Game theme based instructional module to teach loops and choice statements in computer science courses

Abstract

With the fast development of computer science and technology, computer games have become one of the integral parts of modern way of living. Research studies have conveyed that educational games are motivating, engaging and provide a reliable learning context. Due to the expansion of the educational transform, game theme-based learning methodology has become one of the current research focuses. There is a need to change the traditional passive method of teaching to an active method of teaching such as game and simulation-based learning. So, we need to provide a better learning environment by increasing the student's motivation towards learning. The game theme-based instructional (GTI) modules prepare the learners to think critically, and the students can adopt new challenges of the relevant knowledge. This paper presents a novel and exciting methodology of teaching algorithms by motivating the students towards learning. We designed and developed The Ball Targeting Game consisting of two GTI modules to teach loops and choice statements. The gaming modules demonstrated in this paper were developed using Vizard, which is a virtual reality toolkit used for developing virtual worlds and immersive applications for visualization and simulation using Python as its scripting language.