Senior Thesis Senior Thesis Defense Defense (CSCI 4950)(CSCI 4950)

by Kavita Agrawalby Kavita AgrawalThesis Advisor: Alex RepenningThesis Advisor: Alex Repenning

ContentsContents OverviewOverview

Game DesignGame Design ResearchResearch

Friday Computer Club -Friday Computer Club -Centennial Middle SchoolCentennial Middle School AdvertisingAdvertising Structure of Friday ClubStructure of Friday Club Type of Agents/ObjectsType of Agents/Objects AttendanceAttendance

QuestionnaireQuestionnaire GamesGames Issues Addressed - ResearchIssues Addressed - Research ConclusionConclusion Further ResearchFurther Research

OverviewOverview

High drop in number of students taking High drop in number of students taking CSCS

Current CS Curriculum (programming Current CS Curriculum (programming classes) doing more harm than goodclasses) doing more harm than good

Field Research – Pflugerville High, Delhi Field Research – Pflugerville High, Delhi Public School and Centennial Middle Public School and Centennial Middle SchoolSchool

Can Game Designing Software be used to Can Game Designing Software be used to attract students to CS and yet teach them attract students to CS and yet teach them underlying skills.underlying skills.

Game DesignGame Design

ResearchResearch

Tuesday Girls Club at Centennial Middle Tuesday Girls Club at Centennial Middle SchoolSchool

Address the problem:Address the problem: ““I don’t like computer games, I like to build I don’t like computer games, I like to build

things”things” Use software that girls are familiar with Use software that girls are familiar with

and incorporate it to game design. There and incorporate it to game design. There by bridging the gapby bridging the gap

Get the girls to understand some basic Get the girls to understand some basic CS fundamentalsCS fundamentals

Centennial Middle Centennial Middle SchoolSchool

2205 Norwood Ave.2205 Norwood Ave.Boulder, CO 80304Boulder, CO 80304

Main Office - (303) 443-3760Main Office - (303) 443-3760

(CU CSCI program has been long partnering with the school for educational (CU CSCI program has been long partnering with the school for educational software pilot programs)software pilot programs)

Friday Computer ClubFriday Computer Club Idea behind Girls only Idea behind Girls only

computer clubscomputer clubs They done feel They done feel

“dominated” by male “dominated” by male counterpartscounterparts

Get a discussion Get a discussion environmentenvironment

Tuesday After School Tuesday After School Computer Club timing Computer Club timing did not work for the did not work for the girlsgirls

A separate area/section A separate area/section for the girls in the for the girls in the Friday Computer Club Friday Computer Club sessionssessions

Held from 3/18 – 4/29 at Held from 3/18 – 4/29 at Centennial Middle School, Centennial Middle School, Boulder, COBoulder, CO

AdvertisingAdvertising

““Learn how to make games in AgentSheets, Learn how to make games in AgentSheets, Tuesday Girls only Computer Club”Tuesday Girls only Computer Club”

(only 2 girls showed up)(only 2 girls showed up)

vs.vs.““Learn how to animate images drawn in Learn how to animate images drawn in

Posar, enliven them, move them around. Posar, enliven them, move them around. Come and learn in the special section for Come and learn in the special section for girls at the Friday Computer Club”girls at the Friday Computer Club”

( 7 girls showed up)( 7 girls showed up)

Structure of Friday ClubStructure of Friday Club IntroductionIntroduction Demo of simple Demo of simple

“Pink” games made “Pink” games made in AgentSheetsin AgentSheets

Taking images drawn Taking images drawn in Posar/Brycex4, in Posar/Brycex4, using them in using them in AgentSheetsAgentSheets

Play ‘n ExperimentPlay ‘n Experiment Technical help in Technical help in

making their own making their own gamesgames

Types of Agents/ObjectsTypes of Agents/Objects

AttendanceAttendance

Mostly SteadyMostly Steady Other factors:Other factors:

