Connexion
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
Last year, we shared the story of Douglas, founder and director of Oasis Mathare, an organisation using technology to open doors for young people in one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements.
In our latest community story, we meet Douglas again, this time alongside the mentors and young people at the heart of Oasis Mathare’s Code Clubs.
Together, they share what coding really means for a community where most young people don’t finish formal education, and where the opportunity to learn a new skill can genuinely change the course of a life.
Douglas has always been clear about why technology sits at the heart of everything Oasis Mathare does.
“Technology does not have a boundary. It knows no gender, no race. As long as you have access to a computer, you have access to the internet, and you’re being guided, the opportunities are limitless.”
This belief didn’t come from his own journey with formal education — it came from an internet cafe and a lot of curiosity and independent learning. Douglas grew up in Mathare knowing that most young people there were not likely to finish formal education. Rather than seeing that as inevitable, he saw it as a hurdle to overcome.
“I used to go to a nearby internet café where I learned some basic graphic design and got my first employment with no formal training. And I realised it’s really possible to gain a decent livelihood with just skills.”
Oasis Mathare now runs Code Clubs in schools and at its own centre, introducing children to programming long before they might encounter it anywhere else. Code Club and the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s learning pathways have become key drivers of the positive impact.
“The resources that we use from [the Foundation] are structured in a really creative way to help kids learn. Initially we had developed curricula to run a Code Club, there were some missing pieces, but now with the Raspberry Pi Foundation pathways, it has sort of bridged the gap that we were facing.”
Perhaps the most powerful thing happening at Oasis Mathare right now is the pipeline forming from learners to leaders. Many young people who come through Code Club go on to volunteer, becoming role models for the children sitting where they once sat.
“It feels so nice seeing students becoming mentors. They act as role models to the Code Club participants. As they are being mentors, it improves their communication and delivery. We are giving them opportunities to work with us to sharpen their skills so that they can get to a greener pasture.”
Keziah, a mentor, shared what drew them to Code Club:
“Being idle around the community can lead to so many negative impacts, so I decided to join Code Club to volunteer, hoping to have a better connection and career growth.”
Faith, a student and mentor, shared a key discovery:
“My thought was like coding is only for genius kids and the smart ones. But I will encourage a young learner to actually partake in this. Coding is not hard. It’s actually fun.”
Hope, another mentor, shared just how impactful being a part of a young person’s journey can be:
“The moment the kids realised they belong to a Code Club is when I see their face light up when their projects run. They made me feel achieved. They made me feel, as a facilitator, as a good mentor. And that’s changed me.”
It’s a reminder that Code Club isn’t just about code. It’s about what happens to a young person’s sense of themselves when they build something that works.
Douglas shared his wish for any young person living in an underserved community who feels like their future has already been written for them.
“For any young person from Mathare or any other underserved community around the globe who feels that their future is limited, I would like to tell you that it is really possible. It is really possible to change your life, as long as you have a positive mind, you have hope, and you’re working hard.”
Douglas and the team at Oasis Mathare are proof of what’s possible when young people have access to learning resources, guidance, and belief. You can find out more about their work at oasismathare.org.
If their story has inspired you to bring coding to young people in your own community, Code Club makes it straightforward to get started, with free resources, training, and a supportive global community behind you. Find out more at codeclub.org.
The post Celebrating the community: Douglas and Oasis Mathare appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Across Glasgow’s libraries, Code Clubs are opening doors for young people to explore creativity, problem-solving, and confidence through coding. Behind many of these sessions is Claire Quigley, who supports volunteers and helps Code Clubs thrive in community spaces across the city.
Claire’s story challenges the idea that there is only one route into technology or mentoring. With a background in computer science and a passion for teaching, she now helps create welcoming, inclusive environments where young people — and volunteers — from a wide range of backgrounds can belong.
Claire’s Code Club journey began long before she worked in libraries. With a degree and PhD in computer science, she spent time in academia before finding her way to community-based learning and volunteering. Teaching runs in her family, and sharing knowledge has always brought her joy. That’s why, after being introduced to CoderDojo (part of the Code Club community) through a friend, Claire began volunteering at club sessions.
“I had always intended to work in academia but, working as a postdoc for a couple of years, realised it wasn’t what I wanted to do long term. CoderDojo sessions gave me and the other volunteers a chance to look at more adventurous coding topics, without the constraints of curriculum and the time-pressure that teachers have to contend with.
“We were also able to engage with children and young people who were struggling with the formal education environment for a variety of reasons. Doing well at something they enjoyed increased their confidence and was often a factor in helping them become more engaged at school.”
Becoming a Code Club volunteer eventually led Claire to her current role coordinating Code Clubs across Glasgow Life venues, including Mitchell Library, Gorbals, Drumchapel, and beyond.
“Working with Glasgow Life colleagues across libraries, communities and museums has given me the chance to connect with children, young people and adults in a non-threatening environment. Mixing coding with mediaeval manuscripts, wearable tech, poetry or electronic music has allowed people to approach a topic they hadn’t considered interesting or understandable and make some really original and fun things.”
Stepping into one of Claire’s Code Club sessions, you’ll find a mix of focus, laughter, and creative chaos. Young people gather around laptops in library spaces to build games and animations in Scratch, experiment with micro:bits, and help each other solve problems as they go.
Sessions vary by location and age group. Some run weekly, others every two weeks, and each has its own character — from younger children discovering coding for the first time to teenagers returning with ambitious ideas they want to bring to life.
“The clubs are quite varied, depending on location, size and the personality mix of the coders and volunteers. Some clubs are quieter, while others are very lively! Scratch features prominently in most clubs. The children really enjoy the way it allows them to bring in topics they’re interested in, design their own characters, or build games inspired by other games they’ve played.”
For Claire, these sessions are about more than learning to code. They’re spaces where young people practise problem-solving, learn to ask for help, and gain confidence in sharing their ideas.
“Some coders come with a friend or have made friends at the club. So there are often children working together on a project, chatting to each other about what they’re working on, or showing each other how to do something.”
Inclusion is core to Claire’s approach. From running all-girls sessions to supporting volunteers and young people with neurodivergence and other additional needs, her focus is on creating spaces where everyone feels welcome.
“One young coder who spends a lot of time in his local library after school, but can be a bit boisterous, agreed to come and join the club. Initially a bit hesitant, he soon displayed a real talent for solving coding puzzles.
“He was particularly proud when, encouraged to try the challenge level rather than skipping past it, he solved it quickly. We printed a Code Club ‘Problem-solving Champion’ certificate for him and he carefully folded it up to take home.“
Claire has seen firsthand how confidence can grow when people are given time, patience, and encouragement.
That sense of belonging doesn’t stop with young people — it extends to the volunteers who help make these spaces possible. For some volunteers, involvement in Code Club has been a stepping stone to employment, new skills, or a stronger sense of belonging.
Like many community programmes, Code Clubs in Glasgow were disrupted by the pandemic. It made one thing clear: clubs only work when volunteers are willing and supported to run them. With fewer library staff available to anchor sessions, rebuilding the clubs meant casting a wider net for volunteers. As a result, volunteers arrived with more diverse life experiences, ways of thinking, and approaches to problem-solving, which enriched the sessions and created more inclusive learning environments for young people.
“I recruit mainly through the Glasgow Life volunteering website. I also advertise through STEM Ambassadors, via my contacts in local universities, colleges and tech companies, in the newsletter my colleague sends to students in the Glasgow Code Learning programme, and by putting up posters in libraries.
“I’m really keen to try and get a mixture of qualities in a team. I try to ensure at least one person is a confident programmer, who can help with trickier bugs and more advanced topics. However, I’m also keen to have volunteers who may not have so much of a technical background but are good at chatting to children and helping create a real sense of it being a club.“
One of the most important messages Claire wants to share is that there is no single type of Code Club volunteer. Students, career-changers, refugees, people returning to work, and neurodivergent people all bring valuable perspectives. While technical skills are helpful, Claire believes empathy, curiosity, and willingness to learn alongside young people are just as important.
“Finding out how to do something by searching online, asking other coders and the mentors is part of the code club experience (and the experience of being a professional programmer!) The main thing is not to be afraid to admit you don’t know something. Although this can be alarming at first, I’ve found the coders are happy to be told that I’ll look at it over the next week and report back. And that they should do the same so we can compare notes. And if they know how to do something that you don’t, they absolutely love explaining it to you!“
We asked Claire what she would say to someone who doesn’t see themselves as ‘technical enough’ but is curious about getting involved:
“The majority of library staff didn’t have any background in programming. They are simply happy to learn as they go along and help the children make their ideas come to life. In fact, one of these ‘non-technical’ staff ran a very popular and successful club and supported a team of coders to develop a project that [was chosen as a judges’ favourite] at Coolest Projects.”
As Code Clubs continue to grow and adapt, Claire hopes to see even more people step forward, especially those who might not immediately picture themselves in a mentoring or volunteering role.
By keeping Code Clubs rooted in libraries and community spaces, it is possible to reach people across a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances.
Claire’s story is a reminder that community impact is built by people who care and that supporting young people with coding is about far more than technology alone. It’s about confidence, connection, and opening doors.
For anyone curious about supporting young people with coding, there are many ways to get involved. You don’t need to be an expert, as mentors support young people by encouraging curiosity, helping build confidence, and learning alongside them. If you’d like to find out more about what mentoring looks like and the different ways you can contribute, visit the Code Club mentor page to explore guidance, training, and next steps.
The post Many paths into mentoring: Building inclusive Code Clubs in Glasgow appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
In November, our first-ever Kenya Partner Showcase brought together all our partners from across the country for two days of collaboration, learning, and shared strategy. What stood out to us most from the event was not just the diversity of work that the Kenyan partners are doing in computing education, but also the clear alignment that is emerging across partners, government, and communities.
Partners used the Showcase to present sessions about their journeys implementing the Foundation’s programmes, sharing achievements and insights that strengthened the collective learning space. The conversations during our two days together reflected a maturing ecosystem and demonstrated how structured government buy-in is accelerating adoption of our localised Computing Curriculum and influencing national policy spaces.
“Through these programmes, we are equipping young people to become future-ready leaders of integrity and impact.” – Betty Oloo Anderson, National Executive Officer, Kenya Girl Guides Association
It was encouraging to see how far computing education has evolved since we began working with Kenyan partners in 2023, signalling the collective effort and commitment driving this work forward.
The sessions revealed a powerful shift already taking place in classrooms, with partners demonstrating how embedding The Computing Curriculum into Teacher Professional Development frameworks is building teacher confidence and elevating the quality of classroom instruction through stronger digital competencies and culturally relevant pedagogy. The partner presentation on Experience AI, our AI literacy programme, was especially powerful. It reframed the national dialogue from questioning whether AI might take over the classroom to recognising the real capacities and limitations of AI tools, and the central role teachers play in guiding young people to use and create AI tools in safe, ethical ways.
“Running Raspberry Pi Foundation programmes has been a transformative journey. It has challenged us to innovate, document rigorously, and continually place learners at the center of every decision. The structured support, tools, and community of practice have enabled us to deliver programmes with greater impact and accountability.” Joel Kahindi, Programme Coordinator, STEAMLabs Africa
Hands-on demonstrations, from physical computing with Raspberry Pi Pico to teacher development transitions from Scratch to Python, highlighted how practical computing is taking root in both formal and non-formal learning environments.
Partners from remote and underserved regions shared how locally contextualised computing tools and programmes we offer are reaching learners in ASAL (arid and semi-arid land) regions, strengthening literacy and digital confidence even in low-resource settings. Complementing this, curriculum-focused partners highlighted how structured computing resources are being adapted for ASAL contexts, reinforcing foundational skills at scale. Efforts around community-centred connectivity are enabling schools, especially in underserved communities, to finally access reliable high-speed internet.
“Through [our partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation], we are not only strengthening our programmes but also expanding our vision for what meaningful learning can look like across underserved communities.” – Joel Kahindi, Programme Coordinator, STEAMLabs Africa
A notable pattern that emerged was how existing collaborations are now opening doors to new ones, with partners building on their relationship with us to form additional partnerships for devices, connectivity, and shared learning, creating a more holistic digital ecosystem for learners.
A major anchor of the Showcase was the Code Club co-creation sprint. Implementing partners worked through real barriers and opportunities: easier onboarding for educators, continuous training, integrating clubs into school calendars, learner-led ownership, and sustainable models that last beyond donor funding. There was strong interest in forming a unified Code Club Kenya partner network to streamline communication, resource-sharing, and visibility, and our team is now exploring what it would take to bring this to life.
One message echoed across sessions: the power of telling real stories. Partners expressed a shared desire to spotlight creator projects, Code Club leader journeys, and regional experiences more consistently, through social media, case studies and impact stories, and shared platforms, to make progress visible and inspire more schools to adopt computing and digital skills.
By the close of the Showcase, the takeaway was clear: Kenya’s digital learning ecosystem is no longer a set of isolated efforts — it is a coordinated network that shares priorities, evidence-based insights, and a commitment to scaling impact together. As one partner reflected, “This Showcase created a space for joint learning and will help us scale our impact across the country.” It felt evident, too, that bringing these voices into one room is itself part of the work. For us at the Foundation, this Showcase reaffirmed the responsibility and privilege of stewarding a network that is shaping what the future of learning computing in Kenya can look like.
The Showcase marks the beginning of a new, aligned chapter for computing education in Kenya, one driven by collaboration, clarity, and a shared belief that we go further when we go together. With shared priorities for 2026, the momentum continues, and we will be continuing to highlight where this collective work is headed next.
We want to thank you to all our partners — Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC), STEAMLabs Africa, Young Scientists Kenya, Kenya Girl Guides Association, Oasis Mathare, Futures Infinite, EmpServe Kenya, Kenya Connect, Tech Kidz Africa, Riara University, and M-Lugha — for your leadership, dedication, and unwavering belief in what is possible when we learn and build together.
This Showcase was a reflection of your work, your commitment to learners, and your vision for a digitally empowered Kenya. We are grateful for your continued partnership and excited for all that lies ahead.
The post Fostering Kenya’s computing education ecosystem appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Every week, young people around the world gather in libraries, classrooms, community centres, and makerspaces to create with code. From Gujarat to Glasgow, Nairobi to New Jersey, the settings may differ, but the energy is unmistakable.
We set out to learn from the wealth of experiences within the global Code Club community: how clubs adapt to local needs, and which practices consistently support young people’s learning. Although we found small differences in how clubs make Code Club work locally, what stands out far more are the shared principles that make it work everywhere. Here we share stories from across our network that collectively paint a vibrant picture of what makes this movement work.
One theme runs through every story: Code Club is powered by people who really understand the needs of their community.
During a visit to a set of Code Clubs in India, our team met a group of girls who once faced barriers to attending school. Now, they are confidently creating Scratch projects and exploring new technologies. Their club leader explained how a simple change — allowing girls to attend school wearing traditional attire — opened doors for families. Seeing these young creators code with pride is a vivid reminder of how opportunity can reshape futures.
A club leader at Better Juniors Digital Club at Better Life Primary and Junior School in Kenya described how their programme began with just one laptop. Rather than letting that limit what learners could do, he found solutions everywhere: applying for grants, borrowing digital space from a nearby hub, and setting up equipment so children could work on projects together. His determination effectively created a bridge between schools and resources, opening up real opportunities for every child to learn.
We also heard from educators whose clubs have become long-standing pillars of their communities. At Rhiwbina Library in Wales, leaders have been running Code Club for over a decade, creating a space where older creators naturally guide new ones. When asked about club rules, one child replied: “There’s only one and that’s ‘respect’.” That simple principle continues to shape a joyful, collaborative atmosphere.
And sometimes the inspiration comes from the young people themselves. At Hillside Primary in Scotland, an enthusiastic creator took it upon himself to run taster sessions and codealongs for new members, helping them discover whether Code Club was right for them. His enthusiasm and leadership were infectious, and that spirit of young people lifting up their peers is something we’ve seen in clubs all over the world.
In one club that meets across three different venues in Pennsylvania, USA — a creative arts centre, a coffee shop, and a library — the excitement became contagious. The librarian, Miss Sandy, was so inspired by the learners’ projects — including the moment they added “Shredder Cat”, the library’s pet mascot, into their digital creations — that she has begun learning to code alongside them.
At one showcase event in India, learners proudly demonstrated text-to-speech and video-sensing projects — remarkable achievements for many of them in their first year of coding. They explained their ideas with confidence and clarity, sharing the logic behind their work as parents, teachers, and mentors looked on with pride.
In the UK, we experienced a beautiful moment at Fakenham Academy where the room filled with a chorus of squarks, clicking, tapping, and squeaking sounds as learners adapted the Grow a Dragonfly project in their own creative ways.
From applause erupting whenever a project is finished to a room buzzing with micro:bits or young people debugging together on a shared laptop, these snapshots show Code Club at its best.
Whatever the context or setting, Code Club leaders are resourceful. They are not waiting for others to solve their challenges; together with their creators, they are finding local solutions that work. Communities share equipment, mentor each other, offer space, and build continuity for learners in imaginative ways. Young people are gaining far more than digital skills: they are developing belonging, confidence, and a clear sense that they are part of something bigger.
For example, in a club in Kenya, two groups learnt side by side in a shared space. Younger learners were welcomed by older peers who acted as mentors, creating a real sense of community — collaborative, vibrant, and full of pride in each other’s achievements.
We also saw how deeply this work is woven into people’s identities. One team member visiting three clubs in Malvern, UK, wrote about Bob Bilsland, a Code Club champion for 13 years, describing how naturally he connected with learners at their own level and how fully he embodied the role of mentor and champion:
“Seeing his versatility as he mentored, sparked excitement and connected with creators at their own level was a thing to behold… he truly walks the talk.”
The impact can sometimes show up in unexpected ways. Holly, a leader from Illinois, USA, shared that her learners wear their Code Club t-shirts to school as “spirit gear” on Fridays. She told us how much this meant to her students:
“They absolutely love their shirts and are thrilled to be able to wear them… It makes them feel like a team.” A reminder that belonging matters just as much as skills.
Across every example, we saw resilience, creativity, and generosity in action because Code Clubs grow from strong communities.
These stories underscore something essential: Code Club grows not because of any one model, but because communities everywhere make it their own. Sandra Keeru, Programme Coordinator in Kenya, put it beautifully when she reflected that:
“Code Club is locally rooted but globally informed.”
Each club reflects the needs, culture, and creativity of its community, yet everywhere the same shared values shine through: curiosity, inclusion, and the belief that young people can achieve remarkable things.
Code Club is more than just learning to code; it’s about creating opportunities, encouraging confidence, and building a global network of digital creators. Whether you’re a mentor, educator, or young digital maker, there’s a place for you in the community. Start your Code Club journey today and join a global community of digital creators.
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Two remarkable teenagers from Pune in the state of Maharashtra, India — Jayantika (age 16) and Ruturaj (age 14) — have turned curiosity into community impact.
With support from the Bidkar Foundation and the Raspberry Pi Foundation, they now help run five Code Clubs, reaching over 200 young people in rural areas of Pune. Along the way, they have twice received the Coolest Projects Judges’ Favourite Award: first online in 2023, and again at Coolest Projects India in September 2025.
For Jayantika and Ruturaj, the spark for coding began at home. During the pandemic, when schools were closed and days felt long, their father encouraged them to try something new.
“When we were at home and there was nothing to do,” recalls Jayantika, “my dad introduced us to coding, and from that time till this date we are participating — and yeah, we love it.”
In 2021, they joined their local Code Club, run by the Bidkar Foundation, which provides coding opportunities for young people in rural areas of Pune. That moment opened a door to creativity neither of them expected. Scratch projects soon filled their weekends with problem-solving, and Ruturaj found himself fascinated by how games worked.
“I was too curious how games were made,” he says. “After a while in Code Club, I learned new things and got the answers to my questions.”
As their confidence grew, so did their sense of purpose. They wanted others to experience the same excitement they had discovered. “We thought these things should be shared with others,” says Jayantika. “So that’s why we started a Code Club and began teaching — to spread awareness and knowledge to everyone.”
Each weekend, Jayantika and Ruturaj set out for nearby villages, with laptops, lesson plans, and a sense of possibility. Their aim is simple but powerful: to bring coding opportunities to children who might otherwise never encounter them. “Village students must also learn coding and get opportunities to come in front,” explains Jayantika.
What started modestly — “one computer and seven students” — has become a thriving network of clubs that now reaches hundreds of young learners. Their father, Mr Bidkar, has been by their side throughout, watching as their initiative has grown from a small idea to something that’s changing lives. “Now we are 25 computers, 200-plus children,” he says proudly.
