Scratch is a visual programming language that makes it easy to create interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art and share these creations on the web. It is a fun and interesting way to introduce software development to pupils. Originally developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, Scratch is a free download and is very suitable for use in the primary school.
The registration process for the 2013 Scratch competition in Ireland is now open. Teachers are asked to register their interest on the ICS Skills website. Submissions are due March 22 2013 with finals being held in Dublin in May. If you are already doing some work on Scratch in your school, this might be a great way to motivate pupils.