Studio K: a game development environment designed for gains in computational thinking (abstract only)

Studio K is a game design curriculum constructed to provide middle school students an engaging entry into computer science and programming. Developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the program employs Microsoft's 3D programming environment, Kodu, in tandem with support and analytic tools for facilitators, and an online community that provides players with a support system. These key features are bolstered with incorporation of telemetry data gathered through design sessions that are used to improve site functioning, curriculum relevancy, and administrative tools. This program is applied across contexts, with applications in formal classrooms, informal extracurricular clubs or camps, and alternative learning environments such as library systems or home schools. Studio K provides a well-supported, unique entry into computer science in which programming knowledge becomes a tool that supports learners' goals in designing and developing games.