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by swannodette 6059 days ago
Scratch is definitely a cool introduction to the world of programming. But I worry that in its attempt to make programming accessible sets up kids for a rude awakening. Most "real" programming isn't like that at all. Yet the kind of code I wrote in the 80s in Apple BASIC isn't so different "in kind" from a lot of the code I write professionally today.

Sorry for posting so many comments: I'm a teacher so the issue of computers, programming, and education fascinates me to no end :)
1 comments
vorador 6059 days ago
How is scratch so different from other programming environments ?
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swannodette 6059 days ago
Typing. The physicality of an interaction is not to be understated. I've seen wizards with specialized interfaces (Flash, PhotoShop, Final Cut, etc) struggle miserably with text based input.
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vorador 6059 days ago
Yes, but programming is about patterns, and, in my opinion, patterns are more simple to spot visually than with text. It's maybe more important for a kid to learn that than learning about the "materiality" of programming.
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