Computational Thinking involves solving problems, designing systems, and understanding human behavior by drawing on concepts fundamental to computer science. As technology becomes increasingly more ingrained in our everyday lives, computational thinking has established itself as a necessary skill for young learners to develop. Bots & (Main)Frames is a puzzle game designed to teach the core components of computational thinking. Players must use tangible programming blocks to guide their character step by step through various obstacles, and in doing so learn to identify patterns, break down problems, develop a tool set, and even program.
The web version of the game is playable here. Note: Adobe Flash Player is required to player the game.
Related Publications:
- Best Paper Honorable Mention: Melcer, E.F., & Isbister, K. (2018). “Bots & (Main)Frames: Exploring the Impact of Tangible Blocks and Collaborative Play in an Educational Programming Game”. In Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. CHI ’18, Montréal, Canada. ACM.
- Melcer, E. F., Hollis, V., & Isbister, K. (2017). “Tangibles vs. Mouse in Educational Programming Games: Influences on Enjoyment and Self-Beliefs“. In Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1901-1908). ACM.
- Melcer, E., & Isbister, K. (2017). “Embodiment, collaboration, and challenge in educational programming games: exploring use of tangibles and mouse“. In Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games (p. 62). ACM.
- Melcer, E. (2017). “Moving to Learn: Exploring the Impact of Physical Embodiment in Educational Programming Games“. In Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 301-306). ACM.
- Melcer, E. F. (2017). “Exploring the Effects of Physical Embodiment in a Puzzle-Based Educational Programming Game“. In Proceedings of the 2017 ACM SIGCHI Conference on Creativity and Cognition (pp. 532-538). ACM.