Programming Languages

In the first week of TEC 101 Foundations of Information Technology & Literacy, we were expected to use the drag-and-drop block programming language Scratch to investigate the logic of computational thinking. It was instructed for us to write our own brief application using ScratchLinks to an external website, including features for motion, appearance, sound, and control. This piece will address my programming language experiences and how they differ from those of other popular programming languages.

First off, I love that scratch is visually interactive and makes learning the coding language fun and less stressful, but I felt like I was still having trouble understanding the commands and getting all the sprites to cooperate because it appeared as though each sprite was acting in a random manner rather than responding to the commands in a predictable way. Despite spending approximately 30 minutes following the tutorials, I was still unsure on how to make the sprite walk in synchronization and properly time the background translation. I really liked how the block language simplifies things and breaks them down to my level of understanding, making the software simple to learn and quick to use.

My Scratch link: 
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/799715222

Making the code bounce off of one another in Scratch was challenging for me since I wanted my sprite to move naturally and coherently rather than just flying and teleporting randomly. In order to comprehend how the codes relate to one another and to see which sprite works first and have the other sprite follow after it, I also don't understand why scratch doesn't have "layers" like Photoshop.Watching my Scratch file, you can see that I had trouble constructing the code because all of my sprites were dispersed and the film lacks any sequences that show the action taking place.

I had to watch a lot of tutorials, and I ended up playing around with layouts for about an hour, testing one sprite at a time rather than attempting to add several at once. 3D projects or more 3D animation would be an additional challenge or source of feedback I would appreciate.

On a non-technical level, I've learned to have a lot of patience and accept that I might not pick up the language right away. However, I discovered that using Scratch builds the foundation for programming and allows me to see how things function visually. I also learned how much creativity goes into programming because I had no idea that individuals could be creative while they were writing code for games and apps. It clearly demonstrates how the various codes interact with one another to produce the animations.

To begin with, I prefer Scratch to Python. Python seems more tedious to me because everything needs to be precise. Because even the tiniest error could have a negative impact on the entire reading script or expose it as being inaccurate, I've found myself shrieking at the activities in the reading script. Python is much more challenging for me than Scratch languages because I learn best visually. For me, learning syntax adds still another level of difficulty. Because I could make a mistake and yet obtain a result when using Scratch, I found it more enjoyable. My anxiety levels were over the roof as I struggled with Python and kept running into problems.

Scratch is a good learning tool. The finest coding tutorial for beginners and small children . Simply said, it is a block-based programming language that makes coding easier for beginners. It employs a drag-and-drop technique that enables kids to do tasks quickly and effortlessly according to a FunTechBlog.(Funtech, n.d.)
“Python has advanced to rank among the most popular programming languages used worldwide, according to a coursera page. It is utilized in everything, including machine learning, software testing, and website building. It can be used by programmers and non-programmers alike.”(Coursera, 2021). Python is a popular computer programming language for creating software and websites, automating processes, and performing data analysis.

Python is a high-level programming language that is becoming more and more well-known, in part because it is simple to learn, open source, and has strong high-level data-processing functions, according to chapter 2. (Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S.,2019). For a beginner like me, I think Scratch is by far an easier language to use. Scratch makes learning enjoyable and teaches you the fundamentals without making it seem too difficult with syntax that isn't actually English.
As mentioned above Scratch should be used for people starting into the programming language and be used as a foundation to get into other programming languages. For things like grade school to high school level, Scratch should be used. People who enjoy visuals and in a classroom situation should use it. Kids might express their creativity by making games and videos with Scratch. Scratch could be used to create games and videos for kids and release their creativity. 
Once you feel confident with Scratch, Python is preferred because it's one of the simpler programs to learn. But Python is utilized in the actual world, such as when developing things or working on jobs. As previously stated, using coursera Python is frequently used to create websites and software, and to automate tasks. Professional developers that wish to create more sophisticated and potent apps are better suited for Python.

Python's popularity is more clear since it accomplishes more and is more practical than Scratch. In contrast to scratch, which only uses visual programming to create simple games and animations, Python is used to create apps and data sciences. Because there are so many resources available online these days, I think that python is also more accessible to many users and has a wide range of frameworks and data individuals may seek up to help and learn more quickly.

References: 

Coursera. (2021, March 30). What is Python used for? A beginner’s guide. https://www.coursera.org/articles/what-is-python-used-for-a-beginners-guide-to-using-python

Funtech. (n.d.). Is Scratch Hard to Learn: How Easy is it for Beginners? https://funtech.co.uk. https://funtech.co.uk/latest/is-scratch-hard-to-learn-for-beginners#:~:text=Is%20Scratch%20good%20for%20beginners,perform%20actions%20quickly%20and%20easily

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/799715222

Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2019). Computing technology for all. zyBooks.