Software engineering education is challenging. To cope with various challenges of software engineering education, instructors at universities utilize different ways. One of these ways is to use games in education. In this study, a replication of a previous survey was conducted to check factors that impact on intructors' decision-making on selection of games in undergraduate software engineering education. Out of 287 invitations, a total of 42 valid responses were obtained. Based on the results, the authors observed that “the number of hours per week the instructor plays games,” “the instructor's experience in using games for educational purposes in general,” and “the instructor's experience in designing games for educational purposes” have significant impact on the instructor's decision-making on using games in software engineering education. The authors present the results and limitations of the study as well as plans for future research.
TopIntroduction
Software has important roles in many existing and future real-world problems (Huang et al., 2021). Software engineering education is challenging (Bollin et al., 2012; Carrington et al., 2005; Chen et al., 2008; Souza et al., 2018) since it is not a fully mature discipline with a diversity of scope and knowledge (Flores et al., 2016; Mishra et al., 2007; Letra et al., 2015). Games and gamification are seen to be a promising medium to address the challenges of software engineering (Haendler & Neumann, 2020, Malhotra et al., 2020).
Furthermore, game-based learning continues to develop and improve (Andrade et al, 2020, Ouhbi & Pombo, 2020), and it has attracted attention in higher education such as software engineering education (Calderón et al., 2018; Beatty & Alexander, 2008; Kosa et al., 2016; Regev et al., 2008; Smith & Gotel, 2007) in the past decade particularly due to its potential in supporting the students’ knowledge, engagement (Akpolat & Slany, 2014; Alserri et al., 2018; Baker et al., 2003; Cagiltay, 2007; Tillmann et al., 2013), motivation (Bai et al., 2020; Ivanova et al., 2019; Kurkovsky, 2009; Masrop et al., 2019), acquisition and cognitive development (Boyle et al, 2016; Garcia et al., 2020; Zhonggen, 2019).
Software engineering covers a wide range of topics and knowledge, hence it requires application of various teaching and learning techniques for an effective education (Flores et al. 2016). Teaching software engineering in its many different forms using traditional teaching methods is challenging (Flores et al., 2020). Serious games are distinguished from other games by providing not only opportunities to experience fun (Corti 2006; Squire & Jenkins, 2003) but also solving difficult problems (Breuer, & Bente, 2010). Instead of traditional teaching methods, using serious games in software engineering education can be a solution to the problems of software engineering education (Evangelou et al., 2021; Caulfield et al., 2011; Rugeli, 2015).
Decision making of the instructors on the selection and utilization of educational methods (traditional or game-based learning) in the teaching and learning process is influenced by several factors such as acceptance of all stakeholders (instructors, administrator and students), availability and easy access, flexibility, and suitability of the subject, and the effort, restrictions, and skills involved in the use of these approaches (Marques et al., 2014).
Despite the existence of virtual universities, adaptive learning systems, and authentic simulation-based learning games, instructor-related factors have significant effects on utilized the teaching method and instructors are still important decision-makers in the use of games in education (Albayrak, 2015; Dondi & Moretti, 2007). According to Dondi and Moretti (2007), educators can be categorized into three groups: 1) using game-based learning as an integrative method for their traditional teaching, 2) using only a specific type of game (that many of them do not consider a game), such as simulations (for the specific subject matter), but are reluctant to try other typologies, and 3) never used game-based learning in their didactics due to different reasons.