A Method for the Evaluation of the Quality of Games for Computing Education

Games are assumed to be an effective and efficient instructional strategy for computing education. However, it is essential to systematically evaluate such games to obtain sound evidence of their quality. In this regard, the objective of this research is to develop and evaluate an evaluation method (MEEGA+) providing a comprehensive support for evaluations of the quality of games used as an instructional strategy for computing education. The MEEGA+ method has been systematically developed and evaluated following a rigorous research method. Results of a reliability and validity analysis based on data collected from 62 case studies involving a population of 1048 computing students, as well as based on the perspective of 19 experts in educational games, indicate that the MEEGA+ is a valid and reliable method and provides a systematic support for quality evaluations of games. It can be used by game creators in the industry and/or academy, instructors, and researchers to evaluate the quality of games as a basis for their improvement and effective and efficient adoption in practice for computing