"Age of computers:" an innovative combination of history and computer game elements for teaching computer fundamentals

Abstract

Age of computers (AoC) is an online multiplayer game used in teaching of computer fundamentals in a M.Sc. study in computer science. It supplements traditional auditorium lectures by a rich set of problems in a computer game like environment. The story of the game is linked to the historical periods (epochs) of computers, and the content is organized in rooms or places on a map. A chat window for each historical period is used for communication with other students and teaching assistants. The first version of AoC was used in a class with 250 students. Almost all students agreed that "AoC is more motivating than traditional exercises", and a majority claimed that they learn more through AoC than by traditional exercises. We are currently working on an improved version of AoC for the 2004 fall semester based on the feedback from an extensive questionnaire.

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