A Pilot Study Investigating Teachers’ use of Video Games in Programming Lessons

Education systems worldwide are increasingly incorporating computer programming into school curricula. Within programming lessons, commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) video games are being used as part of instruction. This approach has been shown to deliver many benefits, including increased engagement and positive attitudes towards the subject. Empirical studies have demonstrated that carefully selected COTS video games, primarily designed for entertainment purposes, have the potential to support pupils learning to program. For example, teachers can connect abstract programming concepts with concrete elements within the game. However, little attention has been directed towards the pedagogy employed in the classroom, including teachers’ reasoning for the approaches used. In addition, there is limited evidence for the motivation for learning provided through the use of COTS video games when used to support the learning of programming concepts. The objective of my study is to examine teachers’ and pupils’ perspectives on how COTS video games are used within computing education to support primary (9 - 11 years) aged pupils’ learning of programming concepts. The findings from my exploratory study will provide insights into classroom practices and contribute to the collective pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for teaching programming. A qualitative, multiple case-study approach is used in this research. Schools are visited when a lesson involving the use of COTS video games to support pupils’ learning of programming concepts is being delivered. Teachers’ PCK is examined through investigating their pedagogical reasoning. For a planned lesson, data is captured through the completion of a Content Representation (CoRe) and a semi-structured interview. Teachers’ pedagogical reasoning for their instruction and their subsequent reflections are elicited using an episodic narrative interview based on a video recording of the lesson. Self-determination theory is used to examine both teachers’ and pupils’ views on motivation for learning. Semi-structured interviews enable them to discuss intrinsic motivation and the fulfilment of their basic psychological needs. A pilot study has recently been completed in an English primary school. Within this paper, an initial analysis of the data is presented.