Their Code Club sessions are lively and filled with curiosity. Children crowd around laptops, excited to build their next animation or game. The mentors blend teaching with fun, alternating between theory and practice to keep things engaging.
“At first, we take theory classes — we explain what’s the game,” says Jayantika. “At the end we let them sit on computers.”
Some weeks are spent planning and others creating. “We give them a plan, and then next time they create,” she explains. Younger learners, aged six to ten, start with small projects such as animations or motion-based activities. Older learners tackle bigger challenges in Scratch, building their own games from ideas they’ve brainstormed together.
Sessions end with a much-loved tradition: “After the session ends, we give them 15–20 minutes to do whatever they want,” says Ruturaj. “Because they’re very curious.” The pair work in perfect rhythm. “I manage one group and Ruturaj manages another,” says Jayantika. “If any doubt is there, we solve them together.”
Mentoring has given both siblings new confidence and skills. “At first we were only on Scratch, and now we’ve expanded our knowledge,” says Jayantika. “Next, we’re going to start robotics. It is simple and it is creative also and it can connect to Scratch.”
Over time, Jayantika and Ruturaj have learned that mentoring is as much about listening as it is about instructing.
“Sometimes their questions are not so obvious,” laughs Jayantika. “Like ‘Why can’t we change the sprite?’ or ‘Why can’t we use another block?’ We can explain to a certain limit, but after that we are speechless!”
These moments, she says, are part of the magic of teaching. They push the mentors to explore new ways of explaining and to see coding from a beginner’s perspective again.
Watching their students succeed brings the biggest reward. “We feel very happy that the students are listening to us and they’re doing what we wanted — and they’re even adding extras,” says Jayantika. “Most of them tell us they want to create another project; they want more time.”
And for those thinking about becoming mentors, they both agree that empathy is key. “If you want to teach them, you must become a student,” says Ruturaj.
“First, think at the students’ level… explain in simple language and give more time to experiment,” adds Jayantika.
Ruturaj dreams of exploring game development and cybersecurity, while Jayantika hopes to move into web and app design. Together, they balance logic and creativity, each complementing the other’s strengths.
“Even though both are coding, we are on different paths,” she smiles.
For anyone curious about coding, Ruturaj’s advice is simple: “Do it by yourself. Make projects by yourself, share them, and learn from others.” Jayantika adds: “Coding has no limits. You can create anything you imagine — open your mind, open your creativity.”
Their father, rightly, is proud not just of their achievements but of how they have inspired others to learn. From a single laptop to five thriving Code Clubs, Jayantika and Ruturaj’s journey shows what’s possible when young people lead with passion and purpose. With support from their family, the Bidkar Foundation, and the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s India team, they’re proving that talent truly is everywhere — opportunity just needs a spark.
Thank you, Jayantika and Ruturaj, for inspiring young people across India and around the world.
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We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
In our latest story, we’re meeting a group of inspiring young innovators from Belfast — Michelle, 15, Inilouwa, 18, Jedidiah, 14 — and Irioluwa, 11, who are using their creativity and technical skills to tackle an issue that impacts millions of young women across the UK: period poverty.
The group first connected through Diverse Youth, a community space that gave them the chance to collaborate, learn, and grow.
At the youth centre, the girls were introduced to Code Club through mentor, and Jedidiah’s mum, Tiwa. When Tiwa offered them the opportunity to travel to Coolest Projects UK and showcase projects they had been working on, they knew they wanted to make something special…
The idea for Flow Body began when Inilouwa was inspired by her sister’s experience at school.
“So, for me, it was my sister actually, that really inspired this project because she would tell me, her school at the time, they run out of period products very frequently, so not a lot of girls could access it.”
Wanting to make a difference, the team created Flow Body, a website connecting young women to period charities in the UK and providing reliable information about periods, puberty, and related health issues.
The technical side of the project was led by Inilouwa, with the rest of her teammates supporting her with research and content creation.
“So, alongside Michelle, I researched the diseases and what can come from period poverty and how different people get by with the lack of period products around,” Jedidiah said.
Their research highlighted just how widespread period-related health issues are.
The team discovered that one of the biggest challenges is access to accurate information, given the stigma around discussing menstruation, and using technology to solve this issue seemed like the perfect fit to them.
Inilouwa explained, “Having that access to information that’s tailored to young women, to young parents, to everyone all across the board would be really helpful, you know, in order to make periods less of a strange topic to discuss.”
After taking home judges’ favourite in the web category, the girls could not recommend the experience enough. When asked what advice they would give to other young people thinking of taking the leap and entering Coolest Projects, the answer was simple…
“Do it. Don’t be afraid. Even if tech is not your thing, it’s not a lot of people’s things. But like you learn so much, you grow so much and it’s very fun. It is. It really is,” said Inilouwa.
If you are interested in getting involved in Coolest Projects, keep an eye on the website for exciting announcements for 2026 plans.
Want support on your coding journey? Find a Code Club near you to learn alongside a likeminded community.
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The Global Clubs Partner network brings together 52 partners from 45 countries, all working together to positively impact their local communities and open up opportunities for the next generation.
Last month, our Global Clubs Partners came together in Sri Lanka for our annual meetup, celebrating collaboration and community. Hosted alongside the second-ever Coolest Projects Sri Lanka, the gathering brought partners from across the world to share ideas, learn together, and build connections that will carry into the year ahead.
The in-person meetups are all about strengthening the sense of community among Global Clubs Partners. Ellie Proffitt from the RPF Global Partners team shared why coming together is so important:
“It was wonderful to hear everyone’s experiences and connect over our shared mission. Everyone was so keen to learn from each other, and being able to do that face to face made it even more valuable.”
The Sri Lanka meetup gave partners the space to get to know one another, learn from each other’s experiences, and think together about future goals for their clubs.
The agenda combined presentations, workshops, and plenty of time for discussion. It began with the Raspberry Pi Foundation team giving a presentation on our mission and strategy for partner work and beyond. Afterwards, each organisation introduced themselves and partners showcased their activities and successes. Together we explored how to build and sustain Code Club communities, experimented with creative ways to use AI in clubs, and got hands-on with unplugged activities that make computing accessible in low-tech settings. Partners also shared approaches to adapting content for their local contexts, and finished by developing their own vision and strategy for the next 12 months.
The variety of sessions meant there was something for everyone, whether partners were looking for new teaching ideas, strategic guidance, or inspiration from peers.
“There were so many interesting topics, I wish we had more time to go more in depth. I love being able to speak with other organisations doing similar work. Having the Raspberry Pi Foundation facilitate the connections is an asset.” – Global Partner
As part of the meetup, partners had the chance to attend Coolest Projects Sri Lanka 2025, where young people showcased their incredible tech creations. Seeing children proudly present projects ranging from apps to hardware builds was a highlight for many.
“We have picked the top 100 [Coolest Projects] entries and they are here today exhibiting that to all our visitors joining from various parts of the world and we are happy to have representatives from the global Raspberry Pi Foundation family also.” – Prabhath, Code Club mentor and founder of STEMUp Educational Foundation
The team left Sri Lanka with deeper connections, renewed energy, and a shared commitment to making computing education accessible to all.
“I feel part of something bigger — a worldwide movement where kids everywhere are learning to create with technology, not just consume it. Being a Global Partner means we can learn from what’s working in other countries, adapt those ideas for us, and also contribute our own innovations back to the network.” – Global Partner
You can find out how your organisation could join our Global Clubs Partner network on the Code Club website, or contact us directly with your questions or ideas about a partnership.
The post Creating community at our 2025 Sri Lanka Global Clubs Partner meetup appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
Marie is a force of nature. As the founder of Breadline London, a grassroots community project in Haringey, she has spent years supporting families with essential services — she’s run a food bank, offered budgeting advice, and hosted well-being workshops. But when she heard about Code Club, she saw another way to help local children: by giving them the skills to shape their futures.
Marie had no background in tech, but that didn’t stop her. She knew that many families in Tottenham couldn’t afford extracurricular activities like coding classes, and she was determined to change that.
“I’ve wanted a coding club for children, children in Tottenham, because that’s not something that is actually here,” she explains. “Unfortunately for us, we are on the very high end of poverty… and some of our children in this area don’t get the opportunity to attend things like coding club.”
With the support of Haringey Giving and the Raspberry Pi Foundation, Marie launched her Code Club at Tottenham Community Sports Centre. She started from scratch, learning alongside the kids, attending free training at the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s headquarters in Cambridge, and soaking up everything she could about coding.
“I don’t know anything about coding. Nothing. But going to the training days, it was so inspiring. I got so excited thinking, these are the things I can hopefully share with the children.”
Marie’s club is more than just learning how to code — it’s about teamwork, creativity, and confidence.
“They need to learn these skills outside of a school environment, outside of a place where it’s really structured. I want them to come in, experiment, make things up as they go along. Sometimes they follow instructions, but mostly, they just try things out.”
She also sees her role as a mentor, even if the kids sometimes know more than she does!
“Most of the children know more about coding than I do. So for me, it’s just about encouraging them: ‘What’s next? What else can you add to your project?’ And helping parents understand that they need to let the children create what they want to create, not just steer them.”
Marie’s journey didn’t stop with Code Club. When she learnt about Coolest Projects, a global showcase where kids celebrate what they’ve built with code, she knew she had to take her club to one of the in-person events.
“I was in Cambridge when I first heard about it, and this fabulous young woman spoke about Coolest Projects. I just felt so excited to take the children somewhere that’s just kids, just kids learning about coding and developing these amazing things. I even said, ‘Even if no one from my club comes, I’m going by myself!’”
Taking the kids to Coolest Projects was a game-changer. They saw what was possible, talked to other young coders, and left inspired.
“Next year, when we go again, everybody’s going to have a project. Seeing the kids’ faces when adults wanted to try their projects, it was so exciting for them!”
Marie is proof that you don’t need to be a tech expert to start a Code Club — you just need passion and a willingness to learn.
Marie’s message to others who are thinking about setting up a coding club but worry about their lack of experience is simple:
“Start a [Code Club] because the children will help you to run [it]. They will help you. They will help each other. Don’t get put off running a coding club because you don’t know how to code. Because I don’t[…]and I love it.”
Marie’s story is a testament to what’s possible when someone believes in their community and takes action. She is creating opportunities for young people in Tottenham, giving them a space to learn, collaborate, and dream big regardless of their background. We can’t wait to see what her club achieves next!
For more information to help you set up a Code Club in your community, visit codeclub.org.
Help us celebrate Marie and her dedication to opening doors for young creators by sharing her story on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook.
The post Marie’s story: From tech beginner to Code Club mentor appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
Today, we introduce Shajan, a digital storyteller and senior business advisor at the BBC, whose extraordinary personal and professional journey has led him to champion digital literacy for young people in Bangladesh.
Shajan is British-born, but his roots deeply connect him to Bangladesh. This connection was instilled by childhood holidays to Bangladesh, as well as his late father, who emigrated to the UK in the 1960s but always encouraged Shajan to maintain ties with the community he left behind. Shajan’s pull towards Bangladesh intensified after his father’s passing fifteen years ago.
“I always thought I’d like to do something, carry on the work he left behind with efforts in building schools and supporting his local community.”
The memory of his sister Khela, who passed away at just 12 years old while in Bangladesh, also motivates Shajan. He says, “She was a really creative person, really into her arts and crafts and learning.”
Khela’s loss fuels Shajan’s desire to do something specifically for the young people of Bangladesh, connecting with their potential for creativity and learning.
Shajan’s 15 years of working for the BBC led him to discover the power of digital education. In 2015, he project-managed the BBC’s “Make It Digital” campaign, a UK-wide initiative addressing the National Digital Skills Gap.
As part of this, he led partnerships with organisations like Code Club.
“That experience showed me how digital tools could unlock creativity in young people and build their confidence.”
During his visits to Bangladesh, Shajan observed a widening digital divide. Young people, especially in rural areas, lacked access to basic internet and computers. Teachers faced heavy workloads, and many students needed to pause their education to support their families. Seeing no equivalent to Code Club in Bangladesh to inspire young people, Shajan felt he had to act. Before he knew it, he was requesting a six-month career break.
“I said, ‘This is what I always wanted to do. If I don’t do it now, I will miss the opportunity.'”
With the support of both the BBC and Code Club, Shajan packed his bags and moved to Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh.
Shajan’s initial goal was to raise awareness and build a sustainable model for Code Club in Bangladesh. Recognising that teachers needed support to run clubs, Shajan’s strategy was to engage university students as volunteers. He organised a national coding festival, leveraging these student volunteers to connect with schools and prepare young participants for a Scratch-based project challenge. The event received lots of media attention, encouraging interest and inspiring a new generation of coders.
However, there were some hurdles that had to be worked around, including unreliable internet connections, limited access to computers, and unstable electricity supply. Beyond practical challenges, Shajan faced a crucial mindset shift.
“Not everybody’s convinced yet that their children should be doing coding. For many families, generating immediate income takes precedence over digital education. Balancing the need to put food on the table with the long-term benefits of coding remains a constant battle.”
Despite these obstacles, Shajan’s efforts proved successful. Some of the creators from the 2016–2017 classes, now in their twenties, have pursued computer science and now share how Code Club helped them on their paths. He also organised an incredible exchange program, bringing creators and mentors from Code Club South Korea to Bangladesh for a seven-day visit. Despite not sharing a language, creators connected through the language of code, an experience Shajan describes as inspiring for the young people and adults alike.
Shajan’s focus now is to launch a Coolest Projects event in Sylhet, the place his father was born and a region he wants to focus on before taking Coolest Projects national as well.
He is actively engaging with teachers and student volunteers across the city, with strong support from Nooraiya Khan, an ICT Lecturer with a background in computer science. Nooraiya is working hard with Shajan to co-lead all Code Club activities in Bangladesh, bringing valuable expertise and shared passion to the movement.
Shajan believes the current digital landscape offers new opportunities. He is a strong advocate for the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, viewing it as a way to help bring opportunities to all young people. He plans to introduce AI-focused Code Club projects to Bangladesh, ensuring the next generation is prepared for a future driven by technology.
For Shajan, Code Club Bangladesh is “for everybody”. He wants to ensure that no child, especially girls and those from underserved communities, is left behind. He would welcome anyone interested in helping the young people of Bangladesh, including teachers, educators, tech professionals, and government bodies, to join Code Club Bangladesh’s journey.
If you’d like to support young people in your community to explore coding, why not start a Code Club? The team will support you every step of the way with resources, training, and a collaborative community.
Find out more on the Code Club website.
The post Dedication to digital education in Bangladesh: Meet Shajan appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
Meet Isabelle, a youth mentor at a library Code Club, whose inspiring story tells how a passion for helping others and a love for reading led back to a childhood interest, shaping an unexpected and rewarding journey.
Isabelle’s coding journey began around the age of nine. An avid reader, she regularly attended her local library in Stourbridge with her gran. When they saw there was a Code Club held on a Saturday morning, they both decided it might be a good skill for Isabelle to learn.
“I used to have like an entire folder of all the projects I’d completed. I’ve still got it somewhere in my room!”
She quickly progressed through Scratch, Python, and HTML, even finding herself teaching the adults at the club at some points! But, as secondary school approached, her involvement naturally tapered off as she began to focus on her studies.
In secondary school, Isabelle was looking for volunteering opportunities as part of her Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) award. Remembering her positive experiences at the library, and continued love of books, she initially considered volunteering there. Then, she had an idea.
“I suddenly thought ‘What if they still do Code Club?’ I really enjoyed it when I did it and I still remembered enough about it to help others. So, I felt like I could actually be useful instead.”
Isabelle reached out, and thanks to her gran’s long-standing connection with the library, she was remembered and welcomed back. What started as a three-month commitment for her DofE award soon extended to six.
“I really looked forward to each session at the library and decided to stick with it for the whole time.”
Isabelle’s return coincided with the Code Club restarting. Stepping into a mentoring role, she quickly found herself in the thick of it. With five computers and a group of new young people, most of whom had no prior coding experience, the first sessions were a whirlwind.
“It’s like the best kind of chaos. It doesn’t get easier as such. But it’s so fun meeting these new kids, they’re all different and they bounce off each other.”
She works closely with Lucy, the club leader, helping manage the flow of projects and supporting the children as they navigate everything from creating Scratch accounts to tackling challenging projects.
While the technical skills are central, Isabelle emphasises that Code Club offers so much more. She’s seen shy children blossom, making new friends and becoming more involved.
“I think there’s the whole element of socialising as well. And beyond coding, kids develop essential IT skills, like learning how to use a mouse and keyboard. Something many who just use tablets and phones don’t know!”
Isabelle, now preparing to go on to further education, could not have predicted how her mentoring journey would turn out. What began as a three-month DofE requirement has turned into a four-year commitment.
“It has just never been something that I thought ‘oh, I don’t want to do this anymore’. It’s just part of the weekly routine now. It’s been four years and it’s shocking how quickly it’s gone.”
Isabelle’s dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. She’s built strong bonds with the staff and gained invaluable experience. She’s learned to organise, work in a team, and even run sessions independently, developing skills that will be invaluable for her future.
“I like the bond that I have with the staff and with Lucy. It feels great to be trusted that much and it has just been such a nice experience.”
Lucy, Stourbridge Code Club leader and Library Assistant, shared her experience with the club and collaborating.
“Since Code Club offers so much more than just coding — confidence building, creativity, friendship, etc. — it plays an important role for children and young people in the community. The library is much more than just a place for books, and hosting Code Club here creates a welcoming space where young people can explore technology away from the classroom.”
“Isabelle has been absolutely fantastic both in supporting us with club admin as well as supporting the children with their coding! She understands the projects inside and out and is brilliant at not only solving problems, but also, importantly, encouraging the club to find ways of solving problems themselves. Our Code Club couldn’t have become what it is today without her input!”
As Isabelle prepares to head off to the Bath Spa University to study media communications and publishing, she offers this advice for other young people considering becoming a Code Club mentor…”just go for it!”
Isabelle admits to being anxious at times, but the experience has significantly boosted her confidence.
“It built my confidence a bit more. You make friends along the way and you learn a lot of new things. And don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of coding experience. I don’t think you need it. I had a little bit but I was still basing it mainly off of reading the project instructions. And in all fairness, the instructions are really helpful!”
Mentoring at Code Club isn’t just about teaching, it’s about learning, growing, and connecting. It’s an opportunity to give back, build confidence, and discover the joy in supporting the next generation of digital creators. As Isabelle’s journey shows, sometimes the most rewarding paths are the ones you never planned to take.
Lucy shared why she thinks having youth mentors involved with Code Club is such an important dynamic.
“Youth mentors are great as role models and inspiration for children, and as a young person themselves they build such a great rapport with the club members. A mentor who’s closer to their age often feels more approachable, which helps create a comfortable and encouraging environment for them.”
If Isabelle’s story has inspired you, why not explore the world of coding? You can get started at home with over 250 free projects on the Code Club Projects website.
Looking for a little extra support in your own coding journey or open to mentoring others? Join a Code Club near you to meet a like-minded and supportive community.
The post From coder to mentor: Meet Isabelle appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
Seung Woo, also known as Tony, is a 17-year-old student from Canada and the co-founder of his school’s Code Club, alongside his teacher, Kay. A curious and driven teen with big ambitions in computer science, Tony is not only passionate about technology, but also dedicated to building a safe, welcoming space where others can learn, explore, and grow alongside him.
Tony’s fascination with computers started early, driven by his love of video games, coding, and, perhaps most memorably, his admiration for Tony Stark, the comic-book and film character who becomes the superhero Iron Man! The idea of building something powerful from scratch stuck with him.
“My whole life, I have been curious about the inner workings of a computer and my inspiration for coding is Tony Stark or Iron Man from the Marvel Cinematic Universe!”
Tony’s early coding journey wasn’t without its challenges. Finding the right resources was difficult, and staying motivated during tough moments was often hard without a support system.
“Like many others, I was independently taught, and during this time of independent learning I’d find many different roadblocks and challenges that I had to overcome alone. A big setback for me was finding the right resources in order to learn how to code. Another big obstacle for me was motivation. I would find myself losing interest in a project. I didn’t have the exterior motivation to help me push through the inevitable hardships that come with coding.”
That’s where the idea for a coding club began to take shape.
Tony co-founded the Code Club at Collège Jeanne-Sauvé in December 2024 with that exact vision in mind — he wanted to provide a fun, collaborative, and welcoming environment where students of all skill levels could explore their love of technology together.
