ICT teacher advocates use of 3D Scratch coding blocks to boost basic school learning
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Mr. Gabriel Kwadwo Afram, an ICT teacher at Sunyani Senior High School, has called for the adoption of physical 3D Scratch coding blocks as foundational tools for teaching coding at the basic school level.
He said the approach would inspire creative coding among young learners, especially in underserved communities with limited access to electricity, computers and internet connectivity.
In an interview with the journalists in Sunyani, Mr. Afram, who developed the blocks, said the innovation was designed to bridge resource gaps and introduce children to programming from an early age.
“Even in areas without access to computers, the physical blocks can be used to teach the foundations of coding,” he noted.
He explained that Scratch, a visual programming language used globally to create interactive stories, games and animations, could be taught effectively through tactile instructional tools.
The 3D blocks, he said, were developed with a grant from the United States-based Scratch Foundation to provide unplugged coding resources for children in deprived communities lacking digital infrastructure.
Mr Afram said incorporating Scratch into classrooms through hands-on tools would promote creative thinking, systematic reasoning and collaborative learning.
“This project was designed to ensure inclusivity in coding education,” he added. He stressed that early exposure to coding was essential in today’s technological world and recommended introducing coding at the primary level to enhance critical thinking and stimulate interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
“STEM education requires hands-on engagement. Our 3D Scratch blocks are manipulatives that support learning through playing, where children build, explore and learn coding principles physically, making the experience both memorable and effective,” he said.
He observed that integrating the blocks into the curriculum would empower teachers in remote areas and equip students with fundamental coding skills, even without computers or internet access.
According to him, the 3D Scratch blocks have already been piloted in 30 public and private schools across the Sunyani Municipality and the Jaman North District in the Bono Region, with more than 500 students benefitting under the Scratch Education Collaborative (SEC) 2022–2024 cohort.
