DecodeR: Gameful Activities for Introductory Programming
a talk about gamful activities where students solve puzzles while learning to program in R
Abstract
Gamification—integrating game elements (e.g., badges, levels, leaderboards) to trigger extrinsic motivation—has been lauded for increasing student engagement and motivation. While gamification may create a more engaging educational environment, the use of game related mechanics fosters a competitive system where students compete for the top “prize.” Alternatively, gameful learning—incorporating game characteristics into learning activities—promote greater intrinsic motivation. These gameful activities create an environment where students expend serious effort, act creatively, take risks, and collaborate.
Audience
This talk was presented at the 2024 electronic Conference on Teaching Statistics (eCOTS). The materials associated with this presentation are geared toward anyone teaching introductory programming in R. I’ve linked the GitHub repository with the activities, and we are happy to have people contribute more activities!