This document provides suggestions for ways to engage students who have become frustrated with Scratch programming, including focusing on core programming concepts, using physical computing with hardware like Picoboards and micro:bits, and exploring other block-based and text-based programming environments. It recommends reinforcing concepts through games and activities on sites like Code.org and moving students to text-based languages like Python once they are ready. Physical computing is highlighted as a way to help students see programming concepts in action and solve real-world problems.

1. What to do when they’ve had too much Scratch?
Neil Rickus
Senior Lecturer in Computing Education, University of Hertfordshire
@computingchamps
computingchampions.co.uk/serbia2017

2. Next 30 minutes
• Help alleviate “Death by Scratch”
– Focus on concepts
– Link in physical computing
– Other block based programming
environments
– Text based programming
• bit.ly/death_by_scratch – Phil Bagge blog post

3. Focusing on the concepts
• At KS2 (7-11 years), pupils need to write programs, which
including the following concepts:
– Sequencing
– Selection (if, then, else)
– Repetition
– Variables
– Inputs / outputs

4. Adding additional hardware
• Picoboard
• WeDo 2.0
• Pibrella
• Micro:bit
• Makey Makey
• SenseHat

5. Why physical computing?
• Opportunity to develop understanding of programming
concepts
• “Light bulb” moment!
• Links to other areas of the curriculum
– Science and DT, but many others
• Solve real world problems
– Not just “making a game today”
– Engaging to girls – casinclude.org.uk

6. More physical computing
• See my other presentation….
• computingchampions.co.uk/serbia2017

9. Picoboard / Lego WeDo 2.0
• Picoboard
– Cost - £40 board and connectors
– More info - www.picocricket.com/picoboard.html
• Lego WeDo 2.0
– Cost – £130 core set and software
– More info – education.lego.com/wedo2.0

11. Pibrella / micro:bit
• Pibrella (for use with a Raspberry Pi)
– Cost - £10 board (+ £30 for the Raspberry Pi)
– More info - pibrella.com
• micro:bit
– Cost – £13 board; £16 starter kit
– More info – microbit.org

14. SenseHat
• Sensehat (part of Astro Pi - astro-pi.org)
– Cost – £25 board
– More info – www.raspberrypi.org/products/sense-hat/
– N.B. Emulator available on Raspberry Pi
• Gyroscope; Accelerometer
• Magnetometer
• Temperature
• Barometric pressure; Humidity

16. Makey Makey /
• Makey Makey
– Cost - £40 board
– More info - makeymakey.com
– Example projects - vimeo.com/60307041

17. Block based programming environments
• Snap
• Kodu
• Minecraft (part of Kano)
• Tickle
– Physical devices, including drones

23. Reinforcing concepts
• Hour of Code – code.org
• Light Bot
• Code Combat
• bit.ly/gridofapps2016

25. Moving to text based programming
• Tickle
• Alice
• Swift Playgrounds
• Logo
• Sonic Pi
• Python

30. Don’t forget the rest of the curriculum
• Select, use and combine a variety of software (including
internet services) on a range of digital devices to design
and create a range of programs, systems and content that
accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing,
evaluating and presenting data and information
• Computer networks
• Search engines
• E-safety

31. Neil Rickus
Senior Lecturer in Computing Education,
University of Hertfordshire
@computingchamps
computingchampions.co.uk/serbia2017
TES EdTech special
digital.tes.com/EDTECHJAN17/ (pg. 41)
Hello World
helloworld.cc (pg. 44)