Tag Archives: CSEd

Designing for every learner in every classroom

Post Syndicated from Rachel Arthur original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/designing-for-every-learner-in-every-classroom/

One of the things I love most about my role as Chief Learning Officer at the Raspberry Pi Foundation is hearing from teachers around the world. A teacher in Kenya told me how their students debugged their first programming projects on a shared laptop. In Scotland, another explained how our resources gave them the confidence to teach computing for the very first time. These stories remind me daily why our work matters: every young person, no matter where they live, should have the chance to explore the power of computing.

Young people use laptops to do their coding tasks.

But creating resources that work in such different contexts is not easy. How do we design materials that work in a wide range of learning environments, from a bustling city classroom to a rural school where internet access can vary? How do we make sure that every learner sees themselves reflected in the examples we choose?

That’s where our teaching and learning design principles come in.

What makes our approach different

Over the past decade, we’ve learned a huge amount about what teachers and learners need from us. We’ve made mistakes, we’ve listened, and we’ve refined our practice again and again. The result is a set of design principles that guide the creation of everything we make, from full curricula to one-off projects.

Four students at laptops in a school in India.

These principles are practical and based on real classroom experience. They’re our way of making sure our resources are reliable, inspiring, and flexible, wherever and however teachers use them.

Here’s what that looks like in action:

  • High quality – You can trust our resources to be accurate and classroom-ready. We put every piece of content through rigorous checks because we understand how busy you are.
  • Research-informed – Our choices are grounded in evidence, not guesswork. We blend academic studies with insight from teachers like you and our own evaluations to create approaches that genuinely work.
  • Consistent – We design our materials to fit together, so learners can build skills step by step, without confusion or contradiction along the way.
  • Inclusive by design – We think carefully about accessibility, representation, and language right from the start. When young people see themselves reflected in computing, they see it as a future they can be a part of.
  • Adaptable – No two classrooms are the same. By making our resources editable and flexible, we give you the freedom to shape them for your learners.

Why share these design principles now?

For us, being transparent about our approach is about trust. Teachers make daily decisions about which resources to use, often with limited preparation time. By showing you the principles behind our work, we want to give you the confidence that our content is not only free and adaptable, but also designed with care, expertise, and your learners at the heart.

Educators participate in a teacher training in Kenya.

Looking ahead

The world of computing education is moving fast, from new programming software, to artificial intelligence tools. Our design principles give us a strong foundation to keep innovating while staying true to our mission of enabling young people to realise their full potential through the power of computing and digital technologies.

A boy and teacher in a computing class

And we’d love to hear from you! How do these principles resonate with your teaching? What helps you most in the classroom? Your feedback is what keeps making our work better.

The post Designing for every learner in every classroom appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

What’s next for Experience CS?

Post Syndicated from Jason Bates original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/whats-next-for-experience-cs/

In June, we launched the first set of content for Experience CS, our integrated computer science curriculum for students ages 8–14. Experience CS was designed for all educators, including those without a computer science background, so that anyone can bring engaging, creative computer science learning into their classroom.

Since launch, we’ve seen educators across the US and beyond implement the first six integrated units, explore the tutorials, and join our webinars. We’re incredibly grateful to our early adopters who are already helping to shape the program’s future. With so much exciting content already available, what’s next for Experience CS?

Translations: Making Experience CS more accessible

We’re delighted to share that the initial six units are now available in Spanish and French. From the beginning, our goal has been to make Experience CS accessible to as many educators and learners as possible. We will continue translating new materials so more communities can integrate computer science into their classrooms.

New units: Expanding knowledge with Experience CS

Educators asked us for more units — and we listened. Three brand-new units for grades 3, 4, and 7 are now available, with additional units on the way. These new resources give educators and students the chance to go deeper into computing concepts while connecting them to other subject areas.  

  • 3.2 Picture this! What can be used to create art? Explore how programming and art intersect by creating interactive word art.
  • 4.2 Digit dash: Design your own chase game! Collect items to score points, and change how valuable they are with a score multiplier.
  • 7.2 Harmony hackers: Become a digital composer! Learn the language of music through code as you program melodies and harmonies to build your very own song.

The new units are currently available in English, with Spanish and French translations coming soon!

Screenshot of the new units

Updates to the website and tools

Experience CS is a platform built by teachers, for teachers. We’ve been listening closely to your feedback and making improvements to streamline the classroom experience. With new updates, educators can:

  • Import a classroom and students from Google Classroom
  • Upload and administer student accounts in Code Editor for Education
  • Access improved lesson materials based on teacher feedback

Our focus is on making it easier than ever for you to bring computer science into your teaching.

How to get started

Bringing Experience CS into your classroom is simple and always free.

  1. Create a free Raspberry Pi Foundation account to access all learning resources
  2. Set up a school account in Code Editor for Education to create classes, add Scratch projects, manage student accounts, and review their work
  3. Explore the Experience CS materials — be sure to check out the brand new units for grades 3, 4, and 7!

Need additional help? Everything you need to get started is right on our Getting Started page.

Getting Started page screenshot

Stay up to date

We’re just getting started with Experience CS. New curriculum units, more translations, and additional platform improvements are already in the works. Join our mailing list to stay informed about the latest updates. Also, sign up for this month’s webinar to get a deeper look at what’s next for Experience CS.

We can’t wait to keep bringing the power of computer science to more classrooms with you.

The post What’s next for Experience CS? appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.