Scratch is certainly a powerful entry point for the type of learning president Obama called for, which is “how to actually produce stuff” with computers. Playing with Scratch reminded me how powerful it is for a language that uses building block code, and made me reconsider it for introducing fundamental programming to the non-coders in the classroom. Scratch is a powerful way to support goals like Brian’s of teaching kids to make–but it’s for more than just kids. Scratch provides a platform for anyone to try making animations, interactive experiments, and games. Scratch is highly visual and intended to provide a clear introduction to code.
Scratch is accessible in classroom teaching. It has free downloadable versions for windows and Mac for classes in labs where installing software is tricky. There’s also a web based version that worked well for me. The Getting Start guide takes you through most of the basic features, and there are tons of video tutorials for more advanced projects. There’s also a strong community through learning by sharing: uploaded projects can be downloaded and their code examined for inspiration.
"Programming for all" is fulfilled through an approach to coding that is highly sprite-based and intuitive. What I particularly like about Scratch from a programming perspective is how the tool doesn’t obscure the logic of the code. The block-based code structure is drag and drop, but most of the fundamental structures are available. For instance, commands for responding to player input can be attached to a sprite and used to create a player-controlled character. All the statements are already there for the user to drag and configure, with different options controlled by typing in a new number or selecting a key from a menu. With all the user friendly interface, Scratch can help student achieve their bold imagination in art and design. It enhances student's creation process and helps execute the ideas in practical.
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