Designing Computer Games to Teach Algorithms

Abstract

Data structures and algorithms are important foundation topics in computer science education. However, they are often complex and hard to understand. Therefore, we introduce a new learning strategy that benefits from computer games' popularity and engagement to help students understand algorithms better by designing computer games that visualize algorithms. To teach an algorithm, an educational computer game, namely an algorithm game, must have a game-play that simulates the behavior of the visualized algorithm and graphics depict the features of its data structure.