Students new to computer science can find entry-level coursework unrelatable, while their advanced peers complain of boredom. To engage all students appropriately, a student-led team at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) created and taught a summer course using Battleship, a naval strategy game where students program virtual ships to compete in missions and battles. Visitors will get an interactive taste of Battleship activities without having to program. We will share how Battleship adapted to student perspectives, including the widespread fear of command-line programming. With the support of Mimir, a company that supports computer science in higher education, Battleship grew into an open educational resource (OER) with instructional materials freely available to any school.
