article

The curse of Monkey Island: holding the attention of students weaned on computer games

Author:

Brian C. LaddAuthors Info & Claims

Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, Volume 21, Issue 6

Pages 162 - 174

Published: 01 June 2006 Publication History

Abstract

As the Oblingers' survey of the Net Generation makes clear [15], the cohort of students now entering higher education are always connected and immersed in computing and communication technology. Engaging these students in a computer science course requires more than "Hello, World!" and calculating sales tax. This paper reports an attempt to leverage students' widespread interest in computer games while keeping the focus of the course clearly on the fundamental concepts of computer science. Programming a text adventure game challenges and motivates students in a project-based CS1.5 course. After three years using the text adventure game assignment it is our pleasure to report that it has met almost all of its goals. Due to student interest we have relaxed the standard C++ goal. Students are learning to communicate and have far more opportunities for speaking about computer programs than they ever did before.

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Cited By

Johnson CCall AHerrnstadt SCarter JUtting IClear A(2013)Learning elsewhereProceedings of the 18th ACM conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education10.1145/2462476.2462499(70-75)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2013
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2462476.2462499
Cliburn D(2012)A game design approach to CS2Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges10.5555/2168874.216892127:5(214-221)Online publication date: 1-May-2012
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/2168874.2168921
Settle AWilcox CSettle CGoda BSobiesk EConnolly R(2011)Engaging game design students using peer evaluationProceedings of the 2011 conference on Information technology education10.1145/2047594.2047614(73-78)Online publication date: 20-Oct-2011
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2047594.2047614
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Published In

cover image Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges

Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges Volume 21, Issue 6

June 2006

323 pages

ISSN:1937-4771

EISSN:1937-4763

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Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges

Evansville, IN, United States

Publication History

Published: 01 June 2006

Published in JCSC Volume 21, Issue 6

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Cited By

Johnson CCall AHerrnstadt SCarter JUtting IClear A(2013)Learning elsewhereProceedings of the 18th ACM conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education10.1145/2462476.2462499(70-75)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2013
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2462476.2462499
Cliburn D(2012)A game design approach to CS2Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges10.5555/2168874.216892127:5(214-221)Online publication date: 1-May-2012
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/2168874.2168921
Settle AWilcox CSettle CGoda BSobiesk EConnolly R(2011)Engaging game design students using peer evaluationProceedings of the 2011 conference on Information technology education10.1145/2047594.2047614(73-78)Online publication date: 20-Oct-2011
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2047594.2047614
Settle AGoda BSobiesk EConnolly R(2011)Computational thinking in a game design courseProceedings of the 2011 conference on Information technology education10.1145/2047594.2047612(61-66)Online publication date: 20-Oct-2011
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2047594.2047612
Heersink DMoskal BLewandowski GWolfman SCortina TWalker E(2010)Measuring high school students' attitudes toward computingProceedings of the 41st ACM technical symposium on Computer science education10.1145/1734263.1734413(446-450)Online publication date: 10-Mar-2010
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1734263.1734413
Shelton B(2009)Extensions of interactive fiction to the social sphereWell Played 1.010.5555/1806034.1806042(61-69)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2009
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/1806034.1806042
Brinda TPuhlmann HSchulte C(2009)Bridging ICT and CSACM SIGCSE Bulletin10.1145/1595496.156296541:3(288-292)Online publication date: 6-Jul-2009
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1595496.1562965
Brinda TPuhlmann HSchulte CBrézillon PRussell ILabat J(2009)Bridging ICT and CSProceedings of the 14th annual ACM SIGCSE conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education10.1145/1562877.1562965(288-292)Online publication date: 6-Jul-2009
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1562877.1562965
Shelton BNeville DMcInnis B(2008)Cybertext reduxProceedings of the 8th international conference on International conference for the learning sciences - Volume 310.5555/1599936.1599996(128-129)Online publication date: 24-Jun-2008
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Cliburn DMiller S(2008)What makes a "good" game programming assignment?Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges10.5555/1352079.135211523:4(201-207)Online publication date: 1-Apr-2008
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/1352079.1352115
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