Scratch is a free, online, graphical programming language/learning environment that allows students to learn about computer programming and computational thinking without worrying about complicated syntax. It was created by the Lifelong Kindergarten Lab at the MIT Media Lab and is designed for students aged 8-18 but is used by programmers of a variety of age and experience levels.
This course is appropriate for teachers of all disciplines who teach 3-12th grade. Participants will learn how to use Scratch for interactive art, animated storytelling, and game development. Previous programming experience is not a requirement for this course.
This course will be taught via online materials including instructional videos, guided “laboratory” activities, and programming assignments. The course will consist of six modules of instruction and require approximately 20-25 hours to complete.
The course is entirely free for those participating for their own personal benefit. You are free to work on this at your convenience using the course resources located at:
For more information about this program contact Dr. Ben Schafer at schafer@cs.uni.edu or 319-273-2187.
The original development of this course was made possible through a 2014 CS4HS grant from Google.