ISEDJ

Abstract: Teaching game development has become an accepted methodology for introducing programming concepts and capturing the interest of beginning computer science and information technology (IT) students. This study, conducted over three consecutive semesters, explores game development using a gaming engine, rather than a traditional programming language, as a means not only to introduce programming concepts, but also to promote the development of information and communications technology (ICT) literacy skills among first-year business students. The paper argues that in addition to learning programming concepts, completing the steps involved to develop and publish an original game requires students to demonstrate a variety of IT skills. To be successful, they must be proficient at creating and editing multimedia, interacting with multiple operating systems and mobile devices, performing research online, transferring files from one machine to another, and uploading the files for their games to an app store and the web.

Keywords: app development, game development, ICT Skills, information technology literacy, programming

Download this article: ISEDJ - V14 N4 Page 54.pdf

Recommended Citation: Frydenberg, M. (2016). Game Development as a Pathway to Information Technology Literacy . Information Systems Education Journal, 14(4) pp 54-68. http://isedj.org/2016-14/ ISSN: 1545-679X. (A preliminary version appears in The Proceedings of EDSIG 2015)