The use of commercial video games helps students to learn basic programming
The use of commercial video games helps students to learn basic programming
The use of commercial video games helps students to learn basic programming
Xavi Aguilar, Rubén Permuy
June, 3, 2025
Summary
A study by researchers at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) found that commercial video games like Human Resource Machine and 7 Billion Humans can enhance beginners’ confidence and learning in programming courses. Over six weeks, students from diverse backgrounds showed increased interest, self-efficacy, and understanding of computational thinking. The games helped learners, especially career changers, grasp abstract programming concepts in an engaging way. Despite occasional frustration with game difficulty, participants valued the experience. The researchers suggest supplementing games with guidance materials and are exploring broader implementation at UOC’s Coding School, pending licensing solutions and integration with structured curriculum levels.
Reference
The use of commercial video games helps students to learn basic programming. (2025, June 3). Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. Retrieved from https://www.uoc.edu/en/news/2025/video-games-to-learn-programming