Computer Programming Learning

Abstract

Gamification has attracted the attention of researchers from different areas such as marketing, health, sports, and education. Gamification integrates elements of game design in non-game context, with the purpose of engaging a person in a particular activity. This integration should follow a formal and precise design process. However, these gamification design processes for specific contexts are not still defined. This article presents a proposal for a gamification framework for online distance courses to learn how to program. This framework is composed of the following dimensions: target audience, general goals, learning outcomes, topics, contents, gamification, cognitive absorption, flow, and personality. This article also presents a review of the existing literature on these dimensions. The theoretical framework is a contribution to guide teachers in the gamification of online programming learning courses.