Scratch Jr.
Reviewed by TJ Bartholomew
Creator: MIT Media Lab
Date of Creation: July 2014
Operating Systems: iOS, Android, Chromebook
Cost: Free
Review: Scratch Jr is a very basic and introductory program for programming and coding using blocks intended for younger children. Creators use sprites and code said sprites by using blocks to assign them certain tasks in order to create coded animations. There is a more advanced version simply called Scratch. Since my demographic of students are a bit older, I’ve used Scratch as an enrichment opportunity for kids who need a little more of a push. Scratch Jr. is intended for even younger populations.
Scratch Jr could be classified as a knowlege & skill building app, manipulable, and constructive app. Since the app isn’t really integrated into schools, this app is moreso for exposing learners at a young age to visual programming. The program guides students to think creatively and systematically to work towards their desired results of their projects. Scratch Jr has more “open-ended design that allows users to create their own content..” ( Notair, Hielscher, and King; p 86).
References:
- Notari, M. P., Hielscher, M., & King, M. (2016). Educational apps ontology. In D. Churchill, J. Lu, T. Chiu, & B. Fox (Eds.), Mobile learning design (pp. 83–96). Springer.