Digital literacies and 21st century skills: the students’ game design and development experience

Cesar C. NavarreteLearning Technologies

Curriculum & InstructionUniversity of Texas at Austin

EdMedia 2014, Tampere, Finland

Game Design & Development

• Constructivist Learning environment• Constructionist approach involving

productivity skills• Computational thinking

Thomas, M. K. X. G., Ge, X., & Greene, B. A. (2011)

Robertson, J., & Nicholson, K. (2007)

Wing, J. M. (2006); Barr, V., & Stephenson, C. (2011).

Digital Literacies

• Design literacy• Visual & Media literacy• Text(&ing) literacy• Gaming literacy• Technology literacy• Code literacy, etc.

Hockly, (2012)

21st Century skills

• Creative Thinking• Collaboration• Problem solving Problem

Solving

Collaboration

Creative Thinking

Mishra, P., & Yadav, A. (2013)

Research Questions

• What are students’ perceptions of game design and programming in terms of digital literacy skills?

• How does game design support the students’ foundational 21st century skills?

Method

• Mixed-methods• Data sources

Survey questionnaire--CTPSCISelected individual student

interviewsStudent produced game artifactsClassroom observations

Setting

• Public Charter school in a southwestern US state• Student population included students 6-9th grade

Hispanic85%

African American12%

White, Not Hispanic3%

Students not in special popu-lations 46%

Exited ELL Students, 16%

ELL Students, 24%

ELL/SPED Students, 5% SPED Students; 9%

Game construction

• Daily technology class for all students• Flash based games with Action Script 2.0• Project-based• Online wiki design and development support

Creative Thinking Survey ItemsItem Mean

Standard Deviation

CT1 I am able to create new, original games in design class 5.62 1.24

CT2 I am NEVER able to create original games in design class 5.34 1.71

CT3 I am able to try new, original ideas when I design games. 5.65 1.25

CT4 I am able to be MORE creative in game design class than in my other classes.

5.15 1.59CT5 I can use my imagination in game

design class.5.70 1.44

Creative Thinking Items

CT1_a

ble_cre

ate

CT2_n

ever_a

ble

CT3_tr

y_idea

CT4_m

ore_cre

ate

CT5_im

aginati

on

CT6_d

ecisio

ns

CT7_n

ew_o

pport

CT8_u

nique_visu

al0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Strongly AgreeAgreeSomewhat AgreeNeutralSomewhat DisagreeDisagreeStrongly Disagree

N=193

Collaboration Items

CO1_play

_others

CO2_help

_others

CO3_collab

oration

CO4_nev

er_co

llab

CO5_talk

CO6_others

_listen

CO7_colla

b_deci

sion

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Strongly AgreeAgreeSomewhat AgreeNeutralSomewhat DisagreeDisagreeStrongly Disagree

N=193

Problem Solving Items

PS1_solve_problem PS2_never_solve PS3_learn PS4_learn_code PS5_info_decide0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Strongly AgreeAgreeSomewhat AgreeNeutralSomewhat DisagreeDisagreeStrongly Disagree

N=193

Survey Open Responses• “I love my game design class because I can be creative I can

learn some stuff that I never new what to do and I'm verry happy that I'm taking this class”

• “I really like the game design class because it is really fun creating games. I also like to learn new things, and here I am learning how to create my own game. Whenever I fix a problem with the codes to make my game work, I feel like I am able to do a lot. Game design class is really cool and I like helping people so they can learn how to do the things on their own.”

Code Talk: “Hard fun”

• I like Game Designing games and I like to draw the pictures. But the most thing I don't like about it is the coding.

• I don't Like this class that much because is hard working with codes.

Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms: Children, computers, and powerful ideas. New York: Basic Books

Student Interviews• Antonio in grade 7:

“It’s pretty fun but it’s kind of complicated with all the codes you have to put in to make a game. You have to design it first, make a game prototype and plan it out and add or take away from your game, the game prototype design. And, it’s pretty fun though. You learn from your mistakes.”• Terri in grade 9:

“I think it helps because, just to see other people’s point of view, about how their imagination is, what they would do and you can get an idea of how, if you make it like theirs or make it your own way, in a better way of being more original.”

Student Games

Implications

• Survey: CTPSCI (creative thinking, problem solving, & collaboration inventory)—potential instrument for 21st century skill

Problem Solving

Collaboration

Creative Thinking

Digital literacies in Game construction

1 Language-based literacies: linguistic codes2 Information-based literacies: filtering the wealth of information3 Connection-based literacies: networks and participatory4 (Re-)design-based literacies: design and re-purpose media

Pegrum(2011)Dudeney,Hockly,& Pegrum2012)

Engaged Learning

• Deep-level embodied learning—active, authentic, engaged learning

• K-12 Instructional design—Creating educational games

Vos, N., van der Meijden, H., & Denessen, E. (2011) Laird, T. F. N., & Garver, A. K. (2010) Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009)

Further research

• CTPSCI (creative thinking, problem solving, & collaboration inventory)—use in other settings or population

• “Soft” and “Hard” technology skills• Digital literacies—framing with empirical study

—code literacy

Thank you!

• Questions?Contact information:

Cesar C. Navarreteccnavarrete@utexas.edu

University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX, USA

Navarrete, C. C. (2013). Creative thinking in digital game design and development: A case study. Computers & Education, 69, 320–331.doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2013.07.025

Navarrete, C. C., (in press). Creative Thinking in K-12 Education: Game Design and Development Curricula for Digital Literacies and 21st Century Learning. In Advances in Game Design and Development Research, Nova Science Publishers Inc.