“I created the coding club to help everyone on their journey of computer science, no matter their skill level, and that is exactly what it is turning out to be. Finding resources is easier than ever with a teacher and all of the amazing members.”
Tony’s teacher and co-founder, Kay, shared why Code Club was the right fit for the school.
“I thought Code Club was the best way to start our club for a few reasons. The amount of coding language options was varied and appealed to the different learners in our club. It was also important for us to promote our club and let our community know about the presence of a coding club in our school, and Code Club helped us do so via their online presence.”
For Tony, the secret ingredient behind his club’s success is simple: teamwork.
“Without teamwork, our club wouldn’t really be a club, it would simply be an ensemble of people coding in their own little cubicles, much like a stereotypical office job, and to me, that does not sound too enjoyable. Teamwork is our little secret ingredient in problem-solving and building motivation, we embrace it by creating a safe space where everyone can speak their minds without judgement!”
Members are free to choose their own learning paths. No matter the project, the atmosphere is always filled with laughter, energy, and curiosity.
“Coding should be something that is fun — not stressful like others may make it seem. Celebrating achievements, making short term goals, and problem solving with friends are all great ways that we make coding fun in our club. A second word would be teamwork. Without teamwork, our club wouldn’t really be a club.”
Teamwork, he adds, transforms what could be a solitary activity into something social and deeply motivating.
Tony hopes the club will continue to grow, bringing more students into the world of coding and helping them feel at home in it. His story is a great reminder that learning to code isn’t just about computers — it’s about building community, confidence, and creativity.
“I wanted to create a space where everyone would be accepted and encouraged to learn more about coding and not be ashamed to ‘nerd out’ about this subject like I do very frequently. I’ve dreamed of creating a space that embraces this beautiful passion.”
If you’d like to explore coding, you can get started at home with over 250 free projects.
For a little more support, or if you’re open to mentoring others, you can also join a Code Club. Check our website to find a club near you and become part of a like-minded and welcoming community.
The post Creating a space for connection and code: Meet Seung Woo (Tony), Canada appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
Growing up in Mathare, one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements, Douglas experienced first-hand what it meant to go without access to education and opportunity. His experience sparked a Code Club journey that is already hugely inspiring… and it’s only just getting started.
For Douglas and many of his peers, the limited access to education in Mathare often meant being left with no clear path to earn a livelihood. Douglas saw opportunity in technology — he wanted to increase access in this field for the young people in Mathare and raise their ambitions.
“Why are we doing technology? Because we believe that tech does not have a boundary. As long as you have access to the internet and you can learn some basic skills… the opportunities are limitless.”
That belief became the keystone of Oasis Mathare, an organisation co-founded by Douglas and a group of others with similar lived experiences. Like Douglas, most of the founding members haven’t followed a standard path with formal schooling, but all understand the power of technology to transform lives.
Douglas’ own tech journey began humbly, and was sparked by his curiosity.
“After primary, I didn’t go straight to high school. I spent two years working in a nearby barber shop. Then I think I just fell in love with computers. I learned how to do some basic stuff with design and used to play around with Photoshop.”
From there, he taught himself web design and programming skills, which began to open new doors. Eventually, he went back to university to study business and information technology to deepen his knowledge, but even before that, Douglas had already started giving back.
“We used to hold a club providing a space for kids to come and play games on computers. That sort of grew from just Saturdays to a few times a week… and now it’s full time.”
Today, Oasis Mathare runs intensive software engineering and robotics programs that last between 9 and 12 months. But back in the early days of the organisation, Douglas quickly realised that many young people were struggling to keep up — not because of ability, but because they’d never used a computer before.
“So, we started Code Clubs to introduce these principles of programming at an early age… and we actually realised that those who have gone through Code Club take less time to complete our software engineering and robotics classes.”
Code Clubs now serve as a stepping stone at Oasis Mathare. They help introduce computer literacy and programming concepts to young people early, making it easier for them to thrive in more advanced programs.
The impact of the program is already visible. Many graduates of Oasis Mathare programs go on to volunteer and eventually teach, serving as role models for the younger learners.
“Oasis Mathare has 6 full-time staff. There are 12 Code Club leaders. They are our graduates from the software engineering program. We are plugging them into the Code Clubs to help them gain confidence and help the next generation.”
The Code Clubs are held both in schools and at the Oasis Mathare centre, creating safe, structured environments for learning, experimenting, and collaborating.
Before setting up Code Clubs, Oasis Mathare ran STEM clubs that used a variety of resources, but the cost and maintenance became a barrier. When they discovered Code Club’s free-to-access resources, everything changed.
“We found [the resources] very useful. The good thing about Code Club is you can plan sessions using resources that are freely available, like Scratch. It’s really straightforward.”
The biggest challenge now? Internet access is limited, so Douglas and his team often work offline. The team have started using the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s offline resources, and look forward to more being available in the future.
Douglas and the Oasis Mathare team have already achieved so much. This was recognised with a royal seal of approval in 2018, when Douglas was honoured with the Queen’s Young Leaders Award by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace. Through the award, he gained access to world-class mentoring and leadership training from the University of Cambridge, helping him to amplify his impact back home.
So, what’s next? Douglas’ vision for the future is bold and clear.
“The main idea is to ensure that all kids in Mathare know at least one computer language. Not for the sake of it, but to use the principles of programming to solve their local problems.”
By learning coding, young people build more than just technical skills. They learn to think critically, work in teams, and solve problems in their communities. For Douglas, that’s the real impact.
“The overall goal is to ensure that no youth in Mathare are left behind and they all have the opportunity to develop essential skills from an early age.”
Oasis Mathare runs Code Clubs weekly, all year round, and Douglas is always looking for ways to expand the program’s reach, especially through partnerships, sponsorships, and sharing their successes so far.
With more resources, more local leaders, and a whole community behind him, Douglas is rewriting the narrative for young people in Mathare. You can find out more about Oasis Mathare on their official website.
If you’d like to support young people in your community to explore coding, why not start a Code Club? The team will support you every step of the way with resources, training, and a collaborative community. Find out more on the Code Club website.
The post Giving back through Code Club: Meet Douglas appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
It’s especially inspiring to hear about young people who are not only passionate about technology, but who are also driven to share that passion with others. Meet Matthew, a 15-year-old creator and youth mentor at Code Club, who builds his own projects and inspires peers by organising hackathons.
Matthew’s journey into the world of coding began at a young age. His initial exposure was through Scratch at school in Singapore. From there, he began exploring self-learn platforms in his own time, getting to grips with HTML and basic web development.
His enthusiasm for creating led him to participate in a technology week in Year 6, where he took on a BBC micro:bit challenge. He dedicated his summer holiday to developing a token system that encouraged community recycling, using an ultrasonic sensor to award points for good behaviour. This early project showcased his knack for problem-solving and innovation.
What truly captivated Matthew was the possibility of combining the logical challenges of competitive programming with the joy of project creation.
Through Youthhacks, an initiative he co-founded to support teenage hackathon organisers, Matthew aims to expand access to hackathons across the UK (a hackathon is an event where individuals or teams work intensively over a relatively short time period to build software, hardware, or other kinds of technology). Matthew wants to offer advice and support, making it easier for young people to run their own hackathons. He puts a lot of time into ensuring that the content and atmosphere truly resonate with the participants.
“So, we made Youthhacks basically as an idea to be able to support these teenage organisers, you know, like hackathons for teenagers by teenagers.”
Matthew’s connection with the Raspberry Pi Foundation came from his keen interest in the hackathon community and a need for a local venue. Having previously toured the Foundation’s offices for a school robotics club, he decided to reach out when organising a satellite hackathon called Counterspell.
This initial collaboration led to further events at the Foundation, including Scrapyard Cambridge and, more recently, Cool as Hack.
Cool as Hack was Matthew’s third event held at the Raspberry Pi Foundation offices. Unlike traditional hackathons with intense time pressure, this event, inspired by the spirit of Coolest Projects, aimed to be more relaxed and collaborative.
“For this, people could bring in their own project scraps and then they could put it together with a team, finalise it, and then enter it to Coolest Projects.”
The focus was on showcasing creativity and sharing projects globally, rather than competitive prizes. Everyone then entered their creations into the Coolest Projects online showcase.
Cool as Hack was a huge success. The atmosphere was incredible — there was even a karaoke session and a “swag shop” where participants could exchange tokens earned for innovative ideas or project milestones. This token system, designed by Matthew and harking back to his own recycling project from years ago, created a fun and engaging reward system.
Matthew’s drive to organise these events and encourage other young people to code stems from his enjoyment of project creation and the community aspect of hackathons.
“Well, I suppose it links back to me enjoying making projects and when you attend a hackathon, it’s not a competition really. It’s more of a social event. So, you’re making a project and then you’re meeting quite a lot of coders, or even artists and musicians, and so many other people.”
Now a regular volunteer at the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s monthly Code Club in Cambridge, Matthew remains focused on encouraging others into tech. For aspiring young coders, he says that coding is far more diverse and creative than many might initially perceive, encompassing art, storytelling, and problem-solving. Matthew’s advice is simple:
“Enjoy the process and as you learn new things you’ll realise that all of this is like super interesting, and that there are so many ways to make what you want. Just enjoy it and continue meeting new people and, yeah, be creative.”
Matthew’s journey shows how an intro to computing at a young age can lead to an incredible amount of impact. With his continued dedication, he’s sure to inspire many more young minds to start on their own coding adventures.
If you would like to explore coding, you can get started at home with over 250 free projects.
Looking for a little extra support in your own coding journey or open to mentoring others? Join a Code Club near you to meet a like-minded and supportive community.
The post Code, karaoke, and creativity: Meet Matthew appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
When Daniela made the transition from working in retail to joining the team at Thetford Library, she never imagined that she would one day be leading a Code Club. Her manager, who had previously run the club, asked if Daniela would be interested in taking over, and although she was nervous, she was also eager to embrace the challenge and learn new skills.
“At first, I was nervous about teaching coding, but seeing the children’s excitement made me realise it was so important, and I was learning just as much as they were.”
The Code Club was designed to run in eight-week blocks, with a new group of children joining for each term. However, the kids loved it so much that they didn’t want to leave. Daniela, with her growing passion for coding and mentoring, welcomed the children to attend as often as they wanted, with some children, including one particularly enthusiastic young creator, attending every session. This continuity allowed the children to delve deeper into the world of coding, learning in a different way to what they were used to at school.
One of the key things that Daniela has found resonates most with the children is the combination of creativity and coding. She encourages the kids to draw and plan their projects first, which makes the process more engaging and accessible to all of the young people who want to attend. The freedom to be creative is something that she feels is crucial, especially when compared to the more structured and rigid environment of school curriculums. This approach has been particularly rewarding for one young girl in the club who insists on planning and drawing her own characters and backgrounds for all of her projects.
“Coding isn’t just about writing lines of code — it’s about storytelling, problem solving, and imagining what’s possible.”
Daniela’s journey into coding took a significant leap when she decided to explore the Astro Pi challenge, a project that involves writing code to run on Astro Pi computers aboard the International Space Station. Despite her initial nerves about diving into Python, a more advanced programming language than she had tried at the club previously, she was blown away by the possibilities it opened up. When telling the children, she almost felt that she was more excited at the prospect of them trying out real space science than them. But once she showed them some examples, the buzz was infectious and the sessions ran far smoother than she could have hoped. Daniela’s tip for trying Astro Pi for the first time? Find a fellow mentor to help you along the way and dream big.
“I never imagined we’d be working on space science at our library. Introducing children to coding early isn’t just about technology; it’s about giving them the confidence to dream big and think differently.”
The success of the Code Club at Thetford Library is part of a broader initiative by Norfolk Libraries to provide digital skills to the community. They are committed to offering resources and opportunities for people of all ages to engage with technology. From their Digital Week, which focuses on improving digital literacy, to offering mentorship for adults learning to navigate the digital world, Norfolk Libraries is working hard to bridge the digital divide.
For Daniela, the importance of introducing children to coding at an early age is not something she thought would become a passion for her when moving careers. She sees firsthand how these skills empower the children, giving them confidence and opening up future career opportunities.
“Code Club has shown me that stepping outside your comfort zone is where the real growth happens. Both for me and the kids!”
It’s this combination of creativity, learning, and the sheer joy of discovery that keeps Daniela passionate about running the Code Club, and why she continues to welcome every eager child who walks through the door.
If you are interested in encouraging your child to explore coding, take a look at the free coding project resources we have available to support you. If you would like to set up a Code Club for young people in your community, or attend one, head to codeclub.org for information and support.
The post Community Story | Daniela, Thetford Library appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
Prabhath, the founder of the STEMUP Educational Foundation, began his journey into technology at an early age, influenced by his cousin, Harindra.
“He’s the one who opened up my eyes. Even though I didn’t have a laptop, he had a computer, and I used to go to their house and practise with it. That was the turning point in my life.”
This early exposure to technology, combined with support from his parents to leave his rural home in search of further education, set Prabhath on a path to address a crucial issue in Sri Lanka’s education system: the gap in opportunities for students, especially in STEM education.
“There was a gap between the kids who are studying in Sri Lanka versus the kids in other developed markets. We tried our best to see how we can bridge this gap with our own capacity, with our own strengths.”
Recognising the need to close this gap in opportunities, Prabhath, along with four friends who worked with him in his day job as a Partner Technology Strategist, founded the STEMUP Educational Foundation in 2016. STEMUP’s mission is straightforward but ambitious — it seeks to provide Sri Lankan students with equal access to STEM education, with a particular focus on those from underserved communities.
To help close the gap, Prabhath and his team sought to establish coding clubs for students across the country. Noting the lack of infrastructure and access to resources in many parts of Sri Lanka, they partnered with Code Club at the Raspberry Pi Foundation to get things moving.
Their initiative started small with a Code Club in the Colombo Public Library, but things quickly gained traction.
What began with just a handful of friends has now grown into a movement involving over 1,500 volunteers who are all working to provide free education in coding and emerging technologies to students who otherwise wouldn’t have access.
A key reason for STEMUP’s reach has been the mobilisation of university students to serve as mentors at the Code Clubs. Prabhath believes this partnership has not only helped the success of Code Club Sri Lanka, but also given the university students themselves a chance to grow, granting them opportunities to develop the life skills needed to thrive in the workforce.
“The main challenge we see here today, when it comes to graduate students, is that they have the technology skills, but they don’t have soft skills. They don’t know how to do a presentation, how to manage a project from A to Z, right? By being a volunteer, that particular student can gain 360-degree knowledge.”
STEMUP’s impact stretches beyond cities and into rural areas, where young people often have even fewer opportunities to engage with technology. The wish to address this imbalance is a big motivator for the student mentors.
“When we go to rural areas, the kids don’t have much exposure to tech. They don’t know about the latest technologies. What are the new technologies for that development? And what subjects can they study for the future job market? So I think I can help them. So I actually want to teach someone what I know.” – Kasun, Student and Code Club mentor
This lack of access to opportunities is precisely what STEMUP aims to change, giving students a platform to explore, innovate, and connect with the wider world.
STEMUP recently held the first Coolest Projects Sri Lanka, a showcase for the creations of young learners. Prabhath first encountered Coolest Projects while attending the Raspberry Pi Foundation Asia Partner summit in Malaysia.
“That was my first experience with the Coolest Projects,” says Prabhath, “and when I came back, I shared the idea with our board and fellow volunteers. They were all keen to bring it to Sri Lanka.”
For Prabhath, the hope is that events like these will open students’ eyes to new possibilities. The first event certainly lived up to his hope. There was a lot of excitement, especially in rural areas, with multiple schools banding together and hiring buses to attend the event.
“That kind of energy… because they do not have these opportunities to showcase what they have built, connect with like minded people, and connect with the industry.”
Looking ahead, Prabhath sees STEMUP’s work as a vital part of shaping the future of education in Sri Lanka. By bringing technology to public libraries, engaging university students as mentors, and giving kids hands-on experience with coding and emerging technologies, STEMUP is empowering the next generation to thrive in a digital world.
“These programmes are really helpful for kids to win the future, be better citizens, and bring this country forward.”
STEMUP is not just bridging a gap — it’s building a brighter, more equitable future for all students in Sri Lanka. We can’t wait to see what they achieve next!
To find out how you and young creators you know can get involved in Coolest Projects, visit coolestprojects.org. If the young people in your community are just starting out on their computing journey, visit our projects site for free, fun beginner coding projects.
For more information to help you set up a Code Club in your community, visit codeclub.org.
Help us celebrate Prabhath and his inspiring journey with STEMUP by sharing this story on X, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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Worldwide, the use of generative AI systems and related technologies is transforming our lives. From marketing and social media to education and industry, these technologies are being used everywhere, even if it isn’t obvious. Yet, despite the growing availability and use of generative AI tools, governments are still working out how and when to regulate such technologies to ensure they don’t cause unforeseen negative consequences.
How, then, do we equip our young people to deal with the opportunities and challenges that they are faced with from generative AI applications and associated systems? Teaching them about AI technologies seems an important first step. But what should we teach, when, and how?
The researchers at the Raspberry Pi Foundation have been looking at research that will help inform curriculum design and resource development to teach about AI in school. As part of this work, a number of research themes have been established, which we would like to explore with educators at a face-to-face symposium.
These research themes include the SEAME model, a simple way to analyse learning experiences about AI technology, as well as anthropomorphisation and how this might influence the formation of mental models about AI products. These research themes have become the cornerstone of the Experience AI resources we’ve co-developed with Google DeepMind. We will be using these materials to exemplify how the research themes can be used in practice as we review the recently published UNESCO AI competencies.
Most importantly, we will also review how we can help teachers and learners move from a rule-based view of problem solving to a data-driven view, from computational thinking 1.0 to computational thinking 2.0.
Over ten years ago, teachers in England experienced a large-scale change in what they needed to teach in computing lessons when programming was more formally added to the curriculum. As we enter a similar period of change — this time to introduce teaching about AI technologies — we want to hear from teachers as we collectively start to rethink our subject and curricula.
We think it is imperative that educators’ voices are heard as we reimagine computer science and add data-driven technologies into an already densely packed learning context.
On Saturday, 1 February 2025, we are running a Research and Educator Community Symposium in collaboration with the Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre.
In this symposium, we will bring together UK educators and researchers to review research themes, competency frameworks, and early international AI curricula and to reflect on how to advance approaches to teaching about AI. This will be a practical day of collaboration to produce suggested key concepts and pedagogical approaches and highlight research needs.
This symposium focuses on teaching about AI technologies, so we will not be looking at which AI tools might be used in general teaching and learning or how they may change teacher productivity.
It is vitally important for young people to learn how to use AI technologies in their daily lives so they can become discerning consumers of AI applications. But how should we teach them? Please help us start to consider the best approach by signing up for our Research and Educator Community Symposium by 9 December 2024.
When: Saturday, 1 February 2025 (10am to 5pm)
Where: Raspberry Pi Foundation Offices, Cambridge
Who: If you have started teaching about AI, are creating related resources, are providing professional development about AI technologies, or if you are planning to do so, please apply to attend our symposium. Travel funding is available for teachers in England.
Please note we expect to be oversubscribed, so book early and tell us about why you are interested in taking part. We will notify all applicants of the outcome of their application by 11 December.
The post Teaching about AI in schools: Take part in our Research and Educator Community Symposium appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
One of our favourite things is sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
Recently, we had the pleasure of speaking with Isabel, a computer science teacher at Barton Peveril Sixth Form College in Eastleigh, England. She told us her fascinating journey from industry to education, along with how she is helping to make the tech space inviting to all.
Isabel’s path to working in the tech sector started with her early exposure to engineering thanks to her father’s career in telecoms.
“I find this is true for a lot of female engineers my age: you will find that their dad or their uncle was an engineer. I remember that when I made the decision to study engineering, my teachers asked me if I was sure that it was something I wanted to do.”
Isabel pursued a degree in engineering because she loved the technical aspects, and during her studies she found a passion for programming. She went to work as a software engineer in Hampshire, contributing to the development of 3G mobile phone technology.
Despite enjoying her career in tech, Isabel felt a strong pull towards teaching due to her long-standing involvement with youth groups and a desire to give back to the community.
“While I was at university in London, I took part in a scheme where we could go into local primary schools and help with their science teaching. At the time, I just thought this was my way of giving back, I hadn’t really thought of it as a career. But actually, after a while, I thought ‘I’m enjoying this programming, but I really liked helping the young kids as well’.”
