Work in progress - a game-based learning system for software engineering education

This study develops and evaluates a game-based learning system for a software engineering course. The game-based system adopts a role-playing strategy proposed by a digital game-based learning model and is designed based on the educational theory of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge that integrates pedagogical knowledge, content knowledge, and technological knowledge. By using the system, students learn about the process of software development in a team-based environment. In this learning environment, learners play different characters, such as a project leader, a system analyst, a system designer, or a programmer. The learners are also able to conduct collaborative activities with other team members during the software development process. To evaluate the effectiveness of the system, thirty-four undergraduate students in a software engineering course were recruited to evaluate the system via a questionnaire. The survey results indicated that students had a positive learning attitude toward the system usage.