Problem solving through digital game design: A quantitative content analysis

Project Tech engages secondary students (ages 14 to 17) in the process of digital game design in a variety of in-school, after-school, and secure settings. The goal of Project Tech is to leverage students’ interests in games and design to foster their problem-solving in a supportive environment where they learn to create games about a social issue they have experienced personally. The present study compares the in-school special needs version of Project Tech (n = 11) to examine problem solving. Students enrolled in Project Tech were guided in the process of designing digital games aimed at teaching younger students (ages 12–15) about social issues facing teenagers. A quantitative content analysis was conducted on 35 iterations of a directed design game and 35 iterations of a free design game created by special needs young people and director notes. The purpose of the study was to draw from the game iterations a list of empirically grounded problem solving attributes that are associated with digital game design in a special needs classroom. The findings of the study resulted in the understanding of problem solving with special needs young people in four areas: representative characteristics, planning characteristics, executing characteristics and evaluation characteristics.