Pre-games: games designed to introduce CS1 and CS2 programming assignments

  • Authors:

  • Ray Giguette

  • Affiliations:

  • Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA

  • Venue:
  • SIGCSE '03 Proceedings of the 34th SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education
  • Year:
  • 2003

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Abstract

Many CS1 and CS2 instructors have been using game-like assignments and manipulatives to increase student understanding of abstract concepts. A related approach described in this paper requires students to play a game-like version of each assignment (referred to as the "pre-game") before designing and coding their own programs. Students complete a prototype of the pre-game that uses simpler I/O but otherwise follows the same specification. By playing the pre-game, students become familiar with lesson principles using a concrete example that combines the advantages of both game-play and manipulatives. Ideally, the pre-game creates an environment that both encourages experimentation, and allows students to use their intuition when designing algorithms and data structures.