Learning through Game Making: an HCI Perspective

One of the areas of Game-Based Learning (GBL) that has been attracting considerable interest in recent years is digital game making, whereby learners play games but also design, construct and share them as active participants in a learning community. Human Computer Interaction (HCI) is a critical aspect of processes and tools within game making, and plays a key role in ensuring that learning experiences are both engaging and educationally fruitful. In this light, this paper examines two different game authoring environments from an HCI perspective, taking account of certain interface characteristics can affect and shape the authoring process and thus have a potential bearing on educational effectiveness. The investigation draws on findings from an EU co-funded project called MAGICAL (MAking Games In CollaborAtion for Learning), which is exploring the potential that game making offers for activating key transversal skills such as problem-solving, creativity and ICT competency, particularly at primary school level.