Android/GogoTraining/Introduction to Programming for Non-Programmers
Description
"If you are interested in getting into a programming then Introduction to Programming for Non-Programmers is a good place to start. People who like to program tend to be people who have a problem-solving mindset. In this course you can test your problem-solving abilities and determine if programming is the right career for you. This course is designed specifically for individuals who are interested in starting a career in programming and presents programming skills to the non-programmer. By the end of the course you will be writing simple programs, understand the basics of programming and have a good idea if programming is the career for you. You will also be prepared to start taking more traditional programming languages classes."
Objectives
As a result of taking this course, you will be able to:
- Write scripts to manipulate graphics objects on the screen
- Collect input from the user and make decisions based on that input
- Communicate between separately running scripts
- Perform math calculations and do comparisons
Outline
Module 00: Introduction to Programming for Non-Programmers - Course Introduction
Module 01: Getting Started
- Programming Concepts
- Types of Languages
- What Makes a Good Programmer?
- Demo: Installing the Scratch Environment
Module 02: A Tour of Scratch
- Basic Areas
- Sprites
- How to Build a Scratch Script
- Comments
- Workshop
Module 03: More Scratch Features
- Costumes
- Backgrounds
- Help Features
- 3 Types of Scratch Blocks
- Workshop
Module 04: Problem Solving
- Math, Movement and Puzzle Problems
- Basic Steps in Problem Solving
- Algorithms
- Scratch Cards
- Workshop
Module 05: Variables, Operators and Input
- Creating and Using Variables
- Mathematical Operators
- Asking Questions and Getting Answers
- Using Answers in Control Blocks
- Workshop
Module 06: Threads and Tying It All Together
- Threads
- Broadcasting
- Workshop
- Comparison of Scratch Programs to C
- Review
00: Introduction to Programming for Non-Programmers - Course Introduction
Scratch - http://scratch.mit.edu/
Scratch 1.4 Download - http://info.scratch.mit.edu/Scratch_1.4_Download
01: Getting Started
Programming Languages
"Low level" languages
- interact with hardware directly
- example: assembler
- code specific to the processor
- example: C (more portable than assembler)
"High level" languages
- closer to human language
- more restrictions (intentional)
- one statement in high level equals many statements of a "low level" language
- c++, java
"Very High Level" languages:
- Ruby, Python
Object-Oriented Languages:
- c++
- classes of objects
Scripting Languages:
- interpreted
- perl, python
Scratch
Scratch - http://scratch.mit.edu/
Developed by MIT Media Lab
- Visual programming language
Rather than using lines of code, programs are built with "building blocks"
Scratch download - http://scratch.mit.edu/download
Programming concepts of scratch:
- iterations (loops)
- decision making (if, if-else)
- numbers and names (variables, lists)
- advanced:
- threads
- events
Scratch Panels:
- Blocks Palette - motion, looks, sound, etc
- Scripts Area - where blocks are scripted
- Stage - clicking green flag will run program on the stage
- Sprite List - graphics character
Snap blocks together
Use the "green" flag block, in the control block palette, as a starting block for scripts
Scratch's website has many existing projects that can be used, and a number of tutorials
02: A Tour of Scratch
Scratch tools
scratch cat - sprite
Those who programming in Scratch are called "Scratchers"
scratch environment:
- stage
- blocks palette
- script area
- sprites
drag blocks from block palette to script area - building blocks for scripts
snap (attach) blocks together to build scripts
can double click on a placed block(s) (in script area) to cause to happen now
blocks:
- movement blocks - can be absolute or relative
- looks - change size and color of sprite
- sound - audio sounds for your sprite
- pen - drawing on screen
- events - triggers
- control - start, loops, wait
- sensing - ask questions, check states
- operators - math
- variables - contains a value that can be manipulated
strings - sequence of characters
scripts are tied to sprites - each will have their own
Hello World
say [Hello world]
Sample Scripts:
when [up arrow] key pressed point in direction [90] move [10] steps
forever move [10] steps turn [right] [15] degrees play sound [meow] wait [1] secs
Gravity Cat:
when [flag] clicked
go to x:[0] y:[0]
clear
pen down
set [vx] to 1
set [vy] to 4
forever
change x by [vx]
change y by [vy]
if [y position] < [-200] then
set [vy] to [-30]
if [y position] < [-200] or [y position] > 400 then
set [vy] to [-1] * [vy]
if [x position] < [-200] or [x position] > 200 then
clear
set [xy] to [-1] * [xy]
change [vy] by [-0.9]
Comments
- right click and select "add comment"
- can be added to script space or specific block
Project Notes - comments for whole project
- found under "project page"
scenes - ?
03: More Scratch Features
Sprite control
Sprite rotation style:
- 365 rotation
- left-right rotation only
- no rotation
Sprite costumes:
- change in appearance (think motion frames)
Sprite sounds:
- sounds associated with sprite
Sprite tools:
- duplicate
- delete
- grow
- shrink
Background:
- good background while programming: "xy-grid"
- can have multiple backgrounds to rotate through
Help
- right click on block and select help
- shows usage and example
Types of blocks:
- Stack blocks - blocks with puzzle piece connectors, that can be snapped together (eg. move steps, if, loops)
- Hat blocks (hats) - placed on top of stack - wait for something to happen (eg. start flag)
- Reporter blocks - oval (return value) or pointed ends (return true/false) (eg. mouse x, mouse down?)
- Checkbox - oval reporter blocks can be displayed on screen by clicking checkbox
04: Problem Solving
puzzles and brain teasers
algorithm - "step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or accomplishing some end, especially by a computer" -- Merriam-Webster
Scratch Cards - have programming problems for you to solve
05: Variables, Operators and Input
Variables - areas in memory that store things
Variables can be created globally for "all sprites" or locally for "this sprite only".
Operators are math functions in the pointy edge blocks.
Input can be received by using the "ask" block.
06: Threads and Tying It All Together
Threads are scripts running in parallel.
Can communicate between threads
- broadcast
- when I receive
Can be used to synchronize several scripts