Ireland Scratch Competition

The competition is based on Scratch project created by individuals or groups of 3 students. Each project will be judged by a panel based on:

• Originality

• Creativity

• Technical quality / use of Scratch features

• Overall project quality

 

Here is a short article from the InsideIreland.ie online journal:

The Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills Mary Coughlan has launched the 2011 Scratch Competition with the help of last year’s winners from Coláiste Chiaráin, Croom, Co. Limerick.

Run by Lero, the Irish Software Engineering Research Centre, and supported by the Irish Computer Society (ICS), the Scratch Competition promotes computing and software development at both primary and secondary school levels.

Minister Coughlan said: “As we build the knowledge economy and encourage more school-leavers to opt for programmes in computing at third-level, it is vital that we stimulate an interest in computing through initiatives like the Scratch Competition."

Developed at MIT, Scratch Software is freely available to students and is aimed at helping them combine their problem solving skills with their ingenuity to create games, animations, stories, and simulations. Lero has developed teaching materials and student exercises that are available to support teachers and students using Scratch in the classroom.

Clare McInerney, Education and Outreach Officer at Lero said: “We are looking forward to receiving this years entries and hope that students will come up with novel and imaginative Scratch projects that show real talent and innovative thinking."

Jim Friars, CEO of the Irish Computer Society added: “The ICS is proud to sponsor the Scratch project. The computing field has weathered the economic storm better than most. There continues to be strong demand for computing graduates and total employment in the technology sector grew by 6% last year.

“This project gives students practical experience of many of the skills required in this interesting, well-rewarded and growing profession.”

 

*Lessons and teaching materials from the competition are sited here: http://scratched.media.mit.edu/resources/having-fun-computer-programming-and-games.

*A presentation made by Clare McInerney about the 2010 competition can be accessed here: http://scratched.media.mit.edu/resources/scratch-irish-secondary-schools