The transition wasn’t easy, as Computer Science was not widely taught in schools at the time, but Isabel persevered, teaching IT and Media to her classes as well.
Once Isabel settled into her teaching role, she began thinking about how she could tackle a problem she noticed in the STEM field.
Having experienced first-hand what it was like to be the only woman in STEM spaces, Isabel’s commitment to diversity in technology is at the core of her teaching philosophy. She works hard to create an inclusive environment and a diversity of opportunities in her classroom, making sure girls feel encouraged to pursue careers in tech through exploring various enrichment activities.
Isabel focuses on enrichment activities that bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world application. She runs various projects and competitions, ensuring a balanced representation of girls in these initiatives, and gives her students the opportunity to participate in programs like the Industrial Cadets, Student Robotics, and Coolest Projects.
Isabel told us that she feels these opportunities provide essential soft skills that are crucial for success in any career.
“The A level environment is so academic; it is heavily focused on working on your own on very abstract topics. Having worked in industry and knowing the need to collaborate, I found that really hard. So I’ve always made sure to do lots of projects with my students where we actually work with real engineers, do real-world projects. I believe strongly in teaching soft skills like team working, project management, and time management.”
A key resource in Isabel’s teaching toolkit is the Ada Computer Science platform. She values its reliability and the timely updates to the topics, which are crucial in a rapidly evolving subject like Computer Science.
She said she encourages both her students and fellow teachers, especially those who have retrained in Computer Science, to use the platform as a resource.
“Ada Computer Science is amazing. We know we can rely on saying to the students ‘look on Ada, the information will be correct’ because I trust the people creating the resources. And we even found ourselves as teachers double-checking things on there. We struggle to get Computer science teachers, so actually only two of us are Computer Science teachers, and the other three are Maths teachers we have trained up. To be able to say ‘if you are not sure about something, look on Ada’ is a really nice thing to have.”
Despite her efforts, Isabel acknowledges that progress in getting more girls to pursue tech careers is slow. Many girls still view tech as an uninviting space and feel like they don’t belong when they find themselves as one of a few girls — if not the only one — in a class. But Isabel remains hopeful that continuous exposure and positive experiences can change these perceptions.
“I talk to students who are often the only girl in the class and they find that really hard. So, if at GCSE they are the only girl in the class, they won’t do [the subject] at A level. So, if we leave it until A level, it is almost too late. Because of this, I try as much as I can to get as many girls as possible onto my engineering enrichment projects to show them as many opportunities in engineering as possible early on.”
Her work with organisations like the UK Electronics Skills Foundation reflects her commitment to raising awareness about careers in electronics and engineering. Through her outreach and enrichment projects, Isabel educates younger students about the opportunities in these fields, hoping to inspire more girls to consider them as viable career paths.
As new technology continues to be built, Isabel recognises the challenges in keeping up with rapid changes, especially with fields like artificial intelligence (AI). She stays updated through continuous learning and collaborating with her peers, and encourages her students to be adaptable and open to new developments. “The world of AI is both exciting and daunting,” she admits. “We need to prepare our students for a future that we can hardly predict.”
Isabel’s dedication to teaching, her advocacy for diversity, and her efforts to provide real-world learning opportunities make her an inspiring educator. Her commitment was recognised by the Era Foundation in 2023: Isabel was named as one of their David Clark Prize recipients. The award recognises those who “have gone above and beyond the curriculum to inspire students and showcase real-world engineering in the classroom”.
Isabel not only imparts technical knowledge — she inspires her students to believe in their potential, encouraging a new generation of diverse tech professionals.
If Isabel’s story has inspired you to encourage the next generation of young tech creators, check out the free teaching and training resources we provide to support your journey.
If you are working in Computer Science teaching for learners age 14 and up, take a look at how Ada Computer Science will support you.
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We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
In our latest story, we’re heading to London to meet Yang, a Manager in Technology Consulting at EY specialising in Microsoft Business Applications, whose commitment to CoderDojo is truly inspiring. Yang’s passion for volunteering has grown since she first volunteered at a CoderDojo club at a local museum. In recent years, she has actively searched for ways to bring the CoderDojo movement to more children, and encouraged her colleagues to come along on the journey too.
When Yang was growing up, both of her parents worked in STEM, but her own journey into a career in technology took a varied route. After initially studying journalism in China, her path shifted when she pursued a Master’s in Digital Humanities at UCL, London, broadening her digital skills and paving the way for her current role.
On a weekend visit to a museum, Yang found the opportunity to volunteer at their CoderDojo. This experience sparked an enthusiasm to create more opportunities for young people to explore the world of computing, and this soon evolved into a plan to implement clubs at the EY offices.
With support from the EY Corporate Responsibility team, and fellow colleagues, Yang started to deliver Dojo sessions at the EY office in London. From the very first session, Yang was blown away by the level of enthusiasm among her colleagues, and their willingness to volunteer their time to support the club. She soon realised it was possible to roll this initiative out to other offices around the country, expanding the volunteer network and increasing their impact.
Clubs have now been run in four EY offices across the UK, and the team has even seen the first international club take place, at the EY office in Baku, Azerbaijan. In total, EY clubs have seen around 350 young people attend and give coding a go.
As a woman in tech, Yang is all too aware of the gender imbalance in the industry, and this is something she wanted the clubs at the EY offices to address.
“If there are some female role models, I think for a little girl grow up that means so much. Because if they can see somebody thrive in this industry, they will see themselves there one day. And that’s the inspiration.” – Yang
Yang actively encourages female participation in Dojo sessions, for example through holding sessions with a focus on engaging girls to mark International Women’s Day and Ada Lovelace Day. Through her leadership, she creates an inclusive environment where girls can envision themselves as future leaders.
Yang’s motivation doesn’t only inspire the young people attending her clubs, but also resonates with those who work with her on a daily basis, including colleagues like Iman and Elizabeth, who shared how much they admire Yang’s dedication and energy.
“I would love to have had a role model like [Yang] when I was younger. She’s just so inspiring. She’s so full of energy. I mean, from my personal experience, when I was younger, we didn’t have anything to do with coding.
There were situations where I was vaguely interested [in computing] but was told that it wasn’t for girls. And now with Yang running these events, seeing the girls come here and being so interested and wanting to learn, it really opens up so many more doors for them that they don’t even realise.” – Elizabeth, colleague and CoderDojo volunteer
Seeing the impact of her mentorship and the enthusiasm of young participants has fueled Yang’s passion even further.
“This has been a great opportunity to set up CoderDojo sessions for young people. I’ve had a lot of support from colleagues and other volunteers who have helped to run the sessions […] I feel super proud of what we’ve achieved so far.” – Yang
For Yang, mentorship isn’t just about teaching technical skills; it’s about helping young people develop confidence and resilience, and letting everyone know there is a place for them in computing should they want one.
Continuing to make a difference in her community and beyond, Yang recently participated in the 68th annual UN Women’s Commission on the Status of Women, which is the UN’s largest annual gathering on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
We’re delighted to be part of Yang’s journey, and can’t wait to see what she contributes to the world of tech next.
Help us celebrate Yang and her inspiring journey by sharing her story on X, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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Today our friends Mitch Resnick and Natalie Rusk from MIT’s Lifelong Kindergarten group tell you about OctoStudio, their free mobile app for children to create with code. Find their companion article for teachers in the upcoming issue of Hello World magazine, out for free on Monday 1 July.
When people see our new OctoStudio coding app, they often say that it reminds them of Scratch, the world’s most popular coding platform for kids. That’s not surprising, since the group of us developing OctoStudio were also involved in creating Scratch, with its distinctive building-block approach to programming. But there’s an important difference.
The difference is that we designed OctoStudio specifically for mobile phones and tablets, based on requests from educators in communities where children and families don’t have access to laptops and desktop computers, but do have access to mobile devices.
OctoStudio takes advantage of special features of mobile phones and tablets, such as built-in sensors, so young people can create projects that respond to shaking or tilting, or even ‘beam’ signals between devices. And because of the small size of mobile devices, children and families can create projects anytime anywhere, and integrate digital coding with physical making.
OctoStudio makes it easy for beginners to start creating. Children can choose a character from a diverse collection of emojis, draw their own in the OctoStudio paint editor, or take and edit a photo. With just a couple coding blocks, they can make their characters move, jump, speak, or glow — and respond to shaking, tilting, or tapping on the phone or tablet:
Since our Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab launched OctoStudio as a free app in October 2023, we’ve been delighted by the creativity and diversity of projects that children around the world have created with OctoStudio. As examples, we’d like to share with you three different projects from three different continents.
When Xavier, a 10-year-old in Rwanda, started using OctoStudio, he was intrigued with the ‘When I shake’ block. He realized that he could create a step tracker project, by sensing how the phone shook each time he took a step.
From the emoji library in OctoStudio, Xavier selected a rabbit, and he programmed it to grow a little bit each time he took a step. The more steps, the bigger the rabbit. To test the project, Xavier ran around in a circle. When he looked at the rabbit again, he saw how big it had grown and exclaimed: “Now it’s mega huge!” After finishing his project, Xavier made and posted a video tutorial to show others how to make their own step tracker using only 5 coding blocks.
One popular way to get started with OctoStudio is to make a favorite animal out of craft materials, take a photo of it, then bring your creation to life on the screen with OctoStudio coding blocks. As part of the Brazilian Creative Learning Network, educators Renato Barboza and Simone Lederman offer creative learning workshops in which children design creatures using a combination of natural materials and modeling clay. In these ‘fantastical creatures’ workshops, facilitators ask questions to encourage participants to design not only the creatures, but also develop ideas about how their creatures interact within their environment.
For example, two sisters created imaginary creatures, one with long sticks for arms, the other with big eyes and wings made from leaves. The sisters then took photos and made their creatures come to life in OctoStudio, making them jump, glow, and fly. They recorded sounds and explained more about their creatures, including where they live and what they like to eat.
OctoStudio also opens up the possibility of projects involving multiple mobile devices, using the new ‘beam’ block to send signals between the devices (via Bluetooth). For example, children can make a character in a story or game look like it’s jumping from one device to another by sending a beam signal when the character reaches the edge of the screen.
Thawin, an elementary school student in Thailand, decided to use the ‘beam’ block to create a project about caring for the environment. He embedded one tablet in a cardboard cutout of a watering can, and programmed it to beam a signal each time he shook it as if he were sprinkling water. Then, he added a tree emoji to another tablet, and programmed the tree to grow each time it received a beam signal. He proudly shared his project with his classmates: each time someone shook the watering can, the tree grew.
To get started with OctoStudio, you can download it for free from app stores for Android and iOS phones and tablets. The app is translated into more than 25 languages, and comes with sample projects and mini-tutorials.
Here are some resources for learning and exploring more:
You can share your OctoStudio stories, photos, and videos on social media using @octostudioapp or #octostudio. We can’t wait to hear about your and your children’s experiences!
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Following the huge success of last year’s Clubs Conference, we are delighted to announce that we will be hosting the second-ever Clubs Conference on Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December 2024 in Cambridge, UK.
The event will be a weekend of learning and connecting for volunteers and educators involved in Code Club, CoderDojo, and other initiatives we support. We’d love for you to join us!
This year, we’re bringing the conference home to our offices in the centre of Cambridge.
On Friday 29 November, you’ll have the opportunity to register early and attend an informal networking event with community members, including the Foundation team.
Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December will be filled with learning and development opportunities for you, including:
Join us to learn from your peers running clubs in various contexts, develop your digital making skills, and share your own insights. We look forward to learning with you.
If you think you might want to attend the Clubs Conference, please fill in our form to express your interest. We will then get in touch when you can book your tickets. Tickets will be £5 for both days combined.
Part of what made last year’s Clubs Conference so special was the range of exciting activities led by community members. If you’d like to host or co-host an activity this year, please also indicate this in the expression of interest form. We’ll be in touch in a few weeks to ask you more about your plans.
Possible activities include:
Check out last year’s talks for inspiration.
If you would love to participate but you feel the costs of travelling would prevent you, you may be able to apply for a travel bursary.
To be eligible for a bursary, you need to:
Please let us know whether you require a travel bursary when you fill in the expression of interest form.
If have any questions about bursaries or travel, please send us a message through our contact page using the subject ‘Clubs Conference’.
If you have any suggestions about the Clubs Conference, we’d love to hear them. Let us know through the contact page, or on social with the tag #ClubsCon24.
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At the Raspberry Pi Foundation, we aim to democratise access to digital skills and technologies. One of the ways we do this is via partnerships with youth and community organisations that deliver frontline services to young people experiencing educational disadvantage.
In 2023 we delivered a hybrid training programme to 14 youth organisations in the UK to help youth leaders and educators incorporate coding and digital making activities into their provision to young people. The training programme was supported by Amazon Future Engineer. In this blog, we summarise what we’ve learned from our evaluation of the training and its impact.
In total, 29 youth leaders and educators participated in the training, which consisted of 12 modules delivered across 4 online sessions and one in-person day. We asked participants to complete surveys at several points throughout the programme to enable us to explore their feedback, the training’s impact on their confidence in facilitating computing sessions, and their experiences of running activities with young people.
The educators on this programme were already well motivated to run digital making sessions. But one of the main challenges youth organisations report to us most often is that their staff and volunteers need more confidence in their ability to deliver coding activities on an ongoing basis. It was therefore great to see that, following the training, every participant felt at least moderately prepared to run coding activities, with 2 out of every 5 participants feeling very prepared. Furthermore, we recorded positive impact of the training on participants’ readiness: after the training, 4 out of every 5 participants agreed they had the skills they needed to facilitate activities for young people.
“It was pitched right for the majority of attendees with no knowledge of Scratch[.]” – Karl Nicholson, Manchester Youth Zone
Educators found the training to be high quality and, in almost all cases, beneficial. Participants reported that attending two online sessions in preparation for the in-person training day had improved their experience of the in-person activites.
“It was really great. The online courses are excellent and being in-person to get answers to questions really helped. The tinkering was really useful and having people on hand to answer questions [was] massively helpful.” – Liam Garnett, Leeds Libraries
Some participants told us they struggled with the second online training session. This may be because it contained more challenging content: moving from block-based coding (Scratch) to text-based coding (Python), a transition we know many people new to programming can find difficult.
This feedback has helped inform the next iteration of our training programme for youth and community organisations.
Since the training, attendees across the 14 organisations have reported that, so far, 39 digital making sessions have taken place, reaching 422 young people. Youth leaders and educators who have already run sessions also told us they intend to continue with coding and digital making activities with their young people in the future.
Among these youth leaders was Marie Henry, founder of Breadline London, a grassroots charitable organisation based in Haringey, London, that supports families and young people to break the cycle of poverty through financial education, training, and practical workshops.
Since the training programme, Marie has gone on to start a regular coding club in her local area.
“We are immensely grateful to the Raspberry Pi Foundation team for their encouragement and unwavering support in empowering us to launch our own coding club. Their guidance, expertise, hands-on training workshops, and provision of essential equipment and devices have been instrumental in our journey towards building a positive community for our young coders.
With their help, we’ve gained the confidence, knowledge, and skills needed to inspire the next generation of coders and innovators. We still have a lot to learn, but with them by our side, we are confident that our coding club will be a great success.
Thank you, Raspberry Pi Foundation, for believing in our vision and helping us turn it into reality.” – Marie Henry, Founder of Breadline London
Some of the organisations that participated in the training have not yet run sessions, but plan to start delivery within the next 1 to 3 months. They continue to face some logistical challenges, ranging from staff shortages and volunteer availability, to encouraging local young people with limited prior exposure to computing to join the digital making activities. We are continuing to support these organisations to get up and running as soon as possible.
“Oh my what a great coding after school session I’ve had this afternoon…Scratch not only sets a starting point for children in their ITC learning, but is also a fun way to learn and build on skills they can take with them as they grow. Planting the seeds of aspirations!” – Heather Coultard, Doncaster Children’s University
Our previous blog highlighted the importance of increasing young people’s sense of belonging within a coding club environment, to appeal to marginalised youth. Our findings suggest we are on the right track. Overall, participants felt positive about the training and found it to be of high quality, and it has helped them to deliver digital making sessions to young people in their communities. The organisations’ detailed feedback and impact reporting will continue to inform and improve the development of our training programmes going forward.
We thank Amazon Future Engineer for helping us run this rewarding programme.
For more information about how we can support youth and community organisations in the UK in starting their coding clubs, please send us a message on the subject ‘Partnerships’.
The post Learning from our hybrid training programme for youth and community organisations appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We work with mission-aligned educational organisations all over the world to support young people’s computing education. In 2023 we established four partnerships in Kenya and South Africa with organisations Coder:LevelUp, Blue Roof, Oasis Mathare, and Tech Kidz Africa, which support young people in underserved communities. Our shared goal is to support educators to establish and sustain extracurricular Code Clubs and CoderDojos in schools and community organisations. Here we share insights into the impact the partnerships are having.
In the partnerships we used a ‘train the trainer’ model, which focuses on equipping our partners with the knowledge and skills to train and support educators and learners. This meant that we trained a group of educators from each partner, enabling them to then run their own training sessions for other educators so they can set up coding clubs and run coding sessions. These coding sessions aim to increase young people’s skills and confidence in computing and programming.
We also conducted an evaluation of the impact of our work in these partnerships. We shared two surveys with educators (one shortly after they completed their initial training, a second for when they were running coding sessions), and another survey for young people to fill in during their coding sessions. In two of the partnerships, we also conducted interviews and focus groups with educators and young people.
Although we received lots of valuable feedback, only a low proportion of participants responded to our surveys, so the data may not be representative of the experience of all participating educators.
Following our training, our partners themselves trained 332 educators across Kenya and South Africa to work directly in schools and communities running coding sessions. This led to the setup of nearly 250 Code Clubs and CoderDojos and additional coding sessions in schools and communities, reaching more than 11,500 young people.
As a result, access to coding and programming has increased in areas where this provision would otherwise not be available. One educator told us:
“We found it extremely beneficial, because a lot of our children come from areas in the community where they barely know how to read and write, let alone know how to use a computer… [It provides] the foundation, creating a fun way of approaching the computer as opposed to it being daunting.”
We found encouraging signs of the impact of this work on young people.
Nearly 90% of educators reported seeing an increase in young people’s computing skills, with over half of educators reporting that this increase was large. Over three quarters of young people who filled in our survey reported feeling confident in coding and computer programming.
The young people spoke enthusiastically about what they had learned and the programs they had created. They told us they felt inspired to keep learning, linking their interests to what they wanted to do in coding sessions. Interests included making dolls, games, cartoons, robots, cars, and stories.
When we spoke with educators and young people, a key theme that emerged was the enthusiasm and curiosity of the young people to learn more. Educators described how motivated they felt by the excitement of the young people. Young people particularly enjoyed finding out the role of programming in the world around them, from understanding traffic lights to knowing more about the games they play on their phones.
One educator told us:
“…students who knew nothing about technology are getting empowered.”
This confidence is particularly encouraging given that educators reported a low level of computer literacy among young people at the start of the coding sessions. One educator described how coding sessions provided an engaging hook to support teaching basic IT skills, such as mouse skills and computer-related terms, alongside coding.
One educator gave an example of young people using what they are learning in their coding club to solve real-world problems, saying:
“It’s life-changing because some of those kids and the youths that you are teaching… they’re using them to automate things in their houses.”
Many of these young people live in informal settlements where there are frequent fires, and have started using skills they learned in the coding sessions to automate things in their homes, reducing the risk of fires. For example, they are programming a device that controls fans so that they switch on when the temperature gets too high, and ways to switch appliances such as light bulbs on and off by clapping.
From the gathered feedback, we also learned some useful lessons to help improve the quality of our offer and support to our partners. For example, educators faced challenges including lack of devices for young people, and low internet connectivity. As we continue to develop these partnerships, we will work with partners to make use of our unplugged activities that work offline, removing the barriers created by low connectivity.
We are continuing to develop the training we offer and making sure that educators are able to access our other training and resources. We are also using the feedback they have given us to consider where additional training and support may be needed. Future evaluations will further strengthen our evidence and provide us with the insights we need to continue developing our work and support more educators and young people.
Our thanks to our partners at Coder:LevelUp, Blue Roof, Oasis Mathare, and Tech Kidz Africa for sharing our mission to enable young people to realise their full potential through the power of computing and digital technologies. As we continue to build partnerships to support Code Clubs and CoderDojos across South Africa and Kenya, it is heartening to hear first-hand accounts of the positive impact this work has on young people.
If your organisation would like to partner with us to bring computing education to young people you support, please send us a message with the subject ‘Partnerships’.
