Articles:RAPUNSEL: Improving Self-efficacy and Self-esteem with an Educational Computer Game
From unthinkMedia
This paper talks about a 4 year study, using a realtime webbased programing software called RAPUNSEL, short for "real-time, applied programming for underrepresented students’ early literacy".
Software goal
"engaging environment in which to teach computer programming to middle school girls in a scalable, approachable manner that appeals to girls’ senses of curiosity and play, as well as their desire to communicate with one another."
The theoretical frameworks include: constructionism, case-based learning and video game-based Learning
Research Goals
"This study explores how a computer game in which players can use a programming language to solve problems and change their avatar and its behavior affects children’s—particularly girls’—motivation to program, their acquisition of programming concepts, and studies the extent to which girls' overall levels of confidence and self-efficacy are affected by the Peeps environment."
Results
the results of this study regarding an under represented computer science population (young girls) show how this game might influence:
- motivation
- self-esteem
- self-efficacy
