PlayLOGO 3D: A 3D Interactive Video Game for Early Programming Education: Let LOGO Be a Game

´PlayLOGO 3D´ is a LOGO-like environment to implement Game Based Learning activities especially designed for children aged 6-13 years who learn the very basic instances related to programming. Its educational effectiveness is expected to be shown after school students get involved in formal programming lessons using LOGO or other languages. It is emphasized that students need an introductory level for programming based on their intuitive knowledge before getting involved with algorithmic concepts using formal programming tools. This paper outlines an approach for: A) Using a subset of LOGO language in a 3D environment, B) Propose an alternative method for pre-programming education and C) Design a Serious Games application to address all of the above. Usability evaluation results are discussed in later sections. While the enduser evaluation is still in progress, the Expert Review Method was used for initial evaluation based on a set of heuristics for game usability, game play and educational effectiveness.