Skyscraper Games: Professional Development for Using Custom Technology Tools

• In Event: 18.058 - MTCC Roundtable Session Four
  In Roundtable Session: 18.058-13 - Supporting Teaching in STEM, Making, and Computational Thinking

Abstract

This paper describes a pilot professional development (PD) program for middle school educators, with the goal of engaging middle school students in computational thinking using video game design and programming. Five educators—two public school teachers, two charter school teachers, and one out-of-school program facilitator—participated in the PD and completed the year. The researchers provided training for a custom tool which allows students to create pixel-based games for a virtual skyscraper, then provides the opportunity to play the completed games on an actual skyscraper. The results of this year-long initiative highlighted key barriers and factors for success were previously identified by Lye & Koh and Brinkerhoff. They also identified the importance of community-building for successful PD.

Authors

• Matthew Duvall, Drexel University

• Frank J Lee, Drexel University

• Brian Keith Smith, Drexel University