Raspberry Pi and Education. Your views?

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moe46664

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Hi Guys

So the Raspberry Pi has been taking the world by storm , and now 2 years on we've seen hundreds of applications for its use . One thing in particular that caught my eye was that in many places overseas , people get together and hold a sort of seminar (called a Raspberry Jam) for interested parties to attend.

Now what was really interesting was that kids as young as 7 years old were attending the Scratch workshops and eventually were learning the fundamentals of coding and software development. Guest speakers were invited and different workshops for different age groups were held, which looked like an interesting and fun event overall.

Which brings me to me to the topic at hand. Would something like this work for us in SA? I am really keen to start something similar, on a much smaller scale of course, and would like to just get a feeler for what everyone thinks about it.

Also, if anyone has any ideas or suggestions, feel free to let me know.

My basic idea would be to hold a workshop every weekend (Saturday preferably) for a few weeks, and I would basically be starting from the bottom up, from "What is a computer" right up to using Scratch, a bit of Python as well as Google's Coder for Raspberry Pi so that the students can learn to create cool web stuff using HTML, CSS, Javascript :

http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/4837

My target audience would probably be kids ages 9 and up, and anyone else interested in basic coding with the Pi.
Would anybody be interested in attending / helping out / sponsoring something like this? Also what are your views regarding the extent that the Pi can be used in classrooms?

Thanks guys
 
I'm sure if it is well organized, advertised and you went to a few schools with pamphlets you would have a lot of interest.
I think 9 is a bit young though unless their parents are trying to get them interested in coding and are 100% involved.
 
moe46664 said:
Would anybody be interested in attending / helping out / sponsoring something like this? Also what are your views regarding the extent that the Pi can be used in classrooms?

Thanks guys
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There you lost me. As with everything in S.A. someone always has to ask someone for some cash or hand outs for everything they do. It can never be from themselves or for the community or for the love it, it always has to have a monetary aspect to it in some way, shape or form.
 
|tera| said:
There you lost me. As with everything in S.A. someone always has to ask someone for some cash or hand outs for everything they do. It can never be from themselves or for the community or for the love it, it always has to have a monetary aspect to it in some way, shape or form.
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Point taken. However, by sponsoring I was thinking only in the form of a venue, equipment (enough monitors for students, even if it is second hand, or network cables etc) or anything else that anyone would be able to contribute. The intention for this is not to get rich quick. I'm hoping for the teaching to be volunteer based, as well as any other activities involved.
 
|tera| said:
There you lost me. As with everything in S.A. someone always has to ask someone for some cash or hand outs for everything they do. It can never be from themselves or for the community or for the love it, it always has to have a monetary aspect to it in some way, shape or form.
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Why should he not ask for help setting up a venue and buying equipment for 20 or so students is not small change.
 
moe46664 said:
Point taken. However, by sponsoring I was thinking only in the form of a venue, equipment (enough monitors for students, even if it is second hand, or network cables etc) or anything else that anyone would be able to contribute. The intention for this is not to get rich quick. I'm hoping for the teaching to be volunteer based, as well as any other activities involved.
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Beachless said:
Why should he not ask for help setting up a venue and buying equipment for 20 or so students is not small change.
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Point taken, I didn't know he was talking about a venue. My point stands however. It peeves me when you see every good natured deed in life always followed by some request for aid. It's dubious to say the least and people use it for self gain mostly IMHO.
 
It won't work in South Africa. You are wasting your time. Forget it.
 
Nobel cause :) I'm sure you could get a small following and supporters.

Where about are you based?
 
Believe it or not , I'm looking to use the Pi to teach people Cobol programming (gasp ... yes you read it right "Cobol Programming" :) ). Portability and availability of learning applications seems awesome.

If you could find some way to get a bit of free bandwidth going then venues wouldn't be as much of a problem ... I'm sure there would be plenty schools willing to provide time in their computer labs for kids to login to MOOC-type learning initiatives.

I would be pretty keen to get involved in a project like this. Don't know schidt about using the Pi other than what it has done for my movie and music collection at home, but more than willing to learn and share what I learn
 
You can maybe start with a youtube series and then promote this at schools and then do hands on help sessions once a month at a school hall.
 
moe46664 said:
Thanks man! Based on the East Rand in Johannesburg. Yourself?
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I'm in durbs. Too bad things in kzn are always slow moving.

I'm not too clued up on a Pi as I haven't gotten one yet. Want to get it as a home media player/client.

You can definitely try schools as a venue as suggested. Youtube could be a good way to promote it and generate a bigger following.
 
McSack said:
Believe it or not , I'm looking to use the Pi to teach people Cobol programming (gasp ... yes you read it right "Cobol Programming" :) ). Portability and availability of learning applications seems awesome.

If you could find some way to get a bit of free bandwidth going then venues wouldn't be as much of a problem ... I'm sure there would be plenty schools willing to provide time in their computer labs for kids to login to MOOC-type learning initiatives.

I would be pretty keen to get involved in a project like this. Don't know schidt about using the Pi other than what it has done for my movie and music collection at home, but more than willing to learn and share what I learn
Click to expand...

Haha it's good to see some optimism for COBOL. When you take into account the potential of this neat little computer, and combine it with education, I think a lot can be done in this regard. I also have mainly used mine with OpenELEC / RaspBMC for the past year.

I'm really keen on starting up this little project, I have been working on a sort of syllabus over the past two weeks, once its finalised I'll post a new thread on the forum. What I'm planning to do is Scratch, Python, and will try to integrate some small GPIO projects in as well. Will keep you in the loop once I have everything finalized. Perhaps for COBOL you could look into making a small tutorial of some sort? I reckon it should take me a couple more weeks to finalize everything (including if its viable to go ahead etc)
 
shauntir said:
I'm in durbs. Too bad things in kzn are always slow moving.

I'm not too clued up on a Pi as I haven't gotten one yet. Want to get it as a home media player/client.

You can definitely try schools as a venue as suggested. Youtube could be a good way to promote it and generate a bigger following.
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Things are always slow moving this side of the equator for some reason. However, where there is a will there is a way. I'm trying to come up (and learn myself) with a sort of syllabus or course layout, and once its done you are more than welcome to organise something in KZN. Will keep everyone posted with my progress in the weeks to come
 
Beachless said:
You can maybe start with a youtube series and then promote this at schools and then do hands on help sessions once a month at a school hall.
Click to expand...

Brilliant idea. There are tons of Pi series at the moment but it seems like we need one with that South African touch. Perhaps a 'Nkandla surveillance system" with the camera board :D
 
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