About this course: Have you ever wished you knew how to program, but had no idea where to start from? This course will teach you how to program in Scratch, an easy to use visual programming language. More importantly, it will introduce you to the fundamental principles of computing and it will help you think like a software engineer.
Created by: The University of Edinburgh, Universidad ORT Uruguay
Taught by: Areti Manataki, Researcher
School of Informatics
Taught by: Inés Friss de Kereki, PhD
Engineering School, Universidad ORT Uruguay
| Commitment | 15-20 hours |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Your First Computer Program
In this unit you’ll create your very first computer program! You’ll be introduced to basic programming concepts and you’ll familiarise yourself with Scratch.
19 videos, 6 readings
- Video: Welcome to Code Yourself!
- Video: About the Course
- Reading: Syllabus
- Reading: Course Logistics
- Reading: How to use the Discussion Forums
- Reading: Course Team
- Reading: Copyright
- Reading: Resources for Unit 1
- Video: Algorithms and Sequence
- Video: Representation of Algorithms
- Video: Precision and Assumptions
- Video: Introduction to Scratch
- Video: Options for Using Scratch
- Video: Programming in Scratch
- Video: Selection
- Video: Selection in Scratch
- Video: Conditions within Selection
- Video: Iteration: Infinite Loops
- Video: Balloon Party! Changing the Looks of our Sprites
- Video: Modifying Programs in Scratch
- Video: Blow the Clouds Away!
- Video: A Movie with Two Characters
- Video: Summary
- Video: Interview with an Informatics Researcher
- Video: Interview with an Audiovisual Producer (Spanish with English subtitles)
Graded: Quiz 1
WEEK 2
Code Gone Loopy!
In this unit you’ll keep working with control structures, you’ll find out how to use events in your programs and how to incorporate visual and sound effects in Scratch. You’ll also start thinking about the requirements and the design of your program.
19 videos, 1 reading
- Video: Introduction
- Reading: Resources for Unit 2
- Video: Count-controlled Loops
- Video: Condition-controlled Loops
- Video: Recreating a Tune
- Video: Music Video
- Video: Drawing Squares
- Video: Birthday Card - Butterfly Behaviour
- Video: Birthday Card - Cake Behaviour
- Video: Birthday Card - Extend with If-then-else
- Video: Birthday Card - Extend with Sounds
- Video: Face Effects with Event-driven Programming
- Video: Software Design
- Video: Cut the Fruit!
- Video: Software Requirements
- Video: Helicopter Game Design
- Video: Helicopter Game Implementation
- Video: Summary
- Video: Interview with a Software Engineer (Spanish with English subtitles)
- Video: Interview with an Architect
Graded: Quiz 2
WEEK 3
Remixing Games
In this unit you’ll have a go at modifying and extending existing games to create new versions. You’ll also learn about software engineering practices for testing and documenting your programs.
11 videos, 2 readings
- Video: Introduction
- Reading: Resources for Unit 3
- Video: Helicopter Game Extension with Variables
- Video: Analysing the Pong Game
- Video: Modifying Pong with Complex Conditions
- Video: Modifying Pong into Pizza Pong
- Video: Modifying Pong into a Penalty Shootout Game
- Video: Guess the Number!
- Video: A Flower Garden with Nested Loops
- Video: Summary
- Reading: How-to guide for peer-reviewed projects
- Video: Interview on Football-playing Robots
- Video: Interview with a Biotechnologist (Spanish with English subtitles)
Graded: Quiz 3
Graded: Project 1
WEEK 4
Reusing Your Code
In this unit you’ll be introduced to procedures and cloning in Scratch, and you’ll apply these ideas to reuse your code.
11 videos, 1 reading
- Video: Introduction
- Reading: Resources for Unit 4
- Video: Catch the Mouse with Procedures
- Video: Generalising a Program for Drawing Squares
- Video: Staircase
- Video: Hunting Ghosts with Cloning
- Video: Fireworks
- Video: A Modular Program for Bursting Bubbles
- Video: Wave
- Video: Summary
- Video: Interview on Entrepreneurship and Programming (Spanish with English subtitles)
- Video: Interview with a Jewelry Designer
Graded: Quiz 4
WEEK 5
Think Like a Software Engineer
In this unit you’ll follow all the steps of software development to create a fun computer game. You’ll also learn about message broadcasting and concurrency.
11 videos, 1 reading
- Video: Introduction
- Reading: Resources for Unit 5
- Video: Zombie Game: Requirements and Interface Design
- Video: Zombie Game: Code Design
- Video: Zombie Game: Implementation of the Interface, Broom and Zombie
- Video: Zombie Game: Implementation of the Zombie Clones & Message Broadcasting
- Video: Zombie Game: Implementation of the Backdrop and Flower
- Video: Zombie Game: Implementation of Invasion and Extensions
- Video: Sharing your Projects in Scratch & Links with Python
- Video: Summary
- Video: Interview with a Computer Science Student
- Video: Interview with a Game Developer (Spanish with English subtitles)
Graded: Quiz 5
Graded: Project 2
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Ratings and Reviews
Very very interesting I must say....helps you get involved with the class work and you can ask questions on the forum which gets answered at the end of the day. Its actually a lesson for anybody who is willing to learn more. Thanks for the opportunity to learn something!!
It was very usefully. I like it
superb course I like this course sooo much ,I want to give a special thanks to my lecturer because in my view she is the greatest lecturer of all time I want to learn more courses from university of Edinburgh
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MB
Pretty good video quality (compared to my next course). Maybe too much drawing in Scratch2 app and there is no reason for it, but otherwise, great course.