# A Game-Centered, Interactive Approach for Using Programming Exercises in Introductory Physics

## TL;DR

This paper introduces an interactive, game-like programming exercise approach for teaching introductory physics, designed to be simple, browser-based, and engaging for beginner programmers, with positive student feedback.

## Contribution

It presents a novel, game-centered method for integrating programming exercises into physics education tailored for beginners, with a focus on interactivity and curriculum integration.

## Key findings

- Students found the exercises appropriately challenging.
- Students enjoyed the game-like programming activities.
- The approach was well-received across four semesters.

## Abstract

Incorporating computer programming exercises in introductory physics is a delicate task that involves a number of choices that may have a strong affect on student learning. We present an approach that speaks to a number of common concerns that arise when using programming exercises in introductory physics classes where most students are absolute beginner programmers. These students need an approach that is (1) simple, involving 75 or fewer lines of well-commented code, (2) easy to use, with browser-based coding tools, (3) interactive, with a high frame rate to give a video-game like feel, (4) step-by-step with the ability to interact with intermediate stages of the "correct" program and (5) thoughtfully integrated into the physics curriculum, for example, by illustrating velocity and acceleration vectors throughout. We present a set of hour-long activities for classical mechanics that resemble well-known games such as "asteroids", "lunar lander" and "angry birds". Survey results from the first activity from four semesters of introductory physics classes at OSU in which a high percentage of the students are weak or absolute beginner programmers seems to confirm that the level of difficulty is appropriate for this level and that the students enjoy the activity. These exercises are available for general use at http://compadre.org/PICUP In the future we plan to assess conceptual knowledge using an animated version of the Force Concept Inventory originally developed by M. Dancy.