The post Global impact: Empowering young people in Kenya and South Africa through coding clubs appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
In our latest story, we’re heading to Alkmaar, the Netherlands, to meet Arno and Timo, CoderDojo enthusiasts who have transitioned from club members to supportive mentors. Their journey at CoderDojo and their drive to give back and support the next generation of coders in their community has been an inspiration to those around them.
Arno and Timo have been friends since childhood, and embarked on their CoderDojo journey at the age of 12, eager to explore the world of coding. Under the guidance of mentors like Sanneke, Librarian and Chair of CoderDojo Netherlands, they not only honed their technical skills, but also learned about the value of collaboration, curiosity, and perseverance. As they grew older, they in turn were inspired to support young coders, and wanting to remain part of the CoderDojo community, they decided to become mentors to the next generation of club attendees.
Having been helping younger members of the club for years, the transition to official mentors and proud owners of the much-coveted mentor T-shirt was seamless.
Sanneke reflects on the impact young mentors like Timo and Arno have on the young learners at CoderDojo:
“Having young mentors who are just slightly older than our youngest… I think it helps them to see what happens when you grow up and how they can help. They can be examples for how to help others.” – Sanneke, Librarian, CoderDojo mentor, and Chair of CoderDojo Netherlands
Timo echoes this sentiment, highlighting how mentoring provides a fantastic opportunity to help people and make a positive impact in the local community:
“I think volunteering is important, because you’re doing something for the community, in a city or village, supporting them in their journey in learning coding.” – Timo
As they continue their journey, Timo and Arno remain committed to supporting and inspiring the next generation of coders. They also encourage anyone who is thinking of volunteering at a club to give it a go:
“If you want to volunteer at the CoderDojo, just go for it. You don’t really need that much experience. […] The kids can learn it, so can you.” – Arno
The CoderDojo movement in the Netherlands is celebrating a decade of impact, and champions a culture of growth and learning. Arno and Timo’s story serves as an inspiration to us all, shining a light on the power of mentorship and the impact of volunteering in building stronger, more supportive communities.
Arno and Timo’s story showcases the importance of mentorship for both individuals and communities, and the real impact you can have by donating an hour of your time a week. If you’re interested in becoming a CoderDojo volunteer, head to coderdojo.com to find out how to get started.
Help us celebrate Arno and Timo and their inspiring journey by sharing their story on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of inspiring young people, volunteers, and educators all over the world who have a passion for technology.
With this latest story, we’re taking you to Leeds, UK, to meet Micah, a young space enthusiast whose confidence has soared since he started attending a Code Club at his local library.
Computing skills are essential in today’s world, and Micah’s mum Catherine was keen for him to be introduced to coding from a young age.
While Micah is known to people close to him for his inquisitive nature, cheeky behaviour, and quick-witted sense of humour, he can be a little shy when meeting new people. And he isn’t always keen on his mum’s suggestions about trying new things and attending after-school clubs! However, when Catherine saw there was a Code Club running at their local library, she knew it was the perfect opportunity for Micah to try out computing.
What Catherine didn’t know is that not only would Micah find out he was a talented coder, but Code Club would also set the path for him to become a regular attendee at many of the library’s other clubs.
Based in Leeds, the Compton Centre Code Club is part of the Leeds Libraries network, which runs seven Code Clubs throughout the city. Liam, Senior Librarian for Digital at Leeds Libraries, described the importance of these spaces for the community and for engaging children in tech:
“Libraries are safe spaces that provide free access to exciting and innovative technology to those in our communities who might not get that opportunity. We’re proud that our Code Clubs can support young people to engage with tech, learn some new skills, and meet like-minded peers in a friendly and positive environment.
Our Code Clubs are aimed at 9- to 13-year-olds. We do have some learners that will come that have a younger sister or brother that wants to get involved as well. We never want to turn anyone away. So we’re more than welcoming for that age group to come in and have a play, get used to the equipment, and join in.”
— Liam, Senior Librarian for Digital at Leeds Libraries
Code Club provides a safe and friendly space for Micah to connect with other children, and he has embraced coding with enthusiasm. This is possible thanks to the work, support, and encouragement of Micah’s Code Club mentor Basia (they/them), the librarian at the Compton Centre who runs the club.
“Micah loves coming [to Code Club] and learning all the different things that he can do with coding. And he also loves Basia. They’re brilliant and run the club really well. It’s a super child-friendly place to be and he loves the support that he gets from them.”
– Catherine, Micah’s mum
Support from an inspiring mentor is so often an important part of a young coder’s journey, and Basia’s own journey from a coding beginner to a confident mentor highlights the positive influence Code Club has on both children and mentors.
Basia reflected on how they felt when they first heard they were going to be running Code Club sessions, and how their skills and confidence have grown.
“I was daunted for a bit. But actually one of the first things I did when I started this job was to go through some of [the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s] resources and do a project in Scratch. And it was just so simple and straightforward. You know, all the resources are absolutely great and I don’t really need to think about it. I think my confidence has increased quite significantly.”
— Basia, Librarian and Code Club mentor
Since joining Code Club, Micah has become involved in other extracurricular activities, like Lego club and drama club. These experiences have contributed to Micah’s overall personal growth, showcasing the transformative power of Code Club for children.
Micah has exciting dreams for the future, including becoming an astrophysicist, a marine biologist, and the founder of a company named Save The Planet. Supported by dedicated mentors like Basia, Code Clubs are not just about teaching coding — they are helping shape the leaders of tomorrow.
If you are interested in encouraging your child to explore coding, take a look at the free coding project resources we have available to support you. If you would like to set up a Code Club for young people in your community, head to codeclub.org for information and support.
Help us celebrate Micah and his inspiring journey by sharing his story on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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We partner with educational organisations around the world to bring coding activities to young people in their regions through Code Club and CoderDojo. Currently involving 52 organisations in 41 countries, this Global Clubs Partner network shares our passion for empowering kids to create with technology.
A key aspect of how we foster the Global Clubs Partner network is to promote connections between partners. It’s one reason we host regular online meetings and regional in-person events, and connect partners one on one to facilitate information sharing. Today, we’re highlighting three stories from partner organisations that have benefited from working with each other.
In March 2023, the Foundation hosted the first Clubs Conference for educators and volunteers involved with Code Club and CoderDojo. As this event took place in Cambridge, UK, the majority of attendees were from the UK and Republic or Ireland, but a small number came from further away. Much further away, in some cases.
Bruce Harms and his colleague Thanya Croes (Full Stack Vision Foundation, Aruba) were attending the Clubs Conference to share their work to increase digital literacy in Aruba through CoderDojo clubs. At a special conference session for international attendees, they connected with Sanneke van der Meer and Marloes van der Meulen (CoderDojo Netherlands), who were also presenting as part of the session.
After the Clubs Conference, the two organisations remained in touch. Later in the year, Bruce and Thanya attended the DojoCon Netherlands 2023 in the Hague. ”It was an amazing day with great workshops and lots of other CoderDojo Champions”, Bruce said. He and Thanya have plans to invite the CoderDojo Netherlands team to Aruba and hope to collaborate on future projects together.
Sylvester Mtumbuka (Computers for Enhanced Education, Malawi) and Mrisho Habibu (AMCET Innovation Hub, Tanzania) first connected at our Global Clubs Partner meetup in Malaysia in late 2022. Sylvester said: “We were the only ones from Africa there and we are from neighbouring countries. We happen to have a lot of goals in common, and we started discussing possible opportunities for collaboration.”
The result is the Tanzania and Malawi (TaMa) Innovation Initiative, which is dedicated to fostering the educational, technological, and entrepreneurial development of young people in Tanzania and Malawi. It aims to empower young people in under-served communities, offering support for sustainable livelihoods and entrepreneurship, and it is already yielding great results.
As part of their ongoing partnerships with us, Sylvester and Mrisho attended our Global Clubs Partner meetup in South Africa a year later — the perfect opportunity to sign their partnership agreement.
A chance meeting between Homero Cardoso (TAGUSVALLEY, Portugal) and Manos Zeakis (CoderDojo in Greece) at DojoCon Netherlands 2022 in Almere had unexpected consequences. “We discussed a lot of things, including the difficulty in finding venues for our Dojos in Greece”, Manos said. “Then in October 2023, we met at a Global Clubs Partner call and we talked again. With Homero’s help I contacted a Greek company, and they were immediately enthusiastic about helping us. After a few weeks, the Nea Ionia Dojo was live and the first Ninjas had their first session!”
Homero added: “Getting to know Manos was transformative for me as well. Because of that chance encounter in Almere, this year 7th and 8th grade students are participating in Astro Pi Mission Zero for the first time, mostly due to the inspiring example of Manos’s United Dojos project presented at DojoCon.”
To find out more about our Global Clubs Partner network and how your organisation might get involved, visit the CoderDojo or Code Club websites, or contact us directly about a partnership.
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It’s the last week of Black History Month 2024 in the USA, but by no means is the celebration over. The beautiful thing about history is that it’s not an isolated narrative about the past, but an ongoing dialogue in which we talk about how our collective past informs our present, and what more can be achieved in the future. The fact is this: we make history every single day. That’s why it’s so important for everyone to actively engage with history, and for us to celebrate the achievements of all.
When we talk about the history of STEM and computing, it’s necessary to highlight the achievements of people from groups that are still underrepresented in these fields: communities of colour, female and gender non-conforming people, people with disabilities, and underresourced communities. When we highlight their achievements, everyone can gain a fuller understanding of this history, and more young people from these groups can see they have a place in these fields and in moving them forward.
[When young kids of colour help inform the technology they use,] we end up with technology that is more inclusive to diverse communities […], and we help the kids become creators instead of just consumers.
Qumisha Goss
So to keep the conversation going about Black history in STEM and computing and how people make it every day, today we’re highlighting stories of Black community members. You’ll find out how they got involved in coding and creating with technology, and who their Black role models in tech are — past and present.
Meet Qumisha Goss, a brilliant source of inspiration and a shining light for youth in the ‘Motor City’ of Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Growing up, Qumisha always had an interest in tech, often tinkering and putting projects together, and her interest quickly transformed into a dream of becoming an engineer one day. Fast forward to now, and Qumisha has done exactly that and so much more.
She’s the Interim Executive Director of Peer 2 Peer University, the Digital Literacy Subject Matter Expert for Connect 313, the Creator and Lead Instructor of Code Grow, and a Raspberry Pi Certified Educator. Talk about impact! We asked Qumisha a few questions to explore her incredible story and to learn how she’s giving back to her community today:
Qumisha: “When I was a kid, my grandmas, Gloria and Cassandra, helped my brother and I make a shrinking machine out of a cardboard box, some batteries, and some lights. There was a minimum of science used, but my grandma swapped out our test ear of corn for a baby corn and my curiosity was rewarded with success. In elementary school, my ‘hero’ was Mae Carol Jemison, engineer, doctor, and astronaut. She was the first African American woman to go to space, in 1992 on the Endeavor. I found someone who looked like me who was doing something that I wanted to do, and that was encouraging.”
Qumisha: “It’s important that young kids of colour help inform the technology that they use. The benefits are twofold: we end up with technology that is more inclusive to diverse communities because it is informed by them, and we help the kids become creators instead of just consumers.”
Qumisha: “I eventually went to college to study engineering. I ended up switching majors and studying history and classical languages, but later returned to the tech world when I joined the Python and Raspberry Pi communities. I learned how to code outside of a traditional classroom and have been running physical computing classes and workshops for kids in my hometown of Detroit.”
Qumisha: “Even if kids don’t stick with it, they learn that coding — and lots of things — are not beyond them. The next Bill Gates might be sitting on the library stoop. The difference between them being able to make it or not is: ‘Did they ever get the opportunity to touch the thing that really sparks their genius?’ And for me, I want to help as many kids as possible interact with tech in a fun and engaging way so that they know that they can be technologists too.”
The difference between [kids] being able to make it or not is: ‘Did they ever get the opportunity to touch the thing that really sparks their genius?’
Qumisha Goss
To connect with Qumisha and learn how you can support the incredible, history-making work that she’s doing, follow her on X at @QatalystGoss.
Keep reading to meet more Black history makers across the USA, and to find resources to learn how you can help increase diversity in the technology sector in your community.
Explore our research seminars for educators who want to learn how to make computer science more accessible to all.
Listen to the stories of other Black community members who are making history all over the US. Siblings Sophia and Sebastian, researcher Randi Williams, and aspiring filmmaker Jordan chatted to us about their interest in coding, tech, and getting creative with digital tools.
Try out one of our guided projects for young people to get creative with tech. Check out Coolest Projects, our free online showcase for young tech creators, and how you can get young people involved.
And if you want to share the story of how you got into tech and how you’re inspiring kids to do the same, reach out to us on social media so we can amplify your voice.
Happy Black History Month!
The post Black role models in tech are making history every day appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
In our series of community stories, we celebrate some of the wonderful things young people and educators around the world are achieving through the power of technology.
In our latest story, we’re heading to Vivek High School in Mohali, India, to meet Sahibjot, a 14-year-old coding enthusiast who has taken his hobby to the next level thanks to mentorship, Code Club, and the exciting opportunity to take part in the Coolest Projects 2023 global online showcase.
When he was younger, Sahibjot loved playing video games. His interest in gaming led him to discover the world of game development, and he was inspired to find out more and try it out himself. He began to learn to code in his spare time, using tutorials to help him develop his skills.
Keen to share the joy he had experienced from gaming, Sahibjot set himself the challenge of creating a game for his cousin. This project cemented his enthusiasm for coding and developing games of his own.
“I always felt that I have played so many games in my life, why not make one and others will enjoy the same experience that I had as a child.
For my cousin, I made a personal game for him, and he played it and he liked it very much, so once he played it, I felt that, yes, this is what I want to do with my life.” – Sahibjot
While continuing to hone his computing skills at home, Sahibjot heard that his school had started a Code Club. After initially feeling nervous about joining, his enthusiasm was bolstered by the club mentor, Rajan, talking about artificial intelligence and other interesting topics during the session, and he soon settled in.
At Code Club, with support and encouragement from Rajan, Sahibjot continued to develop and grow his coding skills. Alongside his technical skills, he also learned about teamwork and working collaboratively. He embraced the opportunity to help his peers, sharing his knowledge with others and becoming a mentor for younger club members.
“Last year, we joined this coding club together and we became friends. He’s a very friendly person. Whenever we need him, he just quickly helps us. He helps us to troubleshoot, find any bugs, or even fix our codes.” – Akshat, fellow Code Club member
The next step for Sahibjot came when Rajan introduced him and his fellow Code Club members to Coolest Projects. Coolest Projects is a celebration of young digital creators and the amazing things they make with technology. It offers participants the opportunity to share their tech creations in a global, online showcase, and local in-person events celebrating young creators are also held in several countries.
Sahibjot was eager to take part and showcase what he had made. He submitted a Python project, a ping-pong game, to the online showcase, and was very excited to then see his creation receive a special shout-out during the Coolest Projects global livestream event. He was delighted to share this achievement with his friends and family, and he felt proud to be representing his school and his country on a global stage.
“I told everyone around me that there was going to be a livestream and I possibly might be featured in that, so that was really exciting. I learned a lot about just not representing my school and myself as an individual, I learned about representing my whole nation.” — Sahibjot
Sahibjot’s passion for computing has helped shape his aspirations and ambitions. Looking to the future, he hopes to use his technology skills to benefit others and make an impact.
“Using code and technology and all of the things like that, I aspire to make effort to do something with the world, like help out people with technology.” — Sahibjot
To find out how you and young creators you know can get involved in Coolest Projects, visit coolestprojects.org. If the young people in your community are just starting out on their computing journey, visit our projects site for free, fun beginner coding projects.
For more information to help you set up a Code Club in your school, visit codeclub.org.
Join us in celebrating Sahibjot’s inspiring journey by sharing his story on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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At the heart of our work as a charity is the aim to democratise access to digital skills and technologies. Since 2020, we have partnered with over 100 youth and community organisations in the UK to develop programmes that increase opportunities for young people experiencing educational disadvantage to engage and create with digital technology in underserved communities.
Youth organisations attempting to start a coding club can face a range of practical and logistical challenges, from a lack of space, to funding restrictions, and staff shortages. However, the three issues that we hear about most often are a lack of access to hardware, lack of technical expertise among staff, and low confidence to deliver activities on an ongoing basis.
In 2023, we worked to help youth organisations overcome these barriers by designing and delivering a new hybrid training programme, supported by Amazon Future Engineer. With the programme, we aimed to help youth leaders and educators successfully incorporate coding and digital making activities as part of their provision to young people.
“Really useful, I have never used Scratch so going [through] the project made it clear to understand and how I would facilitate this for the children[.]” – Heather Coulthard, Doncaster Children’s University
We invited 14 organisations from across the UK to participate in the training, based on:
Attendees included a number of previous Learn at Home partners, including Breadline London, Manchester Youth Zone, and Youth Action. They all told us that the additional support they had received from the Foundation and organisations such as The Bloomfield Trust during the coronavirus pandemic had directly inspired them to participate in the training and begin their own coding clubs.
We started with four online training sessions where we introduced the youth leaders to digital making concepts, programming languages, and recommended activities to run with their young people. This included everything from making their own block-based Scratch games, to running Python programs on our Code Editor and trying out physical computing via our new micro:bit project path.
Alongside digital skills and interactive codealongs, the training also focused on how to be an effective CoderDojo mentor, including classroom management best practice, an explanation of the thinking behind our 3…2…1…Make! project paths, and an overview of culturally relevant pedagogy.
This last part explored how youth leaders can adapt and tailor digital making resources designed for a wide, general audience for their specific groups of young people to aid their understanding, boost their learning outcomes, and increase their sense of belonging within a coding club environment — a common blocker for organisations trying to appeal to marginalised youth.
The training culminated in a day-long, in-person session at our head office in Cambridge, so that youth leaders and educators from each organisation could get hands-on experience. They experimented with physical computing components such as the Raspberry Pi Pico, trained their own artificial intelligence (AI) models using our Experience AI resources, and learned more about how their young people can get involved with Coolest Projects and Astro Pi Mission Zero.
The in-person session also gave everyone the chance to get excited about running digital making activities at their centres: the youth leaders got to ask our team questions, and had the invaluable opportunity to meet each other, share their stories, swap advice, and discuss the challenges they face with their peers.
“Having the in-person immensely improved my skills and knowledge. The instructors were all brilliant and very passionate.” – Awale Elmi, RISE Projects
Finally, thanks to the generous support from Amazon Future Engineer, we were able to equip each participating organisation with Raspberry Pi 400 kits so that the youth leaders can practise and share the skills and knowledge they gained on the course at their centres and the organisations can offer computing activities in-house.
Over the next 12 months, we will continue to work with each of these youth and community organisations, supporting them to establish their coding clubs, and helping to ensure that young people in their communities get a fair and equal opportunity to engage and create with technology, no matter their background or challenges they are facing.
“It was really great. The online courses are excellent and being in-person to get answers to questions really helped. The tinkering was really useful and having people on hand to answer questions [was] massively useful.” – Liam Garnett, Leeds Libraries
For more information about how we can support youth and community organisations in the UK to start their own coding clubs, please send us a message with the subject ‘Partnerships’.
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Big news for young tech creators: Coolest Projects will return in 2024. The world’s leading showcase for young creators of digital tech will be open for registration in the online gallery, and we want young people worldwide to showcase their tech projects.
In 2024, we are hosting the Coolest Projects online showcase and livestream celebration for all young creators around the world, and also in-person events in the UK and Ireland for young creators who live there.
All young tech creators can take part — for free — in the Coolest Projects online showcase:
Coolest Projects is an opportunity for young tech creators to share what they have made with the world. Young people register their tech creations to show them in the Coolest Projects online showcase gallery. Alongside mentors, parents, friends, and family members in their local and global communities, they can explore the gallery and celebrate what they and their peers have made.
If your kids want to learn about creating with technology, check out our free guided coding project paths. These paths are designed to support all young people to learn how to make their own tech projects and develop their coding skills. For example:
Young creators can take a look at the Coolest Projects 2023 online showcase gallery for inspiration if they are not sure what they want to make. You can also watch the story of Zaahra and Eesa, siblings who participated in Coolest Projects 2020.
If you are a young creator in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, or the UK, then Coolest Projects is also coming to you in person in 2024. Participants will be able to meet other young tech creators, connect to their community, and celebrate each other’s creations. Young people are encouraged to take part in both the Coolest Projects global online showcase and their local in-person event.
