When is an APP educational?

Caroline Reel ScratchJr Cost: Free Target Age: 5-7

What is this app all about?

ScratchJr introduces coding principles in through an interactive and creative format. Much of this app is what the student makes of it as trial
and error is a common process to reaching personal goals. This app allows students to incorporate sound and moving components to a blank
canvas only after proper instructions from the learner are computed. It’s a fascinating tool that is appropriate for any student being introduced
to code.

Characteristic Evidence Comments

Active: Minds ON!
● Mental effort for physical action
● Appropriate for age level
-Lo -The I just want to mention that ScratchJr allows students to
ScratchJr is difficult at first! Many times
program their own games, stories, scenes and images. This is
students are frustrated that their insertshigher level thinking and creating.
are not preforming or projecting in the
way they would like. There is a lot of
mental effort and patience required in
order to get the most out of the app. The
ScratchJr website suggests the
appropriate age level (5-7) so as to not
stifle a younger learner or be too much
of an elementary introduction to code. I
personally struggled on the app and
think there is value to its difficulty and
problem-solving method.
Engagement
● Students are able to lead their own
learning.
● Growth Mindset
● Free from distractions (action that
takes child away from goal)
● Flexibility in thinking
I can’t think of a better app that
demonstrates a student leading their own Often students will get stuck on a particular endeavor and
learning! The diligence required and need help. Honestly, the teacher will not always have the
healthy inquiry necessary makes this app answer but it is important that they are present and walking
always relevant for the student. Growth around. Yes, the app is engaging but that doesn’t mean the
mindset is absolutely fostered as teacher’s role of facilitating learning ever ends!
students hype themselves up and our
proud of their work. In my experience,
watching students use this app was
really inspiring as they wanted to keep
improving their products – to make them
more complex! This app hooks the
learner and when they leave the app it is
because they are looking for resources to
help them solve their problem or to gain
media additives for their individual
projects. The canvas is initially blank so
there is maximum flexibility in thinking.

Meaningful Learning
● Connection I think this app could be incredibly beneficial during an
● Purpose This learning is meaningful as it hour where students are able to explore their interests! I
● Relevance promotes coding comprehension and also think it is important to have students work near each
● Problem Solving fundamentals. It is also important to note other so they can share (and naturally scaffold) what they
● Context promotes exploratory rather that this could be an app used to assess are learning!
than rote learning learning of particular content. This
would be a creative, technology savvy,
cross curricular endeavor! Everything
about this is exploratory as the coding
 “rules” are never explained through
direction. The student uses problem
solving and reasoning skills to grow
understanding!

Social Interaction
● Responsivity
● Interaction: with others (Does the app
allow for critical thinking between
peers?)
● High quality interactions that are
contingent and adaptable to the child
(Social contingency, in a dialogue in
which the reaction of one speaker is in
response to the other )
This is an incredible app and I am so thankful I was
Again, I think a teacher must foster an introduced to it during Hour of Code. After exploring it
environment that encourages interaction! more, I see so many benefits. The app designers and
It would be great if the educator asked contributors really perfected their rationale in their product.
the students to present their art and This is something I will be using for years to come!
explain their thought process, trouble
shooting and creative decisions with the
class. It is important to note that these
artifacts can be uploaded and shared
with others. This globalizes the
classroom in a sense and promotes social
interaction!

Hirsh-Pasek, K., Zosh, J., Golinkoff, R., Gray, J., Robb, M., & Kaufman, J. (2015). Putting education in “educational “ apps: Lessons from the
science of learning. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 16(1), 3-34.