Video Games and the Development of Computational Thinking
Abstract
For many, video games represent a popular form of entertainment. However, numerous research studies confirm that playing video games is a complex process with a significant educational component in addition to entertainment. Several researchers, including Papert and other authorities, have argued that we can learn a great deal about the learning process through video games, either by playing them ourselves or by observing others play and discussing the processes and thinking strategies involved. The present paper aims to explore the potential of commercial off-the-shelf video games, particularly with regard to developing computational thinking. Five games representing different genres were analysed using standard content analysis. The analysis was based partly on the researchers’ own gameplay, but primarily on observing and interviewing other participants during their gameplay. Four experienced video game players, all adults aged between 26 and 32, were invited to join the study as part of a purposefully formed sample. They were observed while playing and engaged in conversations about their practices and thought processes. The goal was to identify cognitive processes perceived as intrinsically related to computational thinking. The findings support claims made by Papert and Gee, demonstrating that video games can significantly enhance our understanding of computational thinking itself. Based on the analysis, it was concluded that video games offer rich opportunities for the development of certain components of computational thinking, particularly algorithmic thinking, decomposition and evaluation, as well as generalisation and abstraction. The findings are primarily relevant to adult learners, but ideas for school-age students are also discussed. While considering these ideas, we noted another phenomenon that intriguingly aligns with our other area ofresearch, that is, the development of structural thinking within school informatics*.
*In some countries, informatics is referred to as computer science or computing; however, in Slovakia, it is called informatics and is a mandatory school subject from Year 3 to Year 11, which includes all learners aged between 8 and 17.
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