Gregor Hrastnik, ERŠ, Šolski center Velenje, Velenje
At School of Electrical Engineering and Computing within the School Center Velenje we have been using Kodu Game Lab for promoting computer science for a few years. This school year it has also been used for regular school classes. Kodu Game Lab is a tool for making and playing 3-dimensional games. Using it, one can make a computer game without programming as well as develop logical and analytical thinking. During practical lessons in the 2nd year of our computer science programme we made a tutorial of making a simple game in Kodu. Students then developed their own games that could be used during classes in primary and secondary schools. Students made some interesting projects, ranging from linguistics to natural sciences. We then asked students to answer a questionare about pros, cons and classroom uses of Kodu. They liked the simplicity of the tool, as well as being fun and free of charge. They disliked the lack of features and objects for serious use. They answered that Kodu could be used as an enrichment in the classroom and as an introduction to programming and game development. Due to its simplicity, it can also be used in primary schools. We intend to continue using Kodu for promotion and as enrichment of regular classes.
