Scratch logo
The Scratch programming language is a free, block-based, visual programming language developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2003. Designed to be easy-to-use, Scratch is a good stepping stone to other languages like Python and Java. It has been used in schools with students ranging from elementary to college level. Harvard University uses Scratch in their introductory computer science course.
Scratch is deceptively simple. Although it uses blocks instead of written code, it is a fairly powerful language. Experienced Scratch programmers are limited primarily by their imagination.
Why Learn Scratch?
Why bother to learn a "kid's" programming language? Let's look at a few good reasons:
- It's fun!
- It's easy! The intuitive visual interface makes it easy to understand the programming process and to "debug" your program to make it better!
- It's rewarding. Playing a game you made, or using an animation you created in a class project can be a source of great satisfaction.
- It's important! Learning to code isn't just for computer programmers. Part of information literacy is being able to write, create and express yourself with technology.
