And, because it is a cloud tool, students can access and work on their projects from any computer or device simply by logging into their account. Users can create, edit and save their work all within Scratch environment. Scratch: “a low-floor, high-ceiling” tool for children with “wide walls”įinally, one of simplest, but most important, features of Scratch is that it is a cloud-based tool. It was designed from the beginning to allow for: Why? Because it has built-in features that support tinkering, creativity, sharing, discussion, remixing, experimentation, exploration.
#Scratch coding free
I think that the S cratch environment, which continues to be free and has been online for many years, is the best place for students when the focus is coding to learn.
#Scratch coding software
(Likewise, there are software development environments that are specifically designed to facilitate rapid application development and provide the essential tools a programmer needs.)
#Scratch coding code
Blockly and Scratch-like block code tools are great for providing options but, often, they are missing essential components that make the tool better as a learning and thinking tool.
There are lots of educational coding tools available but there are few coding to learn environments. For example, is the coding tool students are using in sync with the focus? This is the area where I am seeing some time wasted. If the focus is coding to learn, then I think there are other considerations, as well, beyond that of focus. I wrote about this a bit before in this post. I think BOTH will happen despite the focus but, I think, educators need to think about focus all the time and understand why their students are spending time coding. Students who are learning to code are learning to be adept at programming (e.g., good efficiency, algorithms, structure, design, readability, annotations, etc). Students are learning things through the act of programming when they code to learn. The question I want to raise is: which one is the primary focus when students are coding? Neither is better or worse than the other. ‘app’) for an end user is the primary focus. But the programmer is not trying to learn other things while programming. The efficiency and structure of the code is paramount as is the program’s capability to complete the computing task(s). A programmer puts together codes and symbols, in a highly logical, organized way, to instruct an electronic device to do something with sensor/device input or input data.
The fine details of the programming code itself is important, too, but not the primary focus. Ideas, problems, solutions are shared and discussed, and then improved or remixed, especially in collaboration. Projects are coded in a social environment. It’s a form of creative expression just like writing can be. Coding to learn (constructionism) - the focus is on being creative, designing things, sharing things, and learning concepts through the act of computer programming.Here are the terms again with an explanation as I see it: Often, they are getting mixed up and, as I see it, there is time and effort being wasted as a result. But computer science and computer programming also has a long history. Coding to learn in education has a long history. It’s not just learning about loops, variables, objects and if…then statements. Choice is great but it creates a new challenge for teachers - which tools are best for my students?īut coding in education is special. There are so many choices now for students and teachers (or anyone else looking at using coding in education). There are now too many coding tools, online and device-based, to keep up with. Scratch is the right place for coding and kids