Learning the fundamentals of programming can be helpful in
understanding how software works. Learning programming basics also helps
students develop a better understanding of “if, then” logic which can be
applied to a wide variety of academic areas. Here are five iPad apps that can
help students learn some programming basics.
The Tynker iPad
app features stories that students
animate by completing a series of programming challenges. The programming
happens by organizing a series of blocks that represent commands. The
Tynker iPad app provides the first story / programming challenge for free. The
subsequent challenges require in-app purchases. Students older than ten or
eleven may find the challenges too simple.
Daisy the Dinosaur is
a free iPad app designed to introduce young students to some programming
basics. The app asks students to create commands for Daisy the Dinosaur to
carry out. There is a free play mode in which students can make Daisy do whatever
they want. But to get started you might want to have students work through the
beginner challenges mode. Daisy the Dinosaur could be used with students as
young as Kindergarten age. For older students older than eight or nine, try one
of the following two apps.
Hopscotch is a
free iPad app that introduces students to programming logic. In Hopscotch
students put command boxes into order to make cartoon avatars move and draw
lines. Students can program one or all of the cartoon avatars to move and
follow commands based on touch or on the movement of their iPads. Using
Hopscotch is a logical next step after completing the challenges in Daisy the
Dinosaur.
Cargo Bot is
a fun and challenging game that students can play to learn some principles of
logic and programming. The object of the game is to program a robot to complete
increasingly complex sequences of tasks. Students start out by programming the
robot to move one box from point A to point B. After successfully programming
the robot students are advanced to programming more complex tasks like a
repeating loop of movements and staggered movements.
Kodable is an iPad app that introduces children to logic and
programming through a simple visual interface. The app present students with a
series of mazes through which they have to guide the “Fuzz” character. To guide
Fuzz through the mazes students have to drag and drop boxes into place. On the
beginning levels students can move one block at a time and see the results
quickly. As the levels get more difficult students have to start to think a few
moves ahead.
Reposted from iPad
Apps for School by Richard Byrne
