STEM Fun Days

Why teach game programming?

There is increasing need for people, other than professional programmers to have some programming ability, for example adding some code to an Excel spreadsheet or Access database. Knowledge of programming concepts can help people understand how software packages work and make effective use of software even when no actual programming is required.

The educational value of game programming extends beyond providing an easy and interesting introduction to programming. Students learn about ICT, media and communication. Programming requires logical thinking, critical reasoning, problem identification and solving skills and persistence. Game programming develops knowledge of systems concepts e.g. coordinating timing and interactions between “sprites”, sensing and feedback.
 

Why choose Scratch?

Scratch is fun!

Because this workshop is during the school holidays it has to be enjoyable. There are many benefits to learning in a fun environment. Children are motivated and see learning as a satisfying enjoyable experience. Students engage with learning better when they are intrinsically motivated. Completing Scratch projects requires persistence but because students are working on projects that interest them, they are motivated to overcome challenges and frustrations.
 

Scratch is easy

The Scratch language and the development environment are designed to be intuitive and easily learned by children without previous programming experience. 
Scratch is based on sprites which can be moved and manipulated. Code fragments are represented by coloured blocks that are organized into 8 groups: movement, looks, sound, pen, control, sensing, numbers, and variables. The blocks are dragged into the scripts area to make scripts for each sprite. Syntax errors are avoided because the blocks are shaped to click together with appropriate blocks. When testing, variables can be displayed to assist in debugging and understanding how the scripts are working. Variables and blocks can be changed while the program is running.
 

Scratch is creative

Scratch encourages creativity, both thinking of ideas for projects and finding ways to overcome difficulties in implementing them. Many different types of projects can be done. Music can be added to Scratch or even written within Scratch. Photos and graphics can be imported and edited.
 

Scratch encourages sharing

Completed projects, including code, can be uploaded to the Scratch website where they can be viewed by anyone. Scratch users can download the code and modify or extend it to make their own project or to learn new techniques. There also forums and opportunities to add comments, etc.
 

Scratch is free and readily available.

Scratch can be downloaded for free. It has minimal system requirements and downloading and installation is quick and easy. There are many tutorials and other resources available online. This means that students, who learn Scratch in school or other lessons, can continue to work with Scratch and teach themselves at home. Some additional resources will be distributed for students to continue their learning journey after the workshops.
 

What skills does Scratch teach?

The document Learning with Scratch, 21st Century Learning Skills written by the creators of Scratch highlights the ways Scratch supports the development of key 21st Century learning skills.

 

I understand that not all students will want to become programmers, any more than each person that likes to look at stars will want to become a professional telescope builder.  We need people skilled in building telescopes and using telescopes, but a lot of people will simply want to enjoy the end result and the ability to peer into the universe at their fingertips.  Correspondingly, it's important for students to understand how programming works and examples like Scratch are an excellent entry point. I'm very interested in the problem solving skills and creativity it takes to go from a blank project to a working game, simulation or story that's fun and/or useful.  There are programming and problem solving pieces that go into making that game, story or simulation, and you can certainly get students started on that path with Scratch, and continue on to various programming topics as part of the problem solving / creative objectives.