Coolest Projects Ireland will take place at DCU St Patrick’s College Campus, Drumcondra in Dublin. It’s open to young creators in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and their families and friends are invited to come along to celebrate them and see all the incredible projects on show. Participants can apply for partial bursaries for the costs of attending the event.
Very soon we will announce the date and venue for Coolest Projects UK for all young creators in the UK. Sign up for email updates to be the first to hear about it. We will also share full details of each in-person event on the Coolest Projects website when registration opens.
If there’s not an in-person Coolest Projects event near you, you can still join in the fun: the Coolest Projects online showcase is open to any young creator aged up to 18, from anywhere in the world. We also work with brilliant partner organisations around the world to bring Coolest Projects events to their countries and communities. Sign up to the Coolest Projects newsletter to be the first to know about any in-person event in your country.
Coolest Projects registration opens soon in 2024, and young creators can start thinking of ideas and working on their projects now. Or if young people have already made something they are really proud of, they can showcase that creation once registration is open.
Sign up for email updates to always get the latest news about all things Coolest Projects, from event updates to the fun swag coming for 2024.
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In our series of community stories, we celebrate some of the amazing young people and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
In our latest story, we’re sharing the inspiring journey of St Joseph’s Secondary School in Rush, Ireland. Over the past few years, the school community has come together to encourage coding and digital skills, harnessing the European Astro Pi Challenge as an opportunity to kindle students’ enthusiasm for tech and teamwork.
We caught up with some of the educators and students at St Joseph’s, fresh off the success of their participation in another round of Astro Pi, to delve a little deeper into the school’s focus on making opportunities to engage with computing technologies accessible to all.
St Joseph’s Secondary School is in the heart of Rush, a rural town steeped in agricultural heritage. The school houses a diverse student population coming from the local multigenerational farming families as well as families who’ve been drawn to Rush more recently by its beautiful countryside and employment opportunities. St Joseph’s leadership team has responded to the changing demographics and increase of its student population by adapting and growing the school’s curriculum to meet the evolving needs of the young people and help them build a strong community.
One of the school’s most popular initiatives has been teaching coding from first year (ages 12–13). This proactive approach has resonated with many students, including Kamaya, a member of the school’s 2022/23 Astro Pi cohort, who first discovered her passion for space science and computing through the movie Interstellar.
I remember the first time I was like, ‘OK, space is cool’ is when I watched a movie. It was called Interstellar. I [realised] I might want to do something like that in my future. So, when I came to [St Joseph’s] secondary school, I saw coding as a subject and I was like, ‘Mum, I’ve got to do coding.’
Kamaya, student at St Joseph’s
A key person encouraging St Joseph’s students to give coding a try has been Mr Murray, or Danny as he is fondly referred to by students and staff alike. Danny was introduced to the importance of engaging with computing technologies while teaching science at a school in England: he attended a Code Club where he saw kids building projects with Raspberry Pis, and he couldn’t wait to get involved. Growing his knowledge from there, Danny changed subject focus when he moved back to Ireland. He took on the challenge of helping St Joseph’s expand their computer science offering, along with leading on all IT-related issues.
When the school introduced mandatory coding taster sessions for all first-year students, Danny was blown away by the students’ eagerness and wanted to provide further opportunities for them to see what they could achieve with digital technologies.
This is where Astro Pi came in. After hearing about this exciting coding challenge through an acquaintance, Danny introduced it to his computer science class, as well as extending an open invitation to all St Joseph’s students. The uptake was vast, especially once he shared that the young people could become the recipients of some very exciting photos.
You get to see photos of Earth that nobody has ever seen. Imagine just talking to somebody and saying, ‘Oh, there’s a picture of the Amazon. I took that picture when I was 14. From space.’
Danny Murray, computing teacher at St Joseph’s
Danny’s mission is to instil in his students the belief that they can achieve anything. Collaborating on Astro Pi projects has enabled young people at St Joseph’s to team up and uncover their strengths, and has helped foster a strong community.
The students’ sense of community has transcended Danny’s classroom, creating a culture of enthusiasm for digital skills at St Joseph’s. Today, a dedicated team of students is in charge of solving tech-related challenges within the school, as Deputy Principal Darren Byrne explains:
Our own students actually go class to class, repairing tech issues. So, every day there are four or five students going around checking PCs in classrooms. They […] give classes to our first-year students on app usage.
Darren Byrne, Deputy Principal at St Joseph’s
It’s invested in the whole school [now], the idea that students can look after this kind of technology themselves. We’re the ones reaching out for help from the students!
To find out how you can get involved in Astro Pi, visit astro-pi.org for further information, deadlines, and more. If you would like to learn more about the other free resources we have available to help you inspire a coding community in your school, head to www.raspberrypi.org/teach.
Help us celebrate St Joseph’s Secondary School by sharing their story on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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A network of more than 40 partner organisations in over 30 countries works with us to grow and sustain the worldwide Code Club and CoderDojo networks of coding clubs for young people. These organisations, our Global Clubs Partners, share our mission to enable young people to realise their potential through the power of computing and digital technologies. We support them in various ways, and recently we invited them to two calls with our researchers to discuss new research findings about computing education in primary schools.
Global Clubs Partners work to train educators and volunteers, provide access to computing equipment, run clubs and events for young people at a local or national level, and much more. Our aim is to provide support that helps the Global Clubs Partners in their work, including tailored resources and regular group calls where we discuss topics such as volunteer engagement and fundraising.
Recently, we were excited to be able to highlight research from our newest seminar series to the network. This ongoing seminar series focuses on teaching and learning in primary (K-5) computing education. Many of the Global Clubs Partners work with schools or local education bodies — some partner representatives even come from a teaching background themselves. That’s why we hoped they would be able to use insights from the seminars in their work, whether with learners and educators directly, or to grow their network of Code Clubs or CoderDojos; we know this is easier for them when they can provide evidence to show why these programmes are so beneficial for young people.
We were also very interested to hear the Global Clubs Partners’ perspectives, as they work in a wide variety of contexts around the world. For example, would the research resonate the same way with an organisation based in Kenya as one based in Nepal? This kind of insight is useful for making decisions about our research work in future.
Each of the two calls featured a speaker from the research seminar series summarising their work and inviting attendees to share their own thoughts. We had some fascinating conversations; with partner representatives from seven countries across four continents, the discussions were a great showcase of the different experiences in our partner network. Dr Bobby Whyte, one of the speakers, noted: “Being able to share and discuss work within a global audience has been a really valuable experience.”
We found the opportunity to connect our partner network with work from other areas of the Foundation really beneficial, and the Global Clubs Partners did too: their feedback from the calls was uniformly positive. Dr Jane Waite, our Senior Research Scientist, commented that “it’s really important for us to share research with people in different contexts and so exciting to hear when findings resonate and can be used in practice.”
You can find out more about our Global Clubs Partner network on the CoderDojo and Code Club websites, or contact us directly about partnerships.
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We love hearing from members of the community and how they use their passion for computing and digital making to inspire others. Our community stories series takes you on a tour of the globe to meet educators and young tech creators from the USA, Iraq, Romania, and more.
For our latest story, we are in the UK with Spencer, a Computer Science teacher at King Edward VI Sheldon Heath Academy (KESH), Birmingham. After 24 years as a science teacher, Spencer decided to turn his personal passion for digital making into a career and transitioned to teaching Computer Science.
From the moment he printed his name on the screen of an Acorn Electron computer at age ten, Spencer was hooked on digital making. He’s remained a member of the digital making community throughout his life, continuing to push himself with his creations and learn new skills whenever possible. Wanting to spread his knowledge and make sure the students at his school had access to computer science, he began running a weekly Code Club in his science lab:
“Code Club was a really nice vehicle for me to get students into programming and digital making, before computer science was an option at the school. So Code Club originally ran in my science lab around the Bunsen burners and all the science equipment, and we do some programming on a Friday afternoon making LEDs flash and a little bit of Minecraft. And from that, the students really got an exciting sense of what programming and digital making could be.”
– Spencer
While running his Code Club, Spencer really embedded himself in the Raspberry Pi community, attending Raspberry Jams, engaging with like-minded people on Twitter, and continuing to rely on our free training to upskill.
When leadership at KESH began to explore introducing Computer Science to the curriculum, Spencer knew he was the right person for the job, and just where to look to make sure he had the right support:
“So when I decided to change from being a science teacher to a computer science teacher, there were loads of course options you could find online, and a lot of them required some really specific prior knowledge and skills. The Foundation’s resources take you from a complete novice, complete beginner — my very first LED flashing on and off — to being able to teach computational thinking and algorithms. So it was a really clear progression from using the Foundation resources that helped take me from a Physics teacher, who could use electricity to light an LED, to a programmer who could teach how to use this in our digital making for our students.”
– Spencer
Thanks to the support from KESH and Spencer’s compelling can-do attitude, he was soon heading up a brand-new Computer Science department. This was met with great enthusiasm from the learners at KESH, with a willing cohort eagerly signing up for the new subject.
“It’s really exciting to see how students have embraced Computer Science as a brand-new subject at school. The take-up for our first year at GCSE was fantastic with 25 students, and this year I’ve really got students asking about, ‘Is there an option for next year, and how can I get on to it?’ Students are almost blown away by the resources now.”
– Spencer
Spencer has a mission to make sure all of KESH’s learners can learn about computing, and making his lessons accessible to all means he’s become a firm favourite amongst the students for his collaborative teaching approach.
“Mr Organ teaches you, and then he just puts you in. If you do need help, you can ask people around you, or him, but he lets you make your own mistakes and learn from there. He will then give you help so you don’t make those mistakes the next time.”
– Muntaha, 16, GCSE Computer Science student, KESH
Spencer’s work is shaped by his awareness that many of the learners at KESH come from under-resourced areas of Birmingham and backgrounds that are underrepresented in computing. He knows that many of them have previously had limited opportunities to use digital tools. This is something he is driven to change.
“I want my young students here, regardless of their background, regardless of their area they’ve been brought up in, to have the same experiences as all other students in the country. And the work I do with Raspberry Pi, and the work I do with Code Club, is a way of opening those doors for our young people.”
– Spencer
As a passionate member of the Raspberry Pi Foundation community, Spencer has been counted on as a friendly face for many years, sharing his enthusiasm on training courses, at Foundation events, and as a part of discussions on Twitter. With the goal to introduce Computer Science at A level shortly, and an ever-growing collection of digital makes housed in his makerspace, Spencer shows no signs of slowing down.
If you are interested in changing your teaching path to focus on Computer Science, take a look at the free resources we have available to support you on your journey.
Help us celebrate Spencer and his dedication to opening doors for his learners by sharing his story on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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Our ‘Intro to Unity’ educational project path is a big success, sparking lots of young people’s passion for 3D game design and programming. Today we introduce the ‘More Unity‘ project path — the perfect next step for young people who have completed our ‘Intro to Unity‘ path. This new free path is designed to bridge the gap for young people before they start on the tutorials on the Unity learning platform.
Our work to create this path builds on our partnership with Unity, through which we aim to offer any young person, anywhere, the opportunity to take their first steps in creating virtual worlds using real-time 3D.
After young people have tried out the Unity Engine and C# programming through the ‘Intro to Unity’ path, they’re ready for a deeper exploration of 3D game design. ‘More Unity’ helps them build on the foundational skills they learned in the ‘Intro to Unity’ path. After completing this new path, they’ll be able to add complexity, new challenges, and heaps of fun to all their 3D creations.
We’ve prepared a comprehensive Unity Guide to assist with getting ready to start either the ‘Intro to Unity’ or ‘More Unity’ path. To create with Unity, learners need access to a computer with a graphics card, the latest version of the free Unity Games Engine, and a code editor. For the extra Blender-based projects (see below), they need the latest version of the free Blender software.
The project path consists of six projects. Like in ‘Intro to Unity’, each project introduces new skills bit by bit, enabling young people to independently code their own, next-level Unity creation in the final project.
This first project shows how to build an exciting 3D simulation. With ‘Rainbow run’, learners create colourful tracks and guide a marble to race along them. We also offer them an extra project guide where they can customise the look of their marble using Blender.
Next, with ‘Disco dance floor’, learners code an interactive, tilting dance floor that responds to a rolling ball with sound and colour. They can add their own style to the dance floor by following our extra Blender project.
‘Don’t fall through’ is the third project in the path. Here, learners code a two-player game that requires strategy and timing as marbles traverse a vanishing tiled floor.
‘Pixel art reveal’ comes next in the path. It helps learners design unique pixel art on a tiled floor and reveal their awesome artwork by rolling a ball across the surface.
In ‘Track designer’, we invite learners to truly think like game designers. This project empowers learners to design unique tilting tracks filled with obstacles, personalised effects, sounds, and more.
Finally ‘Marble mayhem’ lets young people bring to life all the principles of physics and materials in the Unity Game Engine they’ve learned about while following the ‘More Unity’ path. This is their place to create a one-of-a-kind game or digital toy that truly reflects their creativity.
‘More Unity’ promotes young people’s creativity, problem-solving, and independence. Each project presents them with the chance to create a virtual world of physics, materials, and mechanics. With each project they’ll learn lots of new skills in 3D modeling, gameplay design, and programming.
The path includes a community gallery where young people can share their new 3D creations and see what their peers all over the world have made.
The skills young people gain through the ‘Intro to Unity’ and ‘More Unity’ path provide them with a solid foundation to continue to learn and create with Unity. To follow their passion for 3D worlds, game design, and programming further, they can move on to the hundreds of tutorials available on Unity’s learning platform.
Our detailed Unity guide will help you get everything set up for your young people to start with Unity, and the ‘Intro to Unity‘ path is the place for them to begin before they move on to ‘More Unity‘.
If you or your young people want to get a taste of the fun ‘More Unity’ has in store, there’s the Collision and colours Discover project to try out. This short learning experience showcases the new components the ‘More Unity’ path introduces.
To help our community of CoderDojo and Code Club volunteers bring Unity to their learners, we will host a free Unity-focused webinar on 13 July. Sign up to get a walkthrough of the path from our Learning Manager Mac Bowley, and to ask him any questions you might have.
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On 24 and 25 March, more than 140 members of the Code Club and CoderDojo communities joined us in Cambridge for our first-ever Clubs Conference.
At the Clubs Conference, volunteers and educators came together to celebrate their achievements and explore new ways to support young people to create with technology. The event included community display tables, interactive workshops, discussions, and talks.
For everyone who couldn’t join us in person, we recorded all of the talks that community members gave on the main stage. Here’s what you can learn from the speakers.
Thank you to everyone who gave talks, ran workshops, presented posters, and had conversations to share their questions and insights. It was wonderful to meet all of you, and we came away from the Clubs Conference feeling super inspired by the amazing work Code Club and CoderDojo volunteers all over the world do to help young people learn to create with digital technologies.
We learned so much from listening to you, and we will take the lessons into our work to support you and your clubs in the best way we can.
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We meet many young people with an astounding passion for tech, and we also meet the incredible volunteers and educators who help them find their feet in the digital world. Our series of community stories is one way we share their journeys with you.
Today we’re introducing you to Nadia from Maysan, Iraq. Nadia’s achievements speak for themselves, and we encourage you to watch her video to see some of the remarkable things she has accomplished.
Nadia’s journey with the Raspberry Pi Foundation started when she moved to England to pursue a PhD at Brunel University. As an international student, she wanted to find a way to be part of the local community and make the most of her time abroad. Through her university’s volunteer department, she was introduced to Code Club and began supporting club sessions for children in her local library. The opportunity to share her personal passion for all things computer science and coding with young people felt like the perfect fit.
“[Code Club] added to my skills. And at the same time, I was able to share my expertise with the young children and to learn from them as well.”
Nadia Al-Aboody
Soon, Nadia saw that the skills young people learned at her Code Club weren’t just technical, but included team building and communication as well. That’s when she realised she needed to take Code Club with her when she moved back home to Iraq.
With personal awareness of just how important it is to encourage girls to engage with computing and digital technologies, Nadia set about training the Code Club network’s first female-only training team. Her group of 15 trainers now runs nine clubs — and counting— throughout Iraq, with their goal being to open a club in every single school in the country.
Reaching new areas can be a challenge, one that Nadia is addressing by using Code Club resources offline:
“Not every child has a smartphone or a device, and that was one of the biggest challenges. The [Raspberry Pi] Foundation also introduced the unplugged activities, which was amazing. It was very important to us because we can teach computer science without the need for a computer or a smart device.”
Nadia Al-Aboody
Nadia also works with a team of other volunteers to translate our free resources related to Code Club and other initiatives for young people into Arabic, making them accessible to many more young people around the world.
Tamasin Greenough Graham, Head of Code Club here at the Foundation, shares just how important volunteers like Nadia are in actively pushing our shared mission forwards.
“Volunteers like Nadia really show us why we do the work we do. Our Code Club team exists to support volunteers who are out there on the ground, making a real difference to young people. Nadia is a true champion for Code Club, and goes out of her way to help give more children access to learning about computing. By translating resources, alongside overseeing a growing network of clubs, she helps to support more volunteers and, in turn, reach more young people. Having Nadia as a member of the community is really valuable.”
Tamasin Greenough Graham, Head of Code Club
If you are interested in becoming a Code Club volunteer, visit codeclub.org for all the information you need to get started.
Help us celebrate Nadia and her commendable commitment to growing the Code Club community in Iraq by sharing her story on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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Today is officially Pi Day.
While 14 March is an opportunity for our American friends to celebrate the mathematical constant Pi, we are also very happy to make this day a chance to say a massive thank you to everyone who supports the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s work through their generous donations.
You may know that the Raspberry Pi story started in Cambridge, UK, in 2008 when a group of engineers-cum-entrepreneurs set out to improve computing education by inventing a programmable computer for the price of a textbook.
Fast forward 15 years and there are almost 50 million Raspberry Pi computers in the wild, being used to revolutionise education and industry alike. Removing price as a barrier for anyone to own a powerful, general-purpose computer will always be an important part of our mission to democratise access to computing.
What we’ve learned over the years is that access to low-cost, high-quality hardware is essential, but not sufficient.
If we want all young people to be able to take advantage of the potential offered by technological innovation, then we also need to support teachers to introduce computing in schools, find ways to inspire young people to learn outside of their formal education, and make sure that everything we do is informed by rigorous research.
That’s the focus of our educational mission at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, and we couldn’t do this work without your support.
We are fortunate that a large and growing community of people, corporations, trusts, and foundations makes very generous donations to support our educational mission. It’s thanks to you that we are able to achieve what we do for young people and educators:
Trust me when I say this is just a small selection of highlights, all of which are made possible by our amazing supporters. Thank you, and I hope that we made you proud.
If you haven’t yet made a donation to our Pi Day campaign, it’s not too late to get involved. Your donation will help inspire the next generation of digital makers.
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Young creators, it’s time to share your ideas with the world! Registration for Coolest Projects is now open.
Coolest Projects is an online showcase celebrating all young people who create with digital technology. From today, Monday 6 February, young people can register their projects on the Coolest Projects website. Registered projects will be part of the online showcase gallery, for people all over the world to see.
By entering your digital tech creations into Coolest Projects, you’ll have the chance to get personalised feedback about your project, represent your country in the online showcase, and get fun, limited-edition swag. Your project could even be selected as a favourite by our very special VIP judges.
Coolest Projects is an online celebration of young digital tech creators worldwide, their skills, and their wonderful creative ideas. We welcome all kinds of projects, from big to small, beginner to advanced, and work in progress to completed creation.
Here’s what you need to know:
If you’d like help with your idea or project, take a look at our free, step-by-step Coolest Projects workbook and coding project guides. You can also get inspired by all the creations in the 2022 showcase gallery.
You are also very welcome to register a tech project you’ve already made and want to share with the world this year.
We offer free resources to help mentors and parents support young people through the process of taking part in Coolest Projects, from imagining ideas, to creating projects, to registration.
There are loads more announcements to come, so make sure to subscribe to the Coolest Projects newsletter to be the first to find out about this year’s VIP judges, limited-edition digital swag, and much more.
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When we think about a celebration, we also think about how important it is to be intentional about sound. And with this month of February being a celebration of Black history in the USA, we want to help you make some noise to amplify the voices, experiences, and achievements of the Black community.
From the past and present, to those still to come in the future, countless remarkable achievements have been made by Black individuals who have chosen to move to the beat of their own drum. Music and sound can be tools to tell stories, to express ourselves, to promote change, to celebrate, and so much more. So take some time this month to make your own music with your young coders and start dancing.
