Students as Designers of Digital Games

Damian  Maher; David A Martin; Natalie McMaster; Stefan Schutt; Ben  Zunica

doi:10.4324/9781003490715-9

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Students as Designers of Digital Games

Damian Maher, David A Martin, Natalie McMaster, Stefan Schutt and Ben Zunica

Creative Technologies Education: Students as Digital Designers, pp.122-137

Routledge

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003490715-9

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Abstract

Science, technology and engineering curriculum and pedagogy

Curriculum and pedagogy

Technology education

Designing, programming, and using digital games are highly engaging activities and can be effective instructional approaches for supporting student learning. Often, students are users of the games rather than taking on the role of designers and developers, the latter of which requires computational and design thinking skills. This chapter presents a background on digital game design, the rationale for teaching and learning using digital game design, design tools, and examples of students as designers of digital games with links to curriculum outcomes. Drawing on research, the benefits, topics for inclusion, and pedagogical considerations involved in digital game design are investigated. In investigating this area, three vignettes of students as designers of digital games are provided. The main insights of the chapter focus on the multifaceted benefits of involving students as creators of digital games rather than mere consumers. It underscores that designing games helps develop critical twenty-first century skills—creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication (the 4Cs). The chapter illustrates how students can enhance their digital literacy, technical competencies, and computational and design thinking skills by engaging in game design. The process fosters creativity through storytelling, problem-solving, and artistic expression, while also promoting critical thinking by requiring students to evaluate and iterate on their designs.

Details

Title: Students as Designers of Digital Games
Authors: Damian Maher - University of Technology Sydney
David A Martin (Author) - Edith Cowan University
Natalie McMaster (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Education and Tertiary Access
Stefan Schutt - La Trobe University
Ben Zunica - The University of Sydney
Contributors: Matt Bower (Editor) - Macquarie University
Belinda von Mengersen (Editor)
Publication details: Creative Technologies Education: Students as Digital Designers, pp.122-137
Publisher: Routledge
Date published: 2026
DOI: 10.4324/9781003490715-9; 10.4324/9781003490715
Copyright note: This chapter has been made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.
Organisation Unit: Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre; School of Education and Tertiary Access; STEM in Education Research Theme
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991130505502621
Output Type: Book chapter

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