30.1.18 – Coding

Today we were looking at coding using the Scratch Jr app on the iPad.  Previously we have looked at programming using BeeBot and I would view Scratch Jr as a progression from that.  Moving from the basic concept that pushing the buttons in a sequence programs the BeeBot to carry out that action.

Scratch Jr is aimed at children approximately 5-7 years old.  The basic principle of the app is that the user has access to a variety of different backgrounds, objects and characters etc which can be selected to be used in their own programmed interactive story or game.  Creating the program is a relatively easy process that involves joining program blocks that can be dragged and snapped together to form the code that will make the story or game work.  It involves several skill sets such as:

Creative thinking

Imagination

Decision making

Problem solving

Collaboration

This is by no means an exhaustive list!  As a learner I found the app a little frustrating to start off with but I soon found my way and was able to create some programs.  There would be more than enough options for a user aged between 5 and 7 to create their programs, perhaps at times I felt a little frustrated that I couldn’t quite get it to do what I wanted but on reflection I think that was perhaps because my aspirations were more advanced than either a) the app is designed to allow or b) my own ability…. I created an interactive story called Jacks Dream.  Going through this process as a user allowed me to see what the possible benefits in the classroom would be over and above the introduction of coding to the children.  I felt it was clear that it would be an excellent tool to encourage and assist with creative writing tasks in Literacy.  For example, pupils could be asked to create their story within the app and then move on to writing the story out.  Some children might find this easier as they are not initially faced with the overwhelm of a blank page to write on.  It might also be helpful to children who are less confident in the use of descriptive words or struggle with story structure.  The format of creating the code will encourage them to think about logical structure and order of events and also allows for changes with relative ease instead of being faced with rubbing out or scoring through written work they were unsatisfied with.  Once the story, or start of a story has been programmed the transition to writing will be much more exciting as the idea will already be well formed in their head.  The teacher might also choose to create their own story to carry out a ‘what happens next?’ format of writing with the class.  Of course, as mentioned in The Lead Project (2014) Scratch can be used to aid teachers in subjects like mathematics, music, art, design and information technology as well as Literacy making it an excellent cross curricular tool.

It is important in this digital era, that children are exposed from an early age to the concept that in order for many of the things they take for granted to exist somebody had to create the coding for it.  I feel it affords them a greater depth of understanding and appreciation of ‘how it works’.  Accessing apps such as Scratch Jr allows them to make the initial steps from being a digital user to a digital creator. This is in agreement with the observations of Naughton (2012) who discusses why this is quite so important.  He goes so far as to say that if we fail to teach our children to code we are ‘intellectually crippling them’.  He reasons that without a deep understanding of how the systems that control most of our world operate we leave them no option but to be a latent user in a rapidly advancing world. In 2014 the Government announced that all children from 5-16 in all schools in England would be taught to code.  This can only be a good thing for not only our learners but for wider society. The Curriculum for Excellence here in Scotland supports the permeation of technology throughout the curriculum from 3-18.  Things are changing in education, and they need to, especially if we consider the thoughts of those such as Prensky (2008).  He believes the single skill that will distinguish a literate person in the 21st century is programming literacy.  To have the ability to make digital technology do whatever is required.  Some are now referring to it as the skill of human-machine interaction but simply, it is programming.

Using Scratch Jr in the classroom might seem a world away from creating the elite programmers of tomorrow but in my opinion, it is no different to the early processes of teaching a child to write who then goes on to become an author.  We start at the beginning and help them grow.

 

REFERENCES

Naughton (2012)Why all our kids should be taught to code [Online] http://www.theguardian.com/education/2012/mar/31 [Accessed 3.2.18]

Prensky, M (2008) Programming: The New Literacy  [Online] http://classtap.pbworks.com/f/Prensky+-+Programming:+The+New+Literacy.pdf [Accessed 3.2.18]

Scottish Executive (2004) Curriculum for Excellence. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive

The Lead Project (2014) Super Scratch Programming Adventure: Learn to Program by Making Cool Games! No Starch Press

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