Of course, choosing to dance is not the same as choosing to devote your life to the equality and freedom of all people. But it reminds us that you can incite change by choosing to do what is right, even when you feel like you’re the only one moving to the music. It won’t be long before you see change and meet people you resonate with, and a new sound will develop in which everyone can find their rhythm.
So join us this month as we explore the power of code and music to celebrate Black History Month.
We’ve selected three of our favourite music-related projects to help you bring a joyful atmosphere to your coding sessions this month. All of the projects are in Scratch, a programming language that uses blocks to help young people develop their confidence in computer programming while they experiment with colours and sounds to make their own projects.
Find your rhythm with this clicker game where you earn points by playing the drums in different venues. The project is one of our Explore projects and it includes step-by-step instructions to help young creators develop their skills, confidence, and interest in programming. This makes it a great option for beginners who want to get started with Scratch and programming.
Code to the beat of your own drum — or any instrument you like. Use this project to create your own virtual musical instrument and celebrate a Black musician you admire. For young people who have some experience with Scratch, they may enjoy expressing themselves with this Design project. Our Design projects give young people support to build on their experience to gain more independence coding their own ideas.
Can you keep up with the beat? Prove it in this game where you play the notes of a song while they scroll down the screen. You could choose to include a song associated with a moment in Black history that is meaningful to you. This project is a great opportunity for young people to expand their programming knowledge to create lists, while they also test their reaction skills with a fun game.
For young creators who want to create projects that don’t involve music or sound, check out these projects which can help you to:
Let us know how you’re celebrating Black History Month in your community on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram all month long!
Learn about our partnership with Team4Tech and Kenya Connect, with whom we are empowering educators and students in rural Kenya to use the power of coding and computing to benefit their communities.
Meet Salome, a computer science student from the UK who shares her experiences and advice for young people interested in finding out where computer science can lead them. Salome was one of the first people we interviewed for our ‘I belong’ campaign to celebrate young role models in computer science.
We believe that creating inclusive and equitable learning environments is essential to supporting all young people to see computer science as an opportunity for them. To help engage young people, especially those who are underrepresented in computer science classrooms, we are carrying out research with teachers to make computing culturally relevant. Our work promoting culturally relevant pedagogy in educational settings in England has been impacted by projects of many US researchers who have already contributed heavily to this area. You can learn about two of these projects in this blog post.
Educators who want to find out how they can use culturally relevant pedagogy with their learners can download our free guidelines today.
We would also like to invite you to our monthly research seminar on 7 February 2023, when we will be joined by Dr Jean Salac who will be sharing their research on Moving from equity to justice in computing instruction for youth. Dr Salac’s session is part of our current series of seminars that centres on primary school (K–5) teaching and learning of computing. The seminars are free and open to everyone interested in computing education. We hope to see you there!
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In our work, we get to meet so many super inspiring young people who make things with technology. Our series of community stories is one way we share their journeys and enthusiasm for digital making with you.
Today we’re introducing you to Adarsh from California, USA.
We first met Adarsh at the Coolest Projects USA showcase in 2019, when he was 15 years old. Adarsh was chosen as the Coolest Projects judges’ favourite in the showcase’s Hardware category for making a Smart Sprinkler System, which can serve an entire community. He was inspired to create this project by the need he saw in California to manage water during a drought. Using a Raspberry Pi computer, he built a moisture sensor–based sprinkler system that integrates real-time weather forecast data and Twitter feeds to dispense only optimum amounts of water, in compliance with city water regulations. Adarsh says:
“The world around us right now has a lot of different problems that need to be solved and so the way that I get inspired is by looking outwards.”
In 2020, Coolest Projects Global went online with young people across the world sharing their tech projects, and Adarsh created a project for the showcase to solve another real-life problem he had witnessed. When Adarsh had been in middle school, his mother had to be rushed to hospital with a sudden heart problem. The experience of seeing her hooked up to lots of vital sign monitors, with the wires hindering her movement, stayed in his memory. It led Adarsh to create another tech project: the Contactless Vital Signs Monitor. This low-cost device can be used to monitor a person’s skin temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation without needing to be in direct contact with them. Adarsh’s contactless monitor lets patients rest more comfortably and also keeps healthcare staff safer from infections.
Adarsh entered his Contactless Vital Signs Monitor in the Davidson Fellows Scholarship programme, which recognises students who have completed significant projects that have the potential to benefit society.
Adarsh has this message for other young people who think they might like to try creating things with tech:
“None of these projects, to get to the stage where they are today, were without frustration or difficulties. That’s part of the process. You should expect that. Because of all the struggles I had, the fact that I was able to build all of this is so much more rewarding to me.”
A big part of coding and digital making is problem-solving and collaboration. Adarsh told us that he had a really great mentor, Johan, who introduced him to coding and Raspberry Pi hardware, and showed him where Adarsh could ask for help online.
“[The Raspberry Pi community] is such a large and inclusive community. It welcomes young students — even older adults who are first starting to develop their interest in computer science — and we all are developing our own skills, our own projects, and our own passions together, and while doing so, we’re helping each other out.”
Now a freshman at Stanford University, Adarsh is currently doing an epidemiology-related research project about the relationship between COVID-19 mutations and environmental, health, and demographic statistics. He wants to focus either on biomedical engineering or environmental engineering in his studies.
“Really [what I’m studying at university] is going to involve engineering or computer science largely due to the Raspberry Pi and the early influence it has had on my life.”
Thanks for inspiring us, Adarsh, and for letting us share your story with the community!
Help us celebrate Adarsh and inspire other young people to discover coding and digital making as a passion, by sharing his story on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram.
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Welcome to 2023. I hope that you had a fantastic 2022 and that you’re looking forward to an even better year ahead. To help get the year off to a great start, I thought it might be fun to share a few of the things that we’ve got planned for 2023.
Whether you’re a teacher, a mentor, or a young person, if it’s computer science, coding, or digital skills that you’re looking for, we’ve got you covered.
Through our collaboration with the European Space Agency, Astro Pi, young people can write computer programs that are guaranteed to run on the Raspberry Pi computers on the International Space Station (terms and conditions apply).
Astro Pi Mission Zero is open to participants until 17 March 2023 and is a perfect introduction to programming in Python for beginners. It takes about an hour to complete and we provide step-by-step guides for teachers, mentors, and young people.
Kids all over the world are already working on their entries to Coolest Projects Global 2023, our international online showcase that will see thousands of young people share their brilliant tech creations with the world. Registration opens on 6 February and it’s super simple to get involved. If you’re looking for inspiration, why not explore the judges’ favourite projects from 2022?
While we all love the Coolest Projects online showcase, I’m also looking forward to attending more in-person Coolest Projects events in 2023. The word on the street is that members of the Raspberry Pi team have been spotted scouting venues in Ireland… Watch this space.
I am sure I wasn’t alone in disappearing down a ChatGPT rabbit hole at the end of last year after OpenAI made their latest AI chatbot available for free. The internet exploded with both incredible examples of what the chatbot can do and furious debates about the limitations and ethics of AI systems.
With the rapid advances being made in AI technology, it’s increasingly important that young people are able to understand how AI is affecting their lives now and the role that it can play in their future. This year we’ll be building on our research into the future of AI and data science education and launching Experience AI in partnership with leading AI company DeepMind. The first wave of resources and learning experiences will be available in March.
With pandemic restrictions now almost completely unwound, we’ve seen a huge resurgence in Code Clubs and CoderDojos meeting all over the world. To build on this momentum, we are delighted to be welcoming Code Club and CoderDojo mentors and educators to a big Clubs Conference in Churchill College in Cambridge on 24 and 25 March.
This will be the first time we’re holding a community get-together since 2019 and a great opportunity to share learning and make new connections.
As part of our global mission to ensure that every young person is able to learn how to create with digital technologies, we have been focused on building partnerships in India, Kenya, and South Africa, and that work will be expanding in 2023.
In India we will significantly scale up our work with established partners Mo School and Pratham Education Foundation, training 2000 more teachers in government schools in Odisha, and running 2200 Code Clubs across four states. We will also be launching new partnerships with community-based organisations in Kenya and South Africa, helping them set up networks of Code Clubs and co-designing learning experiences that help them bring computing education to their communities of young people.
Over the past few years, our research seminar series has covered computing education topics from diversity and inclusion, to AI and data science. This year, we’re focusing on current questions and research in primary computing education for 5- to 11-year-olds.
As ever, we’re providing a platform for some of the world’s leading researchers to share their insights, and convening a community of educators, researchers, and policy makers to engage in the discussion. The first seminar takes place today (Tuesday 10 January) and it’s not too late to sign up.
That’s just a few of the super cool things that we’ve got planned for 2023. I haven’t even mentioned the new online projects we’re developing with our friends at Unity, the fun we’ve got planned with our very own online text editor, or what’s next for our curriculum and professional development offer for computing teachers.
You can sign up to our monthly newsletter to always stay up to date with what we’re working on.
The post What to expect from the Raspberry Pi Foundation in 2023 appeared first on Raspberry Pi.
As part of our mission to enable young people to realise their full potential through the power of computing and digital technologies, we work in partnership with organisations around the globe to grow and sustain the Code Club and CoderDojo networks of coding clubs for young people. These organisations are our Global Clubs Partners, and they undertake activities including training educators and volunteers, providing access to equipment, and running clubs and events for young people at a local or national level.
Given that many people at the Raspberry Pi Foundation are based in the UK and Ireland, and that meeting in person has been restricted during the coronavirus pandemic, our work to connect with the Global Clubs Partner network has largely taken place via video calls these last years. We don’t only connect with partners one to one, we also link them to each other so they can share insights, approaches, and resources. Video calls offer a unique opportunity for bringing together partner organisations located all over the world, but they provide a very different experience to building community in person.
With a network of 41 organisations in 35 countries, meeting in person requires careful consideration so we can accommodate as many partners as possible. That’s why we decided to hold several regional meetups in 2022 to make it feasible for all partners to join at least one. In October, a meetup took place in the Netherlands, coinciding with DojoCon Netherlands run by local partners. Our most recent meetup happened in early December, the day before the Coolest Projects Malaysia 2022 event, in Penang on the west coast of Malaysia.
At the December meetup, we welcomed participants from 10 partner organisations across Asia, Oceania, and Africa. This group spent a whole day building connections and sharing their work with each other. Together we covered several areas of interest, including volunteer recruitment, training, and recognition — all crucial topics for organisations that rely on volunteers to support young people. Meet-up participants shared resources, discussed how to sustainably grow networks, and planned for the future. The next day, participants had the chance to visit Coolest Projects Malaysia to find even more inspiration while seeing local young people showcase their own tech creations.
Although it was only one day, the impact of the meetup has been clear. As we had hoped it would, feedback from the partner organisations was very positive and revolved around community and learning, with participants expressing “feeling better connected” and “interconnectedness”, as well as “learning a lot” and “sharing best practices”. One participant even volunteered to host a future meetup, saying “Next year I would like to run this in my country.”
Here at the Foundation, we very much share these sentiments. Ellie Proffitt, Code Club Global Partnerships Manager, said: “It was great to see our partners sharing how they support their clubs with each other and bouncing new ideas around. I think we all left feeling very inspired.”
After the success of these in-person meetups in 2022, we and our Global Clubs Partner network are looking forward to future opportunities to work together. Planning for 2023 is of course well underway, with creative, ambitious projects and new partnerships in the pipeline. We all feel renewed in our commitment to our work and mission, and excited for what’s on the horizon. In the words of Sonja Bienert, Senior Community Manager: “Through this collaboration, we’ve reached a new level of trust that will positively influence our work for a long time to come.”
You can find out more about joining our Global Clubs Partner network on the CoderDojo and Code Club websites, or contact us directly with your questions or ideas about a partnership.
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We are so excited to share another story from the community! Our series of community stories takes you across the world to hear from young people and educators who are engaging with creating digital technologies in their own personal ways.
In this story we introduce you to Selin, a digital maker from Istanbul, Turkey, who is passionate about robotics and AI. Watch the video to hear how Selin’s childhood pet inspired her to build tech projects that aim to help others live well.
Selin (16) started her digital making journey because she wanted to solve a problem: after her family’s beloved dog Korsan passed away, she wanted to bring him back to life. Selin thought a robotic dog could be the answer, and so she started to design her project on paper. When she found out that learning to code would mean she could actually make a robotic dog, Selin began to teach herself about coding and digital making.
Thanks to her local CoderDojo, which is part of the worldwide CoderDojo network of free, community-based, volunteer-led programming clubs where young people explore digital technology, Selin’s interest in creating tech projects grew and grew. Selin has since built seven robots, and her enthusiasm for building things with digital technology shows no sign of stopping.
One of Selin’s big motivations to explore digital making was having an event to work towards. At her Dojo, Selin found out about Coolest Projects, the global technology showcase for young people. She then set herself the task of making a robot to present at the Coolest Projects event in 2018.
When thinking about ideas for what to make for Coolest Projects, Selin remembered how it felt to lose her dog. She wondered what it must be like when a blind person’s guide dog passes away, as that person loses their friend as well as their support. So Selin decided to make a robotic guide dog called IC4U. She contacted several guide dog organisations to find out how guide dogs are trained and what they need to be able to do so she could replicate their behaviour in her robot. The robot is voice-controlled so that people with impaired sight can interact with it easily.
Selin and her parents travelled to Coolest Projects International in Dublin, thanks to support from the CoderDojo Foundation. Accompanying them was Selin’s project IC4U, which became a judges’ favourite in the Hardware category. Selin enjoyed participating in Coolest Projects so much that she started designing her project for next year’s event straight away:
“When I returned back I immediately started working for next year’s Coolest Projects.”
Selin
Many of Selin’s tech projects share a theme: to help make the world a better place. For example, another robot made by Selin is the BB4All — a school assistant robot to tackle bullying. And last year, while she attended the Stanford AI4ALL summer camp, Selin worked with a group of young people to design a tech project to increase the speed and accuracy of lung cancer diagnoses.
Through her digital making projects, Selin wants to show how people can use robotics and AI technology to support people and their well-being. In 2021, Selin’s commitment to making these projects was recognised when she was awarded the Aspiring Teen Award by Women in Tech.
Listening to Selin, it is inspiring to hear how a person can use technology to express themselves as well as create projects that have the potential to do so much good. Selin acknowledges that sometimes the first steps can be the hardest, especially for girls interested in tech: “I know it’s hard to start at first, but interests are gender-free.”
“Be curious and courageous, and never let setbacks stop you so you can actually accomplish your dream.”
Selin
We have loved seeing all the wonderful projects that Selin has made in the years since she first designed a robot dog on paper. And it’s especially cool to see that Selin has also continued to work on her robot IC4U, the original project that led her to coding, Coolest Projects, and more. Selin’s robot has developed with its maker, and we can’t wait to see what they both go on to do next.
Help us celebrate Selin and inspire other young people to discover coding and digital making as a passion, by sharing her story on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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From experience, being connected to a community of fellow computing educators is really important, especially given that some members of the community may be the only computing educator in their school, district, or country. These professional connections enable educators to share and learn from each other, develop their practice, and importantly reduce any feelings of isolation.
It was great to see the return of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Annual Conference to an in-person event this year, and I was really excited to be able to attend.
Our small Raspberry Pi Foundation team headed to Chicago for four and a half days of meetups, professional development, and conversations with educators from all across the US and around the world. Over the week our team ran workshops, delivered a keynote talk, gave away copies of Hello World magazine, and signed up many new subscribers. You too can subscribe to Hello World magazine for free at helloworld.cc/subscribe.
We spoke to so many educators about all parts of the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s work, with a particular focus on the Hello World magazine and podcast, and of course The Big Book of Computing Pedagogy. In collaboration with CSTA, we were really proud to be able to provide all attendees with their own physical copy of this very special edition.
It was genuinely exciting to see how pleased attendees were to receive their copy of The Big Book of Computing Pedagogy. So many came to talk to us about how they’d used the digital copy already and their plans for using the book for training and development initiatives in their schools and districts. We gave away every last spare copy we had to teachers who wanted to share the book with their colleagues who couldn’t attend.
Don’t worry if you couldn’t make it to the conference, The Big Book of Computing Pedagogy is available as a free PDF, which due to its Creative Commons licence you are welcome to print for yourself.
Another goal for us at CSTA was to support and encourage new authors to the magazine in order to ensure that Hello World continues to be the magazine for computing educators, by computing educators. Anyone can propose an article idea for Hello World by completing this form. We’re confident that every computing educator out there has at least one story to tell, lessons or learnings to share, or perhaps a cautionary tale of something that failed.
We’ll review any and all ideas and will support you to craft your idea into a finished article. This is exactly what we began to do at the conference with our workshop for writers led by Gemma Coleman, our fantastic Hello World Editor. We’re really excited to see these ideas flourish into full-blown articles over the coming weeks and months.
Our week culminated in a keynote talk delivered by Sue, Jane, and James, exploring how we developed our 12 pedagogy principles that underpin The Big Book of Computing Pedagogy, as well as much of the content we create at the Raspberry Pi Foundation. These principles are designed to describe a set of approaches that educators can add to their toolkit, giving them a shared language and the agency to select when and how they employ each approach. This was something we explored with teachers in our final breakout session where teachers applied these principles to describe a lesson or activity of their own.
We found the experience extremely valuable and relished the opportunity to talk about teaching and learning with educators and share our work. We are incredibly grateful to the entire CSTA team for organising a fantastic conference and inviting us to participate.
Subscribe now to get each new Hello World straight to your digital inbox, for free! And if you’re based in the UK and do paid or unpaid work in education, you can subscribe for free print issues.
The post What we learnt from the CSTA 2022 Annual Conference appeared first on Raspberry Pi.
This post has been adapted from an article in issue 19 of Hello World magazine, which explores the interaction between technology and sustainability.
We may have had the Coolest Projects livestream, but we are still in awe of the 2092 projects that young people sent in for this year’s online technology showcase! To continue the Coolest Projects Global 2022 celebrations, we’re shining a light on some of the participants and the topics that inspired their projects.
In this year’s showcase, the themes of sustainability and the environment were extremely popular. We received over 300 projects related to the environment from young people all over the world. Games, apps, websites, hardware — we’ve seen so many creative projects that demonstrate how important the environment is to young people.
Here are some of these projects and a glimpse into how kids and teens across the world are using technology to look after their environment.
Has anyone ever told you that a small change can lead to a big impact? Check out these two Coolest Projects entries that put this idea into practice with clever inventions to make positive changes to the environment.
Arik (15) from the UK wanted to make something to reduce the waste he noticed at home. Whenever lots of people visited Arik’s house, getting the right drink for everyone was a challenge and often resulted in wasted, spilled drinks. This problem was the inspiration behind Arik’s ‘Liquid Dispenser’ project, which can hold two litres of any desired liquid and has an outer body made from reused cardboard. As Arik says, “You don’t need a plastic bottle, you just need a cup!”
Amrit (13), Kingston (12), and Henry (12) from Canada were also inspired to make a project to reduce waste. ‘Eco Light’ is a light that automatically turns off when someone leaves their house to avoid wasted electricity. For the project, the team used a micro:bit to detect the signal strength and decide whether the LED should be on (if someone is in the house) or off (if the house is empty).
“We wanted to create something that hopefully would create a meaningful impact on the world.”
Amrit, Kingston, and Henry
We love to see young people invent things to have positive changes in the community, on a local and global level.
This year, Sashrika (11) from the US shared her ‘Gas Leak Detector’ project, which she designed to help people who heat their homes with diesel. On the east coast of America, many people store their gas tanks in the basement. This means they may not realise if the gas is leaking. To solve this problem, Sashrika has combined programming with physical computing to make a device that can detect if there is a gas leak and send a notification to your phone.
Sashrika’s project has the power to help lots of people and she has even thought about how she would make more changes to her project in the name of sustainability:
“I would probably add a solar panel because there are lots of houses that have outdoor oil tanks. Solar panel[s] will reduce electricity consumption and reduce CO2 emission[s].”
Sashrika
Amr in Syria was also thinking about renewable energy sources when he created his own ‘Smart Wind Turbine’.
The ‘Smart Wind Turbine’ is connected to a micro:bit to measure the electricity generated by a fan. Amr conducted tests that recorded that more electricity was generated when the turbine faced in the direction of the wind. So Amr made a wind vane to determine the wind’s direction and added another micro:bit to communicate the results to the turbine.
We’ve also seen projects created by young people to make the world a better place for future generations.
