Teaching Introductory Parallel Programming using Two-Player Online Games

Parallel programming is a powerful tool for computing tasks faster and more efficiently. Teaching an introduction to parallel programming requires explaining the fundamentals of parallelism, the various types of parallel programming constructs, and the tools and techniques used to build and debug parallel programs. Teaching introductory parallel programming can be a challenging task. This paper is an experience report, detailing how a two-player online game is built as a motivating focal point to engage students and explain various parallel programming concepts and constructs.