Towards a taxonomy of support systems in serious games about programming

Abstract

Serious games (SG), designed for purposes beyond entertainment, have gained popularity in engaging
students in programming education. One crucial aspect of SG is a support system, which plays a pivotal
role in achieving their educational objectives. However, there is a lack of consensus in the literature
regarding the terminology and classification of support systems, leading to inconsistencies and varying
interpretations among researchers. To address this gap, this ongoing research presents the Taxonomy of
Support Methods for Serious Games for Programming (TSM-SGP). This taxonomy provides a systematic
approach to identifying and categorizing support systems, specifically in the domain of programming. It
offers clarity in categorizing support systems, enabling researchers, educators, and game designers to
gain a deeper understanding of their roles and effectiveness. Additionally, the taxonomy reveals
insightful relationships between support methods and their properties, contributing to the development
of effective SG.