CodeSnaps: Block-Based Robotic Programming for the Low-Budget Classroom.

Robotics and block-based languages have been growing in popularity as a way to introduce computer science topics to young audiences. This approach focuses on capturing interests by reducing the complexity required to learn to program. Unfortunately, many K-12 classrooms do not have the budgets necessary to provide each student with the technologies required by these approaches. As a solution, we developed CodeSnaps, a tool that provides an engaging coding experience for an entire classroom with minimal technology requirements. CodeSnaps brings the interest and simplicity of block-based robotic programming to any student in a classroom with at least one iPad and one Sphero Robot (www.sphero.com). With CodeSnaps, students can program at their desks independently or in groups using printable paper coding blocks similar to Blockly (developers.google.com/blockly). When their program is ready, students can "snap" their code (i.e., take a picture) with the iPad. The CodeSnaps app then translates their work to a digital version that is finally executed by Sphero. The CodeSnaps environment will also be freely available with the goal of reaching as many budding computer scientists as possible.