That was fun!

Ok, so now I have worked through the 'getting started' pdf, which has given me some fun, turning cats around to drums and changing their colour and making break dancers twirl and scream. Didn't get the football doing anything but that will be another day. Enough is enough for now – I have to go and sort out why the DS wouldn't save for 'HimInTheShed' while I was out today! They couldn't do without me!!!

Scratching the surface of Scratch 13th July 2010

After some google searching, I found a 'getting started' document. Following a fair amount of head scratching about the link address, I realise that the getting started pdf must be downloaded with the software and hence was found on my hard drive by google. Being a geek, I found that quite fascinating!! However, I will now see whether I can get any further.

 

Aha, I now have my sprite rotating, and it is absolutely fascinating how the mind works as the process processes. That is what I found when I programmed in Java – loved it and sad to find that finding a hosting server with Java was very expensive! L Getting my own little server this week and hope I can load Tomcat and learn how to work it. However, meanwhile, its back to the drawing board to work towards constructing a game that will enhance learning!

Scratch – the blog session 1 – 13^th July 2010

So, to start with Scratch, you really need to know what it is you want to do. However, you also need to know what can be done...and later...how.

This is the classic chicken and egg situation, which can easily develop into the less classic "Why did the chicken cross the road?" conundrum. At this point you really need to be thinking actually, "How did the chicken cross the road?" if you are to get anywhere with programming; because, obviously, if the chicken was catapulted across the road, then the why of it isn't of interest, while if it ran in front of a fox, we know that something needs to be done about it.

In order to resolve this; the first step is to look at what other people have done. The first stop, therefore is: http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/. (You do need to register to use this, but it is free and it is easy so worth doing – its where you will download the software anyway.) Actually, that didn't help me much so I am going back to another google search for scratch to see what I can find to start me off. I settled on a google search for scratch tutorials which led me here: http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/blahdeblah/104408

Which looked promising, so I downloaded it...lets see how it goes...

Now for the serious stuff!

So today I have revisited my LinkedIn page following an exciting trip to Liverpool for the ITTE conference (see associated blog - Journeys with Sarah). Had a great time, very nervous about being part of the presentation with Sarah and Pete and am very grateful to both for being so supportive. Now I have had a go I hope to be better next time.

This blog, therefore, since I have quite sufficient doggy blogs, will be my serious, work related blog. Not that those who know me should worry, it won't be that serious!

Hopefully I will be able to get some of my game making blogged here. Then, the next time Miles asks what my blogging is related to in a serious context, I won't need to, rather shamefacedly, need to mutter - dogs and dog training. Now Miles did say he could see the relationship but I am not too certain that he wasn't being sarc..., no, ironic. However, there are huge links to teaching and ITE. I just wish I had started the serious (again, relatively) training before the teaching, because it really helps. Indeed, one trainer was asked in to Leicester University with his dogs (admittedly to the pscychology course - but it would work with child pscychology for teaching) to demonstrate how they learn. Maybe I should write a paper on this for next year's conference????