Girls Play going on Girls Play going on in schoolin school

4/22 a vacation4/22 a vacation

Questionnaire VS Brain Questionnaire VS Brain DumpDump

QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

Gave them a pattern Gave them a pattern they were familiar they were familiar withwith

Asked them Specific Asked them Specific questions – led them questions – led them to think deeperto think deeper

Helped them walk Helped them walk thru the thru the questionnairequestionnaire

Brain DumpBrain Dump

Felt overwhelmed Felt overwhelmed

Scared about Scared about answering in the answering in the wrong mannerwrong manner

Was not able to get Was not able to get specific dataspecific data

The QuestionnaireThe Questionnaire

Describe their games – Describe their games – understand/see what was going onunderstand/see what was going on

Identify Objects (nouns)– Signs of Identify Objects (nouns)– Signs of basic concept OOPbasic concept OOP

Define Behavior (rules/interactions - Define Behavior (rules/interactions - Verbs) of Objects – Sign of basic Verbs) of Objects – Sign of basic concept of OOPconcept of OOP

Not Looking for – Variables, Function Not Looking for – Variables, Function definitionsdefinitions

The Questionnaire: The Questionnaire: Results Results

100% Object 100% Object identificationidentification

Object behavior Object behavior descriptiondescription

Object type Object type classificationclassification

Sense of timingSense of timing ““If..Then” If..Then”

conditional conditional statementsstatements

Pacman Game Statistics

The GamesThe Games

Games: Thoughts on Games: Thoughts on Making GamesMaking Games Most girls responded Most girls responded

positively, enthusiastically positively, enthusiastically to games after 1.5 months to games after 1.5 months of Friday Clubs, they of Friday Clubs, they responded to making games responded to making games as….as…. ““Fun Designing”Fun Designing” ““Creative”Creative” ““Lets me Teach others”Lets me Teach others” ““I can Show off my I can Show off my

game/work”game/work” – (Proud of it) – (Proud of it) ““Fun Playing my games and Fun Playing my games and

my girl friend’s games”my girl friend’s games” Compare this to BEFORE: Compare this to BEFORE:

“I don’t like games. I like to “I don’t like games. I like to build things”build things”

Issues Addressed: Issues Addressed: ResearchResearch

Friday Girls Club at Centennial Middle Friday Girls Club at Centennial Middle SchoolSchool

Address the problem:Address the problem: ““I don’t like computer games, I like to build I don’t like computer games, I like to build

things”things” Use software that girls are familiar with Use software that girls are familiar with

and incorporate it to game design. There and incorporate it to game design. There by bridging the gapby bridging the gap

Get the girls to understand some basic Get the girls to understand some basic CS fundamentalsCS fundamentals

ConclusionConclusion Less than 16% females want to take up Less than 16% females want to take up

CS professionCS profession Females like to design/createFemales like to design/create If presented in the right manner, games If presented in the right manner, games

can help girls shun the “male” only can help girls shun the “male” only image of CS.image of CS.

Game designing:Game designing: Teach some basic CS/OO concepts Teach some basic CS/OO concepts Program rules at a high levelProgram rules at a high level Lets them display their creativityLets them display their creativity More than just basic working knowledge More than just basic working knowledge

classesclasses

Further ResearchFurther Research Further Field ResearchFurther Field Research

Hold more Girls Computer ClubsHold more Girls Computer Clubs Get more data on how girls interact with gamesGet more data on how girls interact with games

Come up with a model Game Designing Come up with a model Game Designing CurriculumCurriculum Attractive and interesting to both males and Attractive and interesting to both males and

femalesfemales Serves the Scholastic needsServes the Scholastic needs

How Best to Advertise/Advocate this courseHow Best to Advertise/Advocate this course Students – Both Male and FemaleStudents – Both Male and Female Teachers/Principals - LettersTeachers/Principals - Letters Parents - LettersParents - Letters

Q& AQ& A