| Title: |
Applying Participatory Design for Developing an Unplugged Game to Learning Graph Theory |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Ana Paula da Silva; Aluizio Haendchen Filho; Edilson Ferneda; Hércules Antonio do Prado (ORCID 0000-0002-8375-0899); André Luís Alice Raabe |
| Source: |
Educational Technology Research and Development. 2025 73(4):2645-2662. |
| Availability: |
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/ |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
18 |
| Publication Date: |
2025 |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Reports - Research |
| Education Level: |
Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education; High Schools |
| Descriptors: |
Educational Games; Graphs; Computer Science Education; Teaching Methods; Middle School Students; Foreign Countries; Learning Activities; Computation; Thinking Skills; Skill Development; High School Students; Instructional Effectiveness; Learner Engagement; Play |
| Geographic Terms: |
Brazil |
| DOI: |
10.1007/s11423-025-10500-2 |
| ISSN: |
1042-1629; 1556-6501 |
| Abstract: |
Teaching Computer Science concepts, such as graph theory, is often challenging. This study proposes an approach for teaching graph theory using an unplugged game ("GraphGame") developed through a participatory design process that includes usage observation, clarifying meaning, prototyping, and implementation. This process was carried out with a group of Brazilian middle school students and involved collecting observations, interviews, ideation activities, and iterative prototyping with quantitative and qualitative tests. The game offers an interactive way to explore graph algorithms, improving abstraction capacity, a skill related to Computational Thinking. The effectiveness of the game in facilitating the learning of fundamental graphs concepts among high school students was evaluated with an independent sample of students. The results pointed out the proposal as a promising alternative for teaching graph theory, a complex computing topic, in an engaging way. By enhancing playful learning, this work offers an alternative to make teaching Computer Science more enjoyable and effective. |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| Entry Date: |
2025 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ1483810 |
| Database: |
ERIC |