Functional Video Games in the CS1 Classroom

Abstract

Over the past decade enrollments in Computer Science undergraduate programs have drastically dropped while simultaneously seeing demand for computer scientists in the job market increase. The reason for this disconnect is, in part, due to the perception new potential students have of programming as a dull activity requiring no creativity, very little social interaction, and endless hours of coding in front of a monitor. The question then is how can we capture the imagination of new students and perk their interest in a way that gets them excited while at the same time giving them a solid foundation in computer programming and Computer Science. This article puts forth the thesis that developing video games using functional programming should be a new trend in the CS1 classroom. The article describes the approach implemented at Seton Hall University using video game programming and Felleisen et al.’s textbook How to Design Programs. The first-year programming curriculum is briefly described and how to get students interested in programming through the development of a Space-Invaders-like game is illustrated. The presented development gives the reader a clear sense of how to use functional video games in the first semester classroom.