept of data representation with images.  This post summarizes some of the game-day observations made of the participants. Before splitting into abstract and story groups, the girls participated in a pre-assessment and attitude survey.  We noticed as soon as the assessments were […]

Last week we described our fall experiment, in which students in New Jersey played either an abstract or story-based version of three games that teach computer science concepts. In the next series of posts, we’ll describe each concept and game alternating with a summary of observations from playing the games. In our first game, students learn about the computer science […]

This fall, we are running our more formal experiments with our games and stories.  In the next series of posts, we will share more detailed designs of our three games and give a brief explanation of the computer science concepts they aim to teach.  We will also share some of the preliminary results from playing […]