Ed. note: App of the Week picks are now being curated by the editors of Common Sense Education [1], which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. Click here [2]to read the full app review.
SPRK Lightening Lab-Programming for Sphero Robots [2]
What’s It Like?
SPRK Lightning Lab is an app that lets kids program their Sphero robots from a tablet or phone. Beginning coders use block-based programming to direct and control their robot. A text-based code viewer is also available so kids can see how their block code translates into actual code. This gives experienced programmers more flexibility and is a scaffold to help students scale up their coding skills.
Price: Free, Paid
Grades: 3-8
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Block- and text-based code and an engaging community make programming accessible to all.
Cons: The learning curve may frustrate some kids, and teachers will have to be creative to fit this tool into their curricula.
Bottom line: Hub for Sphero robots draws crafty kids who love making into coding, and it empowers them to be collaborators.