2013 Research Snapshot

Scalable Game Design Research Snapshot
Scalable Game Design (SGD) project at the University of Colorado at Boulder is in its 6th year conducting validated research funded by National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (iTEST) program and Computer Education for the 21st Century (CE21) program.

The MISSION of SGD project is to reinvent computer science and STEM education in public schools by:


 * creating and testing a computer science curriculum that impacts student’s motivation, performance, ownership, and engagement:
 * in all students including girls and under-represented populations
 * in a variety of locations including technical hub schools to remote rural schools and in the United States and beyond
 * taught by teachers trained in the curriculum by face to face, online, or blended (combining face to face and online) professional development


 * determining how instructional approaches influence:
 * student dispositions toward technology and computing education, including the likeliness to continue in computer science education
 * learning outcomes such as use of computational thinking patterns in different learning contexts

Who is Participating in Scalable Game Design Project?

For the 2013-2014 school year the following are confirmed to collect research data:
 * 65 schools and organizations
 * vast majority are public schools using the curriculum in classrooms
 * a few private schools
 * a few community based enrichment programs (e.g. after-school programs)
 * majority middle schools (ages 11 – 14), with an increasing number of high schools and elementary schools utilizing the curriculum
 * 70 classroom teachers
 * 3,000 students participants are anticipated (of the students creating and submitting games, typically ½ submit research data)
 * anticipate ~ 45% girls (average participation in K-12 computer science courses is <10%)
 * 13 states
 * California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming
 * 3 countries outside of the USA
 * Brazil, Germany, Thailand

Cumulative participation between 2009 – 2013 (estimated):
 * >93 schools and organizations
 * >125 teachers
 * >13,000 students
 * >15 states

School Participation Beyond Research Implementation:

It is important to note that exposure to this project is not limited to those schools, teachers, and students that have submitted research data to-date. For example, in 2012, 25 schools returned research data, but an additional 19 for a total of 44 schools and organizations utilized the project in some way to impact their student population. 28 instructors submitted data, but an additional 29 instructors who have been trained and introduced the project to students brought the total number of participating instructors to 57. This implies a far greater reach and impact on students in addition to data collection numbers indicate.

Some of the instructors and organizations participating but not collecting data have purchased software and use it but no longer collect data. Another sub-group introduced students to the project but collect data in future semesters. Others piloted game design in their classrooms in exchange for student feedback instead of research data. Yet others teach in population groups that have difficulty returning permission forms so the students design games but those games cannot be used to analyze data without the forms.