It is a visual programming language designed for ages 8 and up. Scratch is a great platform for kids learning to code. The key is to learn the syntax of the code so you can write words in the required order so that computers can decipher and process them. Only then can computers perform the actions that programmers dictate. Because computers aren't actually smart, these instructions are written in code that must be parsed and compiled and transformed into machine language.
![scratch in code scratch in code](https://blogs-images.forbes.com/jordanshapiro/files/2015/06/MIT-Scratch_8.png)
But what is code, really? What exactly are programmers writing when they create software or fine-tune hardware?Ĭode is made up of algorithms: highly structured and ordered lists of instructions, much like a recipe.
![scratch in code scratch in code](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dtoSZmR9o40/maxresdefault.jpg)
And despite advancements in machine learning and AI, somebody has to write that code. Laptops, smartphones, video-game consoles, and even washing machines use code to work. The greatest tool an educator has in a coding classroom is the phrase, "I don't know let's find out together!"Ĭode is how you get a computer to do what you want it to do. It's all about problem-solving and learning how to find information. Whether you're new to coding or you've been doing it all your life, part of the process is making mistakes. That's one of the beauties of open source code: everyone is a learner, and everyone is a teacher. "But I don't know anything about coding!" you may be shouting at your computer. Over the next few weeks, I will be exploring how educators and parents can harness the power of coding to teach kids a wide variety of skills. In the first article in this series, I shared how my students taught me to code. The classroom looks very different than it did before, and it's going to continue to evolve.
![scratch in code scratch in code](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XM-6HHoghyU/maxresdefault.jpg)
With more kids learning from home this year, it's important to engage them with unique learning opportunities.