Use of digital game creation tools in computer assisted language learning: A systematic literature review

Abstract

This chapter aims to analyse some of the most popular contemporary end-user development tools for designing learning games with a special focus on foreign language learning. To this end, we first describe different authoring tools (e.g., Scratch, AppInventor, CoSpaces, Alice, GameSalad, GameMaker and Gamelearn) that can be easily used by teachers as well as students with no programming experience to create games that are consistent with their teaching and learning needs. Then, we analyse studies that explore how these tools have been used up to the present to support foreign language learning. With this purpose in mind, we conduct a systematic literature review to identify and analyse the most relevant empirical studies on the topic published between 2011 and 2021. The results of our analysis shed light on the potential of end-user development tools to both design language learning games as well as teach computational thinking and coding skills. According to the studies analysed both could benefit language learning.