A guideline for game development-based learning: a literature review
International Journal of Computer Games Technology
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• This tutorial will demonstrate Greenfoot, a programming environment developed by the creators of BlueJ, that allows teaching of object-oriented programming concepts -- using Java -- in a highly engaging and motivating context. • One of the major problems in teaching computing today is the lack of interest in many young people. Computing suffers from a disastrous reputation (to a great extent wrongly). It is perceived as boring, geeky, unrewarding, and antisocial. Popular preconceptions of overweight male teenagers with thick glasses and skin problems sitting alone in windowless cellar rooms in front of a computer screen with pizza boxes strewn around them do little to attract a more diverse group to computer science. • Greenfoot is designed to enable teachers to bring fun and engagement back into computing, while teaching real programming concepts, and without trivializing the subject matter. Students quickly start to program graphical, interactive applications, such as games and simulations. A very diverse set of possible projects and sample programs serves to attract groups of students who would not normally take an interest in programming. • The Greenfoot environment provides tools for students to achieve real successes quickly, while providing tools for teachers to illustrate and discuss fundamental concepts of object-oriented programming. Once completed, student work can easily be published and shared on the Internet. • Greenfoot should be of interest to anyone teaching Java, especially in early programming courses, at schools and colleges. • Greenfoot is available from www.greenfoot.org. The tutorial is practically oriented and allows participants to use Greenfoot in their classroom immediately. Audience members with laptops will be encouraged to play along during the tutorial, giving a chance to get some first-impression, hands-on experience with the software during the session.