Game-Themed CS1/2: Empowering the Faculty

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This project develops materials, training, and support structures for faculty to use in integrating game-themed content into their introductory computer programming courses with minimal impact on their existing curriculum. Through tutorials and workshops, faculty members are empowered to take advantage of game-themed Computer Science education to attract, engage, and retain students in introductory programming courses. A programming language-independent game-themed library is being defined based on previous platform-specific results. The library is then implemented based on Java and C#. A number of engaging demonstration examples, assignments, and tutorials are being designed and then implemented in Java and C#. Assessment of the effectiveness of using the new assignments and tutorials provides formative input in refining these materials. Each of the four teaching modules being developed abstracts and hides the details of computer graphics and games so that neither faculty nor students need any previous background in these areas. Additionally, the modules are self-contained and limited in scope so that faculty can pick and choose a subset to integrate into existing classes. The work is both student- and faculty-centric because it is designed to address the needs of both. Faculty at Cascadia Community College and North Seattle Community College, along with faculty at Willamette University, Evergreen State University, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Washington Bothell are involved in testing the ease of use and efficacy of the materials.