A case study on the application of a role playing game to support the teaching of software product construction

Software engineering is a subject that enables students to develop software. Despite its importance, one challenge in teaching it is finding educational methods that inspire students and help them acquire the knowledge necessary to work in the industry. This article presents ConES , a role-playing game that can be used to support the teaching of software engineering, focusing on the construction of software products.The research is applied, exploratory and descriptive, combining qualitative and quantitative evidence. Following a systematic literature mapping, the game design and the validation of two prototypes, an exploratory case study was conducted in a classroom with 20 Computer Science students, using a learning style questionnaire, a background and motivation questionnaire, a nine item feedback questionnaire on a four point scale, and a SWOT analysis. The global feedback index reached 3.59 out of 4.00, 92.2% of the 180 ratings were positive, and all nine items were significantly above the midpoint of the scale. The fun and challenge of the dynamics rated highest and the amount of building blocks lowest, and 90% of participants considered that other subjects would benefit.The results showed the effectiveness of ConES as a support tool and its applicability in a teaching environment.