Naira and Rhythm from India have designed houses that are suited for people and the planet. They carried out a survey and from their results they created the ‘Net Zero Home’. Naira and Rhythm’s project offers an idea for homes that are comfortable for people of all abilities and ages, while also being sustainable.
“Our future cities will require a lot of homes, this means we will require a lot of materials, energy, water and we will also produce a lot of waste. So we have designed this net zero home as a solution.”
Naira and Rhythm
Andrea (9) and Yuliana (10) from the US have also made something to benefit future generations. The ‘Bee Counter’ project uses sensors and a micro:bit to record bees’ activity around a hive. Through monitoring the bees, the team hope they can see (and then fix) any problems with the hive. Andrea and Yuliana want to maintain the bees’ home to help them continue to have a positive influence on our environment.
Some young creators use Coolest Projects as an opportunity to educate and inspire people to make environmental changes in their own lives.
Sabrina (13) from the UK created her own website, ‘A Guide to Climate Change’. It includes images, text, graphics of the Earth’s temperature change, and suggestions for people to minimise their waste. Sabrina also received the Broadcom Coding with Commitment award for using her skills to provide vital information about the effects of climate change.
Kushal (12) from India wanted to use tech to encourage people to help save the environment. Kushal had no experience of app development before making his ‘Green Steps’ app. He says, “I have created a mobile app to connect like-minded people who want to do something about [the] environment.”
These projects are just some of the incredible ideas we’ve seen young people enter for Coolest Projects this year. It’s clear from the projects submitted that the context of the environment and protecting our planet resonates with so many students, summarised by Sabrina, “Some of us don’t understand how important the earth is to us. And I hope we don’t have to wait until it is gone to realise.”
Check out the Coolest Projects showcase for even more projects about the environment, alongside other topics that have inspired young creators.
The post Young people’s projects for a sustainable future appeared first on Raspberry Pi.
Over the past five years, we’ve made lots of online educational video content for our online courses, for our Isaac Computer Science platform for GCSE and A level, and for our remote lessons based on our Teach Computing Curriculum hosted on Oak National Academy.
We have learned a lot from experience and from learner feedback, and we want to share this knowledge with others. We’re also aware there’s always more to learn from people across the computing education community. That’s one reason we’re continually working to broaden the range of educators we work with. Another is that we want all learners to see themselves represented in our educational materials, because everyone belongs in computer science.
To make progress with all these goals, we ran a pilot programme for educators called Teach Online at the end of 2021 and the start of 2022. Through Teach Online, we provided twelve educators with training, opportunities, and financial and material support to help them with creating online educational content, particularly videos.
Over five online sessions and a final in-person day, we trained them in not only the production of educational videos, but also some of the pedagogy behind it. The pilot programme has now finished, and we thought we’d share some of the key points from the sessions with you in the wider community.
When you learn new skills and knowledge, it’s important to think about how you apply these. For this reason, a useful question you can use throughout the learning process is “Why?”. So as you think about how to create the best online learning experience, ask yourself in different contexts throughout the content design and production:
For example, it’s easy to default to creating ‘talking head’ videos featuring one person talking directly to the camera. But you should always ask why — what are the reasons for using a ‘talking head’ style. Instead, or in addition, you can make videos more engaging and support the learning experience by:
By planning your content carefully instead of jumping into production right away, you can:
The Teach Online participants told us that they particularly enjoyed learning more about planning videos:
“I now understand that a little planning can make the difference between a mediocre online learning experience and a professional-looking valuable learning experience.” – Educator who participated in our Teach Online programme
“Planning the session using a storyboard is so helpful to visualise the actual recording.” – Educator who participated in our Teach Online programme
We are committed to making computing and computer science accessible and engaging, so we embed measures to improve equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout our free learning and teaching resources, including the Teach Online programme. It’s important not to leave this aspect of creating educational content as an afterthought: you can only make sure that your content is truly as equitable and inclusive as you can make it if you address this at every stage of your process. As an added bonus, many ways of making your content more accessible not only benefit learners with specific needs, but support and engage all of your audience so everyone can learn more easily.
Best practices that you can use while creating online content include:
One of video’s key advantages is the ability to immediately connect with the audience. To help with that, you can try to talk directly to a single viewer, using “you” and “I” rather than “we”. You can also show off your personality in the presentation slides you use and the backgrounds of your videos.
“[I will use my learning from the programme] by adapting teaching and learning to actively engage learners.” – Educator who participated in our Teach Online programme
It’s important to find your own personal presenting style. There is not one perfect way to present, and you should experiment to find how you are best able to communicate with your viewers. How formal or informal will you be? Is your delivery calm or energetic? Whatever you decide, you may want to edit your script to better fit your style. A practical tip for doing this is to read your video scripts aloud while you are writing them to spot any language that feels awkward to you when spoken.
“It was really great to try the presenting skills, and I learned a lot about my style.” – Educator who participated in our Teach Online programme
Throughout the Teach Online programme, we helped participants create a community with each other. Finding your own community can give you the support that you need to create, and help you continue to develop your knowledge and skills. Working together is great, whether that’s collaborating in-person locally, or online via for example the CAS forums or social media.
“I very much liked the diverse group of educators in this programme, and appreciated everyone sharing their experiences and tips.” – Educator who participated in our Teach Online programme
The Teach Online graduate have told us about the positive impact the programme has had on their teaching in their own contexts. So far we’ve worked with graduates to create Isaac Computer Science videos covering data structures, high- and low-level languages, and string handling.
There is a growing need for online educational content, particularly videos — not only to improve access to education, but also to support in-person teaching. By investing in training educators, we help diversify the pool of people working in this area, improve the confidence of those who would like to start, and provide them with the skills and knowledge to successfully create great content for their learners.
In the future we’d also like to support the wider community of educators with creating online educational content. What resources would you find useful? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
The post How to create great educational video content for computing and beyond appeared first on Raspberry Pi.
It’s wonderful hearing from people in the community about what learning and teaching digital making means to them and how it impacts their lives. So far, our community stories series has involved young creators, teachers, and mentors from the UK and US, India, Romania, and Ireland, who are all dedicated to making positive change in their corner of the world through getting creative with technology.
For our next story, we travel to a tiny school in North Yorkshire in the UK to meet teacher Sophie Hudson, who’s been running a Code Club since February 2021.
A teacher for 10 years, Sophie is always looking for new opportunities and ideas to inspire and encourage her learners. The school where she teaches, Linton-on-Ouse Primary School & Nursery in rural Yorkshire, is very small. With only five teachers supporting the children, any new activity has to be meticulously planned and scheduled. Sophie was also slightly nervous about setting up a Code Club because she doesn’t have a computer science background, sharing that “there’s always one subject that you feel less confident in.”
Sophie started the Code Club off small, with only a few learners. But then she grew it quickly, and now half of the learners in Key Stage 2 attend, and the club sessions have become a regular fixture in the school week.
“Once I did have a look at it [Code Club], it really wasn’t as scary as I thought. […] It has had a really positive influence on our school.”
Sophie Hudson, primary school teacher
Thanks to our free Code Club project guides and coding challenges like Astro Pi Mission Zero, Sophie’s Code Club has plenty of activities and resources for the children to learn to code with confidence — while having fun too. Sophie says: “I like the idea that the children can be imaginative: it’s play, but it’s learning at the same time. They might not even realise it.”
Visiting the Code Club at Linton-on-Ouse Primary School was a joyful experience. The children listened intently as Sophie kicked off the lunchtime club session. As they started to code, there were giggles and gasps throughout, and the classroom filled with sounds and intermittent squeaks from the ‘Stress ball’ project. It was clear how much enjoyment the learners felt, and how engaged everyone was with their coding projects. Learner Erin told us she likes Code Club because she can “have a little fun with it”. Learners Maise and Millie enjoy it because “it makes you worry less about getting stuff wrong, because you always know there’s a back-up plan.”
“It’s amazing. Anything is possible.”
Millie (10), learner at Sophie’s Code Club
Attending Code Club had a profound impact on a 9-year-old learner called Archie, who shares that his confidence has improved since taking part in the sessions: “I would never, ever think of doing things that I do now in Code Club,” he says. His mum Jenni has also seen a difference in Archie since he joined Code Club, with his confidence improving generally at school.
The positive impact that Sophie has on Linton-on-Ouse Primary School & Nursery is undeniable, not only by running Code Club as an extracurricular activity but also by joint-leading science and leading PE, computing, and metacognition. Head teacher Davinia Pearson says, “How could you not be influenced by someone who’s just out there looking for the best for their class and children, and making a difference?”
Help us celebrate Sophie and her Code Club at Linton-on-Ouse Primary School & Nursery by sharing their story on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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Congratulations to the thousands of creators from 46 countries who participated in Coolest Projects Global 2022. Their projects awed and inspired us. Yesterday STEM advocate and television host Fig O’Reilly helped us celebrate each and every one of these creators in our online event. Check out the gallery to see all the amazing projects.
During the celebration, Fig also revealed which projects were picked by the special judges as their favourites from among the 2092 projects in this year’s showcase gallery. Let’s meet the special judges and check out their picks!
Ruth Amos is an inventor, entrepreneur, and EduTuber. She co-founded the #GirlsWithDrills movement and ‘Kids Invent Stuff’, a YouTube channel where 5- to 11-year-olds see their invention ideas become reality with the help of engineers.
Here are Ruth’s favourites:
Shawn Brown is an award-winning engineer, designer, and YouTuber. He’s also a practical pioneer for neurodiversity and innovation — raising awareness of learning differences and promoting science, engineering, and invention to young people. Together with Ruth, Shawn co-runs the YouTube channel ‘Kids Invent Stuff.’
Here are Shawn’s favourites:
Richa Shrivastava is the Director of Maker’s Asylum. It is India’s first community makerspace that fosters innovation through purpose-based learning, based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Here are Richa’s favourites:
Elaine Atherton is Director of Scratch Education Collaborative. Elaine was first introduced to Scratch as an instructional coach while working with teachers in North Carolina. “It was amazing to see the kids so excited about what they were creating. I wanted to help them transfer that same energy to designing, making, and sharing other things, too — I wanted them to stretch their creativity.”
Here are Elaine’s favourites:
Broadcom Foundation has partnered with us for Coolest Projects Global to encourage young people who are solving problems that impact their communities. Their projects could relate to health, sanitation, energy, climate change, or other challenges set out in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Broadcom Coding with Commitment illuminates how coding is a language, skill set, and invaluable tool for college and careers.
The Broadcom Coding with Commitment recognition goes to A Guide to Climate Change, a website created by Sabrina in the United Kingdom. Sabrina’s site not only provides vital information about the effects of climate change, but also gives users a visual to show how important it is to lower our carbon footprint. Congratulations to Sabrina for using her coding skills to give people a guide to understanding climate change in an easily digestible and stylish project webpage.
You can explore all the young tech creators’ projects — games, hardware builds, Scratch projects, mobile apps, websites, and more — in our showcase gallery now.
All creators who are taking part this year can now log into their Coolest Projects accounts to:
The support of our Coolest Projects Global sponsors has enabled us to make this year’s online showcase the inspiring experience it is for the young people taking part. We want to say a big thank you to all of them!
The post Coolest Projects Global 2022: Celebrating young tech creators & creative ideas appeared first on Raspberry Pi.
Connecting face to face with educators around the world is a key part of our mission at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, and it’s something that we’ve sorely missed doing over the last two years. We’re therefore thrilled to be joining over 1000 computing educators in the USA at the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Annual Conference in Chicago in July.
You will find us at booth 521 in the expo hall throughout the conference, as well as running four sessions. Gemma, Kevin, James, Sue, and Jane are team members representing Hello World magazine, the Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre, and our other free programmes and education initiatives. We thank the team at CSTA for involving us in what we know will be an amazing conference.
Developing and sharing effective computing pedagogy is our theme for CSTA 2022. We’ll be talking to you about our 12 pedagogy principles, laid out in The Big Book of Computing Pedagogy, available to download for free.
An exciting piece of news is that everyone attending CSTA 2022 will find a free print copy of the Big Book in their conference goodie bag!
We’re really looking forward to sharing and discussing the book and all our work with US educators, and to seeing some familiar faces. We’re also hoping to interview lots of old and new friends about your approaches to teaching computing and computer science for future Hello World podcast episodes.
Our team will also be running a number of sessions where you can join us to learn, discuss, and prepare lesson plans.
Thursday 14 July, 9am–12pm: Pre-conference workshop (booking required) with James Robinson and Jane Waite
If you enjoy explaining concepts using unplugged activities, analogy, or storytelling, then this practical pre-conference session is for you. In the session, we’ll introduce the idea of semantic waves, a learning theory that supports learners in building knowledge of new concepts through careful consideration of vocabulary and contexts. Across the world, this approach has been successfully used to teach topics ranging from ballet to chemistry — and now computing.
You’ll learn how this theory can be applied to deliver powerful explanations that connect abstract ideas and concrete experiences. By taking part in the session, you’ll gain a solid understanding of semantic wave theory, see it in practice in some freely available lesson plans, and apply it to your own planning.
Friday 15 July, 1–2pm: Workshop with Gemma Coleman
Do you enjoy sharing your teaching ideas, successes, and challenges with others? Do you want to connect with a global community of over 30,000 computing educators? Have you always wanted to be a published author? Then come along to this workshop session.
Every single computing or CS teacher out there has at least one lesson to share, idea to voice, or story to tell. In the session, you’ll discuss what makes a good article with Gemma Coleman, Hello World’s Editor, and you’ll learn top tips for how to communicate your ideas in writing. Gemma will also guide you through writing a plan for your very own article. Even if you’re not sure whether you want to write an article, doing this is a powerful way to reflect on your teaching practice.
Saturday 16 July, 4–5pm: Keynote talk by Sue Sentance
To teach any subject requires good teaching skills, knowledge about the subject being taught, and specific knowledge that a teacher gains about how to teach a particular topic, to their particular students, in a particular context. Teaching computer science is no different, and it’s a challenge for teachers to develop a go-to set of pedagogical strategies for such a new subject, especially for elements of the subject matter that they are just getting to grips with themselves.
In this keynote talk, our Chief Learning Officer Sue Sentance will focus on some of the 12 pedagogy principles that we developed to support the teaching of computer science. We created this set of principles together with other teachers and researchers to help us and everyone in computing and computer science education reflect on how we teach our learners. Sue will share how we arrived at the principles, and she’ll use classroom examples to illustrate how you can apply them in practice.
Sunday 17 July, 9–10am: Workshop with Sue Sentance
The set of 12 pedagogy principles we’ve developed for teaching computing are presented in our Hello World Big Book of Computing Pedagogy. The book includes summaries, teachers’ perspectives, and lesson plans for each of the 12 principles.
All CSTA attendees will get their own print copy of the Big Book, and in this practical session, we will use the book to explore together how you can use the 12 principles in the planning and delivery of your lessons. The session will be very hands-on, so bring along something you know you want or need to teach.
CSTA is now just a month away, and we can’t wait to meet old friends, make new connections, and learn from each other! Come find us at booth 521 or at our sessions to meet the team, discover Hello World magazine and the Hello World podcast, and find out more about our educational work. We hope to see you soon.
The post We’ll see you at CSTA 2022 Annual Conference appeared first on Raspberry Pi.
We love being able to share how young people across the world are getting creative with technology and solving problems that matter to them. That’s why we put together a series of films that celebrate the personal stories of young tech creators.
For our next story, we met up with young digital maker Jay in Preston, UK, who wants to share what coding and robotics mean to him.
Watch Jay’s video to see how Jay created a homemade ventilator, Oxy-Pi, and how he’s making sure people in his local community also have the opportunity to create with technology.
Jay (11) wants everyone to learn about programming. At a young age, Jay started to experiment with code to make his own games. He attended free coding groups in his area, such as CoderDojo, and was introduced to the block-based programming language Scratch. Soon Jay was combining his interests in programming with robotics to make his own inventions.
“My mission is to spread the word of computing and programming, because not many people know about these subjects.”
Jay
When he found out about Coolest Projects, our global tech showcase where young creators share their projects, Jay decided to channel his creativity into making something to exhibit there. He brought along a security alarm he had built, and he left Coolest Projects having made lots of new friends who were young tech creators just like himself.
“With robotics and coding, what Jay has learned is to think outside of the box and without any limits.”
Biren, Jay’s dad
While Jay has made many different tech projects, all of his ideas involve materials that are easily accessible and low-cost. Lots of his creations start out made with cardboard, and repurposed household items often feature in his final projects. Jay says, “I don’t want to spend much money, because it’s not necessary when you actually have an alternative that works perfectly fine.”
One of Jay’s recent projects, which he made from repurposed materials, is called Oxy-Pi. It’s a portable ventilator for use at home. Jay was inspired to make Oxy-Pi during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this project is especially important to him as his dad was hospitalised during this time. With his digital making approach, Jay is an example to everyone that you can use anything you have to hand to create something important to you.
Digital making has helped Jay express himself creatively, test his skills, and make new friends, which is why he is motivated to help others learn about digital making too. In his local community, Jay has been teaching children, teenagers, and adults about coding and robotics for the last few years. He says that he and the people around him get a lot from the experience.
“When I go out and teach, I love it so much because it’s really accessible. It helps me build my confidence, it helps them to discover, to learn, to create. And it’s really fun.”
Jay
Using tech to create things and solve problems, and helping others to learn to do the same, is incredibly important to Jay, and he wants it to be important to you too!
Help us celebrate Jay and inspire other young people to discover coding and digital making as a passion, by sharing his story on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
The post Celebrating the community: Jay appeared first on Raspberry Pi.
All young people deserve meaningful opportunities to learn how to create with digital technologies. But according to UNESCO, as much as 40% of people around the world don’t have access to education in a language they speak or understand. At the Raspberry Pi Foundation, we offer more than 200 free online projects that people all over the world use to learn about computing, coding, and creating things with digital technologies. To make these projects more accessible, we’ve published over 1700 translated versions so far, in 32 different languages. You can check out these translated resources by visiting projects.raspberrypi.org and choosing your language from the drop-down menu.
Most of this translation work was completed by an amazing community of volunteer translators. In 2021 alone, learners engaged in more than 570,000 learning experiences in languages other than English using our projects.
So how do we know it’s important to put in the effort to make our projects available in many different languages? Various studies show that learning in one’s first language leads to better educational and social outcomes.
Education policy specialists Chloe O’Gara and Nancy Kendall describe in a USAID-funded guide document (1996, p. 100) that girls living in multilingual communities are less likely to know the official language of school instruction than boys, because girls’ lives tend to be more restricted to home and family, where they have fewer opportunities to become proficient in a second language. These restrictions limit their access to education, and if they go to school, they are more likely to have a limited understanding of the dominant language, and therefore learn less. Observations in research studies (Hovens, 2002; Benson 2002a, 2002b) suggest that making education available in a local language greatly increases female students’ opportunities for educational access and attainment.
Research studies conducted in Guinea and Senegal (Clemons & Yerende, 2009) suggest that education in a local language, which is more likely to focus on the learner’s circumstances, community, and learning and development needs, increases the learner’s belief in their abilities and skills, compared to education in a dominant language.
Learning in a language other than one’s own has a negative effect on learning outcomes, especially for learners living in poverty. For example, a UNESCO-funded case study in Honduras showed that 94% of pupils learned reading skills if their home language was the same as the language of assessment. In contrast, among pupils who spoke a different language at home, this proportion dropped to 62%. Similarly, a UNESCO-funded case study in Guatemala showed that when students were able to learn in a bilingual environment, attendance and promotion rates increased, while rates of repetition and dropout rates decreased. Moreover, students attained higher scores in all subjects and skills, including the mastery of the dominant language (UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report, Policy Paper 24, February 2016).
A survey conducted by a researcher from the University of California San Diego showed that non-native English speakers found it challenging to learn programming languages when the majority of instructional materials and technical communications were only available in English (Guo, 2018). Moreover, a computing education research study of the association between local language use and the rate at which young people learn to program showed that beginners who learned to program in a programming language with keywords and environment localised into their primary language demonstrated new programming concepts at a faster rate, compared with beginners from the same language group who learned using a programming interface in English (Dasgupta & Hill, 2017).
It is clear from these studies that in order to achieve the most impact and to benefit disadvantaged and underserved communities, educational initiatives must work to make learning resources available in the language that learners are most familiar with.
By translating our learning resources, we not only support people who have English as a second language, we also make the resources useful for people who don’t speak any English — estimated as four out of every five people on Earth.
If you’re interested in helping us translate our learning resources, which are completely free, you can find out more at rpf.io/translate.
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