Problem Solving and Collaboration when School Children Develop Game Designs

Digital technologies in combination with creative activities have been in-troduced in schools as a strategy for learning and teaching activities offering scaffolding opportunities. In recent years digital game-based learning (DGBL) activities also has been tried out in schools. In this paper, we ex-amine how collaboration between school children is configured in problem solving activities whilst developing digital game designs. The study is based on a case of a creative workshop with school children (9-10 years of age) where game design activities were applied. Game design activities with the participating children, creative materials and technologies and chil-dren’s actions as well as interactions are analysed by using interaction analysis and parts of content analysis. The research questions concern the patterns, features, and challenges emerge among 9 to 10-year-old school children when collaboratively engaged in problem solving activities? The results of the study show that a sense of community emerged when the children worked on solving the problem of designing and producing a digi-tal game. Hence, when designing for mutuality, the design should allow for the participants’ experience acknowledging an affective awareness of a shared purpose.