Pocket Code: a mobile app for game jams to facilitate classroom learning through game creation

TL;DR

This paper introduces Pocket Code, a mobile app designed to facilitate classroom learning through game creation during game jams, leveraging the engaging and creative nature of such events.

Contribution

The paper presents Pocket Code as a novel mobile application that adapts game jam concepts for educational purposes in classroom environments.

Findings

High participation in global game jams demonstrates their appeal.

Pocket Code enables students to create games easily in classroom settings.

The approach fosters creativity and engagement in learning.

Abstract

Game jams are a way to create games under fast-paced conditions and certain constraints. The increase in game jam events all over the world, their engaging and creative nature, with the aim of sharing results among players can be seen in the high participation rate of such events (2013: 16,705 participants from 319 jam sites in 63 countries produced 3248 games) . This promising concept can be easily transferred to a classroom setting.