Background

For the past three weeks, I have explored the programs Scratch and E-Toys. While both programs provide the user the ability to write various programs, it is my impression that Scratch is far more intuitive, user friendly, and has greater accessibility to a larger set of tools.

While the most apparent uses for Scratch include the creation of geometric figures, a program demonstrating gravity, and other mathematical/scientific applications, there are also some secondary uses/benefits.

One such example is highlighted in the essay titled “Creative Coding: Programming for Personal Expression.” The primary argument made by the authors, Kylie Peppler and Yasmin Kafai, is that “Here, we argue that it’s not just in the viewing or playing of digital media but also in the constructive – or coding – experience through which connections to art can be established.” For them the less traditional use is more preferable: “even when computer science is a part of the traditional curriculum, programming projects tend to focus on mathematical and science content.” Furthermore, their essay acknowledges that, as is the case with OLE Nepal and the OLPC model, little evidence exists demonstrating the benefits of ICT in education. One result of this is that little documentation exists clearly explaining how to use computers in education.

The potential of getting youth interested in technology has not been realized in computer science nor in arts classes, representing a missed opportunity for arts education especially since many involved in changing the absence of women and minorities in information technologies have argued for alternative approaches in computer classes to broaden participation.

Clearly, our focus with the OLPC model is not to educate students as technology experts, however, the correctly designed curriculum will provide ICT literacy, while filling a much needed gap in available learning tools, in addition to providing a “virtual laboratory.” Where Epaati is the digital textbook, Scratch will serve as the “virtual laboratory.” In addition to mathematical and scientific uses, Scratch will provide an additional medium for student collaboration and an potentially infinite source for creative outlet.

Before continuing into proposed uses, I would like to elaborate on student collaboration, and how Scratch can provide a unique medium for increased collaboration. In his article titled “Astounded in Arahuay”, Ivan Krstic discusses a trip to Arahuay Peru to observe the outcomes at one of the Peruvian Pilot schools. The administrators told him the three greatest benefits of using the XO:

The second thing, Mrs. Cornejo jumped in, is that the kids used to be pretty selfish, an unsurprising consequence of the abject poverty in much of Peru. It’s not that the kids are starving, it’s just that they don’t have very much; what they do have, they’re reluctant to share. With the laptops, the kids had to turn to each other to learn how to use them. Then they realized it was easy to send each other pictures and things they’ve written — and it became commonplace. The sharing, asserts Mrs. Cornejo, extended into the physical world, where once jealously-guarded personal items increasingly started being passed around between the kids, if somewhat nervously.

With Scratch, collaboration comes through the sharing of programs, which can do everything from draw a square to run a short film, all created by the user with fairly limited training.

Strategy

So how do we best utilize the features of Scratch to supplement the sub-projects already being undertaken by OLE Nepal? The first, and most clearly defined, is through the creation of activities designed to complement the learning objectives in any given class(grade). For Class 2 this could include drawing geometric shapes and showing the relationship between different areas. For Class 6, applications could include experimenting with lines, creating mazes, and drawing parabolas.

Outside of these areas, there are scientific possibilities as well, including programs that show the spread of disease, or short films explaining specific areas researched by students. For instance, each student in a class could be assigned a vocabulary word to define graphically with a Scratch video. Through this collaboration, each student would then have access to a graphical definition of all vocab words, all the while becoming more computer literate as an added bonus.

One item of critical importance is that the concentration in using Scratch focus on the applicable lesson, and not on program issues within Scratch. To prevent the focus from shifting to Scratch, it is therefore necessary to develop Scratch lesson plans that will gradually teach the students more about how to use Scratch as they progress from one year to the next. Fortunately it is this area that has the most accessible existing material.

For our part, to make Scratch a successfully usable tool, we will have to pair clear lesson plans with learning goals from each year, taking the burden off of the teachers, and giving them another tool, albeit a relatively robust one.

Implementation

To transform the potential of Scratch into a reality, there are several steps which need to happen.

The first step involves the creation of graduated Scratch lessons, comprehensive enough to ensure that any lesson plans undertaken in any given year are easily achievable from a programming standpoint.

The second step involves the creation of lesson plans for Classes 2 and 6, as quickly as possible. Additional classes can be added as required, however, OLE Nepal’s goal should be to complete these lesson plans before they become necessary.

The final necessary step involves the creation of a location for publishing, storing lesson plans. My inclination is through the creation of a wiki, because this would enable collaboration from abroad, and add depth to our lesson plans.

Conclusion

Scratch is unquestionable superior to E-toys. That schools in Nepal lack access to laboratories is a problem. Fortunately, Scratch is an easily accessible solution to this problem. It will take some work to turn the potential of Scratch into a reality, but my feeling is that the benefits far outweigh the costs, both directly through lesson related material and indirectly through secondary benefits ranging from artistic expression and collaboration, to improved ICT literacy and introduction to computer programming.