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For beginners up to about 12 years old, Scratch is optimal. For older ones I think a text-based language is better. In the past, that was BASIC. Today it can be
by chkas 4y ago
For beginners up to about 12 years old, Scratch is optimal. For older ones I think a text-based language is better. In the past, that was BASIC. Today it can be Python, with which beginners have some problems in my experience. And now comes the shameless self-promotion: I have developed something that can fill this gap. By the way, it is open source.
https://easylang.online/ide/ https://easylang.online/ide/
- ksaj 4y agoI like how under the (more) menu, you can step through the code. It not only teaches kids how their code works, it also indirectly teaches them how a debugger works. Where the trace shows, it would be even better if the variables could be edited, which brings it even closer to debugging, and also expands on how the program logic works.
- Wowfunhappy 4y agoI've seen Scratch described as "learning how to talk before learning how to spell". For beginning programmers, memorizing syntax is a major source of cognitive load. As a result, it's harder for them to practice the computational thinking skills that coding is really about. Scratch removes this barrier. I actually think Scratch is a good tool for beginners of any age, including adults.
- empressplay 4y agoLogo can also fill that gap, as it has for a very long time: https://turtlespaces.org/weblogo/ https://turtlespaces.org/weblogo/