Game design with Scratch∗: Implications on computer support for collaborative learning

The purpose of this study was to examine learning effects and problem solving strategies in the context of elementary students designing games with Scratch. Due to the fact that all of the participants were not familiar with Scratch, they were taught its basics before the study began. The study involved 5 design sessions, and each last for three hours. In total, there were 12 participants divided into 4 groups; one group with 3 members was selected as the major research participants. Data were collected via videotaping the design process and analyzing student works. There are three major findings in this study. First, the participants had good learning outcomes with their own design of characters, backgrounds and codes. Second, in terms of time allocation, due to the constraints posed by the instructor, the students spent less and less time on creating characters, and more and more time on programming. But the time spent on creating backgrounds varied with the tasks. Third, the students solved problems by using different strategies, (1) by trial and error, (2) via group dialogues, (3) with the help of group experts and (4) by referencing examples on the websites.