Raspberry Pi 2

The Raspberry Pi took an amazing leap in processing power this week.  The new quad power processor makes it into a real computer, which is great because every kid expects the browser to work at full speed and it will enable even more gaming and graphics processing.   It even runs a version of Windows 10.  Watch the video!

Choosing a Language for KS3

1. Have you picked a language that your department has some existing knowledge and expertise in or can you get help and training

If it is a language that your team already know, then that gives you a big advantage or if that is not possible choose a language that you are able to get good quality support and resources for.  Don't be afraid to reach out to your local Computing At Schools group for help or even to local industry and parents. They may not be willing to teach students, but they might help the teachers. 

2. What are the teaching resources available for this language?

A good idea to check http://computingatschool.org.uk/ and the various book that are available for the language

3. Is the graphical and text language capable of allowing the students to model algorithmic solutions, teach concepts and principles you need to cover?

Visual Language

Scratch is a good choice, but also consider Kodu if you are in a Windows environment. If you want it to be possible to edit on an iPad Snap is a good cross platform alternative. Touchdevelop also looks interesting and resources are in development. For lower ability users the Hopscotch is becoming quite a fully featured package. Gamefroot and Blockly also provide possibilities.

Text-based language

The main choices for text based options are SmallBasic and its bigger cousin Visual Basic for Windows. (Or another version of Basic)  Python is also popular and is good if you are planning to use the RaspberryPi. A language from MIT is Processing and it's got a lot of libraries and helpful resources. If you are in an Apple school, consider using Swift. You may also be able to use Javascript for a part of the curriculum. 

4. Can pupils easily access the language at home and around school?

Think about access from home, cross platform languages are likely to be more accessible and web access is even better.

5. Will you be able to install the language on your network?

You will need the cooperation of your network managers to install most languages and there could be security risks to the network if improperly handled. So you can understand that there may be reservations. If not possible Web-based languages or Raspberry Pis provide possible workarounds.

6. What will you be teaching in Key Stage 4 and 5, is there progression?

It makes sense to teach a language that will develop into a useful language beyond Key Stage 3. Check your exam boards carefully to see which languages are suited and even where they say they accept a variety of languages, remember that the functionality of the language can make tasks easier or more difficult.

7. What have they learnt in Key Stage 2? 

Certainly makes sense to use the visual language that is being taught in primary.  (Or at least they are preparing to teach.)

Kano Gamifies the Raspberry Pi experience

I had mixed feelings about installing Kano on a Raspberry Pi. I'd read mixed reviews and wasn't sure how well it would work.  However let me cast away those initial misgivings.  Kano is awesome! Kano is built largely upon the excellent Open Source software that has gone before it, but what it does is to Gamify the whole experience.

When you start Kano it plays a game in DOS reminiscent of the Matrix.  It's a great way to get children in and then when you press StartX it all comes to life.  Naturally it doesn't matter what you put on a menu, when a 10 year old sees Minecraft, that's what they are going for!  What is especially nice about it, is that it presents Minecraft with a Scratch like interface and so children can make their own sculptures and in-game commands via the interface.



For parents who are not technical, this is probably as simple as a Raspberry Pi gets. The gamified experience takes you through the steps and it is not long before children are coding!   As a teacher, this provides the introductory point that 8 to 12 year olds need to get started and get interested in the Pi.   A fantastic job all-round and what is especially nice is that for existing Raspberry Pi users, the whole kit is free.

I have a few reservations as a teacher, I feel the choice of videos is a little inappropriate. Yes, we want to encourage children to get inside PCs but a monkey destroying a Macbook isn't the best way to go about it and something I know a lot of teachers will strongly object to, we're not here to replace Tablets and Computers, but to provide another tool.  I hope that the kit will include a WIFI module, because without it the inability to complete levels feels unfair. These are minor points that I hope will be taken on-board before final production.

