IMPACT: An Unplugged Board Game to Introduce Programming Concepts in Primary Education

Abstract

Fundamental programming concepts and Computational Thinking (CT) are not sufficiently covered in early primary education in Switzerland, particularly in grades 3 and 4. This gap makes it challenging for students to grasp programming when first introduced in grade 5, as they lack foundational knowledge in sequences, loops, conditions, and events. Without structured exposure to these concepts at an earlier stage, students often struggle with understanding programming logic and syntax when transitioning to coding environments. The IMPACT project addresses this issue by developing an unplugged board game that introduces key programming principles in an engaging and age-appropriate way. Following the Educational Design Research (EDR) approach, the game was developed in an iterative process that involved structured literature review, expert interviews with teachers, and feedback from didactic specialists. The first prototype was evaluated with didactic experts before testing in primary school settings to ensure its pedagogical suitability. The game is designed to be both intuitive and scalable, allowing students to progress through different levels-starting with simple movement commands and advancing towards more complex programming structures such as nested loops, conditional statements, and event-based actions. In the initial qualitative research phase, four teachers participated in semi-structured interviews to explore their expectations, challenges in teaching computational concepts, and potential classroom applications of the game. Their insights were instrumental in refining the game mechanics, ensuring alignment with curriculum goals, and improving usability for both teachers and students. Findings from the second interview (after the game had been played in class) indicate that teachers appreciate the game's accessibility, adaptability, and effectiveness in preparing students for future programming lessons. Future research will focus on quantitative analysis, extended classroom testing, and further iterations of the game. Additionally, teaching materials and training modules for educators will be developed to support broader implementation. The findings contribute to discussions on game-based learning approaches in computational education, offering practical insights into how unplugged activities can be effectively integrated into the early curriculum.