The Rise of Interactive Game Development and Multimedia Project Creation Among School-Aged Children.

Charles Woods

Abstract• Abstract. This paper addresses the rise of interactive multimedia

and game development among school-aged children with the use of computer software and online resources. Currently, students of varied grade levels and ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds have more in common than ritual, mandatory school enrollment. Many of our students are designing, developing, and authoring interactive games (Gershenfeld, 2011), apps, animations, and other multimedia content (Kafai, Fields, & Burke, 2010), (Koh, 2013). Scratch, Gamestar Mechanic, Sploder, Minecraft, and GameSalad are a few of the downloadable software applications and internet-based programs that our young learners are using to be creative, collaborative, and imaginative.

Purpose

• The purpose of this literature review is to inform educators and those who make decisions regarding education and curriculum of how students are already using multimedia to learn through creative expression, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication with peers, educators, and others.

Research questions

The following questions drove the literature selection:

• In what ways are students using multimedia and interactive game design to take ownership of their own learning and cognition?

• In what ways, if any, do students’ design and development of multimedia and video games coincide with what research says about effective learning models, frameworks, and theories of learning and cognition?

Background perspectives

• Robert Mann (2014) quotes Jay Scott of the Kansas Department of Education as stating, “We’re preparing kids for careers and occupations that haven’t been created yet ... STEM represents an opportunity for that to happen.”

Background perspectives

• Technical skills such as programming and technical writing are projected to remain in demand (bls.gov, 2013). Therefore, it would be prudent of us to provide early opportunities to nurture an interest in coding and other technology-essential career fields.

Importance of the Study

-code.org

Importance of the Study

- code.org

Computer Programmers’ Salaries

Job Outlook for Programmers

Technical Writers’ Salaries

Job Outlook for Technical Writers

Background perspectives

• Fortunately, there are free interactive, multimedia, coding/programming utilities such as Scratch, GameSalad, and Gamestar Mechanic. Kalelioglu and Gulbahar (2014) credit Scratch with helping “students to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively; all of which are essential skills required for the 21st century.”

• Torres (2009) used Gamestar Mechanic to ascertain “systems-thinking skills” in middle school students, with promising results.

• Krishnendu, Rousse, and DeMeritt (2012) regard GameSalad as one of several “NPEs (Novice Programming Environments)” whose purpose is “lowering the barrier of initial entry to programming.”

Reflection

While the aforementioned software programs do not

constitute an exhaustive list of what is available to 21st century learners, they provide interested parties with resources that might be used to advance 21st century learning, engage students, promote higher-order thinking, and prepare youths for the career paths of the future. Early involvement with programming languages not only overtly prepares learners with technological skills and thinking, but it also promotes soft skills acquisition. Hopefully, more schools will realize the benefits of implementing programming courses and afterschool clubs as early as possible. Given the rate of technological advancement, there is arguably no time to lose, if we desire to prepare our students for the demands of the near future.

References • Balcar, J. (2014). Soft skills and their wage returns: Overview of empirical literature. Review of Economic

Perspectives- Narodohospodarsky Obzor, 14(1), 3-15.• • Blaszczynski, C. & Green, D.J. (2012). Effective strategies and activities for developing soft skills, part 1. Journal of

Applied Research for Business Instruction, 10(1), 1-6.• • Brennan, K. (2013). Learning computing through creating and connecting. Computer, 46(9), 52-59.• • Dekhane, S., Xu, X., & Tsoi, M.Y. (2013). Mobile App Development to Increase Student Engagement and Problem

Solving Skills. Journal of Information Systems Education, 24(4), 299-308.• • Gershenfeld, A. (2011). From player to designer. Knowledge Quest, 40(1), 55-59.• • Kafai, Y., Fields, D., & Burke, W.Q. (2010). Entering the clubhouse: Case studies of young programmers joining the

online Scratch communities. Journal of Organizational and End User Computing, 22(1), 21-35.• • Kalelioglu, F. & Gulbahar, Y. (2014). The effects of teaching programming via Scratch on problem solving skills: A

discussion from learners’ perspective. Informatics in Education, 13(1), 33-50.• • Koh, K. (2013). Adolescents’ Information-creating behavior embedded in digital media practice using Scratch. Journal

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References• Krishnendu, R., Rousse, W.C., & DeMeritt, D. B. (2012). Comparing the mobile novice programming environments: App inventor

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Retrieved from http://www.blog.rht.com/65-percent-grade-school-kids-will-jobs-dont-yet-exist-prepare• • Salen, K. (2007). Gaming literacies: A game design study in action. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 16(3),

301-322.• • Savignano, M., Williams, M.K., & Holbrook, J. (2014). Yes, your students can create games that land in the Apple App Store.

Learning and Leading with Technology, 41(5), 26-29.• • Torres, R.J. (2009). Learning on a 21st century platform: Gamestar Mechanic as a means to game design and systems-thinking

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33(9), 26-32.• • • United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2013). Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved from

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-programmers.htm