IPRO: A Social and Mobile Gaming Path to Programming Learning

• In Event: Playing to Learn: Tech-Based Games and Cognitive Processes

Abstract

Two groups of students with a range of programming experience spent class sessions working with IPRO, a game/programming application for the iPod Touch with which users program simple virtual robots to play soccer. In contrast to the intimidating and uninteresting imagine of much traditional programming education, students reported the activity as enjoyable and engaging. Students showed improvement on pre- and post-assessments of basic logic understanding, which suggests some benefits of game-like programming activities as well as changes in approaches to programming education in general.

Authors

• Tom Benton, The University of Texas - Austin

• Taylor Martin, Utah State University

• Matthew W. Berland, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Carmen Petrick Smith, University of Vermont