I would stress this is not a kit for hobbyists, who have already found a 1,000 ways to use the Pi, GCSE or A-level students who've already cracked the basics of Computer Science.  This is about giving children their first taster and getting them into CS!

Kano, finally the education pack we need for Raspberry Pi

Make no mistake the Kano is not some terribly origianl or clever idea! People have been homebrewing great lessons on the Raspberry Pi and making kits that bring everything you need to play it.  I started doing it in July 2012 by putting together a kit to show everyone and Alan O'Donohoe has been touring the country with his Raspberry Jams to put together kits in a very Blue Peter kind of way with a few bits of sticky back plastic.

However Kano is the first company to try to bring all the bits and pieces that you need in one clean package with software and a learning scaffolding. In effect it's taken all the great ideas that people have seen in Raspberry Jams and put them into a single package.  A very effective way to create a wonderful teaching tool.   That is why I am so very glad that they are getting funding through Kickstarter and I know I will be keen to buy a few packs as soon as they become available!

Well Done to Kano for professionalising the Pi and bringing it back to its found principles of trying to encourage electronics and computer engineering in schools!

If you want to support the project, please visit their Kickstarter page:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/alexklein/kano-a-computer-anyone-can-make

Now all I have to do, is make my own kit for Thailand.... Oh well!

Using the Pi With Google Docs

The Raspberry Pi is a great little bit of kit and wonderful for collecting sensor data.  However you can't analyse that data from the comfort of your office or home...If only there was some sort of Internet based Spreadsheet!

Well the good news is that the Pi is great with Python and there is a library especially created for this purpose. Install the gspread library and you can now easily create Spreadsheets for Google Docs.  Great news, huh!

Even better there's a full tutorial at:
http://learn.adafruit.com/dht-humidity-sensing-on-raspberry-pi-with-gdocs-logging/connecting-to-google-docs   This works with a humidty sensor, but it really shows the possibilities.

There are also some great tutorials for temperature sensors: http://www.danielhansen.org/2013/03/raspberry-pi-temperature-logging-using.html

And a printable: http://c-mobberley.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/nutsvolts201305-rPi_temp_monitoring.pdf

Now anything the Pi can sense can be recorded into a Spreadsheet and accessed from anywhere!

Games Pit - Make your own games console!

This is a really nice little project for the Pi.  Imagine your local nursery who have a television, but nothing interactive really could really do with something cheap and fun for their children to play on.

1. Source all the parts needed for children friendly play.
2. Build a suitable case
3. Install the Pi with Games Pit (Make sure it auto boots)
4. Make some of your own games



As a term's project this would be really useful and a wonderful way to encourage people to take Raspberry Pis into the community.

10 Good Reasons for girls to do Computer Science

Just 140 girls took A-level Computing last year. Now, I know it could be argued that they took Mathematics instead and are still planning to go into Computer Science. However I remember working at ARM and HR did everything possible to try to encourage women to apply, but even so about 90% of the applicants were men.

5 Noble Reasons 

1. A woman invented coding, you can be part of the sisterhood. (Ada Lovelace)
2. You can choose to focus on problem-solving or be creative
3. Women have improved humanity, because of their coding skills. (Look to the right)
4. It's actually a very caring profession. Great code makes people's lives easier, more fun and productive.
5. You can give back to the world - Open Source is a movement to share applications and programs with the world.

5 Selfish Reasons

1. It pays more than a lot of professions.
2. You can work from home. If you have a child, you can easily take on freelance projects after the children have gone to bed. With programming you can have it all!
3. I don't like to say this, but if you want to marry a rich man, your chances are greatly improved in the technology sector.
4. There's no physical work in this. You don't have to do lots of horrible exercise. Unless you want to, but surely you'd prefer the air-conditioned gym included in your package? 
5. You could work in a beautiful office with most of the chores done for you, have you seen Google or Apple's offices? 

P.S. Please get on with it, I don't want my daughter to have no friends when she grows up and becomes a Computer Scientist. I've bought her Computer Engineer Barbie and everything!