Tools for gentle introduction to coding
Swift Playgrounds (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/swift-playgrounds/id908519492?mt=8)
- Drag simple blocks of code
- Very gentle introduction to coding
- Begin with controlling a video game character
- iPad only
Scratch Jr (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scratchjr/id895485086?mt=8)
- Drag icons that represent code blocks
- Tablet only (iPad & Android)
Blockly (https://blockly-games.appspot.com/)
- Similar to Swift Playgrounds in its introduction
- Begin with controlling a video game character
- Gentle introduction to coding
- Exposure to basic programming syntax
- Runs in browser
- Tablet version in beta
Scratch (https://scratch.mit.edu/)
- More complex desktop version
- Exposure to basic programming syntax
- Also runs in browser
Hopscotch (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hopscotch-learn-to-code-creatively-and-make-games/id617098629?mt=8)
- Nice video tutorials
- Considers a broader range of applications than the other ones
- Slightly less gentle introduction to coding
- Tablet only (iPad & Android)
R Datacamp (https://www.datacamp.com/courses/free-introduction-to-r)
- Browser-based introduction to R
- Video tutorials
- Guided interactive coding exercises
- Full programming syntax