How is computing taught around the globe? Our brand-new, free issue of Hello World, out today, paints a picture for you. It features stories from over 20 countries, where educators, researchers, and volunteers share their work and their personal challenges and joys in bringing computing education to their part of the world.
Global exchange in a worldwide community
In Hello World issue 23, you’ll hear about countries where computing is an official school subject and how it was set up that way, and you’ll hear about countries that are newer to computing education and working to fast-track their students’ learning.
Ethel Tshukudu’s article on her research using the CAPE framework is a fascinating comparison of computer science education in four African countries
Iliana Ramirez describes how volunteers are at the heart of Ciberistas, a technology training programme for young people in Mexico
Matthew Griffin’s article highlights how computing education works in Canada, a large country with two official languages
Dana Rensi’s article about a solar-powered Raspberry Pi computing lab in the middle of the Peruvian rainforest will surprise and delight you
Randal Rousseau, a librarian in Cape Town, South Africa, shares how he teaches children to code through unplugged activities
And there is lots more for you to discover in issue 23.
Sue Sentance, director of the Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre at the University of Cambridge, says in her article:
“Our own experience of implementing computing education in England since 2014 has shown the importance of teachers supporting each other, and how various networks … are instrumental in bringing computing teachers together to share knowledge and experiences. With so many countries introducing computing education, and teachers around the globe facing similar challenges, maybe we need to extend this to a global teacher network, where teachers and policymakers can share good practice and learn from each other. “
Research highlights the importance of computing education to young people’s futures, whether or not they pursue a degree or career in the area. From teaching computing in schools where the electricity cuts out, to incorporating artificial intelligence into curricula in different countries, and to teaming up with local governments when there isn’t a national computing curriculum, educators are doing wonderful things around the globe to make sure the young people they support have the opportunity to learn. Read their stories today.
Also in issue 23:
Research on culturally adapted resources
How community building enhances computing education
Send us a message or tag us on social media to let us know which articles have made you think, and most importantly, which will help you with your teaching. And to hear monthly news about Hello World and the whole Raspberry Pi Foundation, sign up to the Hello World newsletter.
So, you’ve got a brand new Raspberry Pi Pico and want to know how to get started with this tiny but powerful microcontroller? We’ve got just the book for you.
Beginner-friendly
In Get Started with MicroPython on Raspberry Pi Pico, you’ll learn how to use the beginner-friendly language MicroPython to write programs and connect hardware to make your Raspberry Pi Pico interact with the world around it. Using these skills, you can create your own electro-mechanical projects, whether for fun or to make your life easier.
After taking you on a guided tour of Pico, the books shows you how to get it up and running with a step-by-step illustrated guide to soldering pin headers to the board and installing the MicroPython firmware via a computer.
Programming basics
Next, we take you through the basics of programming in MicroPython, a Python-based programming language developed specifically for microcontrollers such as Pico. From there, we explore the wonderful world of physical computing and connect a variety of electronic components to Pico using a breadboard. Controlling LEDs and reading input from push buttons, you’ll start by creating a pedestrian crossing simulation, before moving on to projects such as a reaction game, burglar alarm, temperature gauge, and data logger.
Raspberry Pi Pico also supports the I2C and SPI protocols for communicating with devices, which we explore by connecting it up to an LCD display. You can even use MicroPython to take advantage of one of Pico’s most powerful features, Programmable I/O (PIO), which we explore by controlling NeoPixel LED strips.
Get your copy today!
You can buy Get Started with MicroPython on Raspberry Pi Pico now from the Raspberry Pi Press online store. If you don’t need the lovely new book, with its new-book smell, in your hands in real life, you can download a PDF version for free (or a small voluntary contribution).
STOP PRESS: we’ve spotted an error in the first print run of the book, affecting the code examples in Chapters 4 to 7. We’re sorry! Fortunately it’s easy for readers to correct in their own code; see here for everything you need to know. We’ve already corrected this in the PDF version.
It’s “the intolerant person’s guide to keeping your computer computing.” If that sounds like you, we recommend you hop straight over to the Raspberry Pi Press online store and pick up a copy for just £10.
What’s it about?
It also makes a good, only mildly passive-aggressive, gift. If the above text messages ring a bell, and you’re fed up with being the in-house tech support for your family, then Help! My computer is broken (How do I fix it?) can assist. It shows readers how to fix common computer problems, without having to wade through technical jargon or pester said tech support person.
Who wrote it?
We had the brilliant Barry Collins, who has been a technology journalist for more than 20 years, write it for you. He’s written for most of the UK’s leading tech publications, and he is a former editor of PC Pro as well as former assistant editor of the Sunday Times‘ technology section.
He’s now co-editor of The Big Tech Question, a site designed to answer people’s tech queries – in a similar vein to this book. Barry also makes regular appearances as a tech pundit on TV and radio.
While you’re shopping at the Raspberry Pi Press online store, make sure you check out our Black Friday deal, which we’ve decided to keep rolling until Christmas Eve.
If you buy just one book from the Black Friday range (priced £7 – £10), you get two more completely FREE!
What if you could give the joy of opening a Raspberry Pi–themed gift every single month for a whole year? But what if the thought of wrapping 12 individual things fills you with Scrooge-level dread?
Snap up a magazine subscription for one of your nearest and/or dearest and we’ll take care of the packaging and delivery while you sit back and reap all the credit!
You could end up with a few extra gifts depending on what you sign up for so, read on and take your pick.
The MagPi magazine
The official Raspberry Pi magazine comes with a free Raspberry Pi Zero W kit worth £20 when you sign up for a 12-month subscription. You can use our tiniest computer in tonnes of projects, meaning Raspberry Pi fans can never have enough. That’s a top gift-giving bonus for you right there.
Every issue of The MagPi is packed with computing and electronics tutorials, how-to guides, and the latest news and reviews. They also hit their 100th issue this month so, if someone on your list has been thinking about getting a subscription, now is a great time.
HackSpace magazine is the one to choose for fixers and tinkerers of all abilities. If you’re looking for a gift for someone who is always taking things apart and hacking everyday objects, HackSpace magazine will provide a year of inspiration for them.
12-month subscriptions come with a free Adafruit Circuit Playground Express, which has been specially developed to teach programming novices from scratch and is worth £25.
Custom PC is the magazine for people who are passionate about PC technology and hardware. And they’ve just launched a pretty cool new giveaway with every 12-month subscription: a free Chillblast Aero RGB Gaming mouse worth £40. Look, it lights up, it’s cool.
Wireframe magazine lifts the lid on video games. In every issue, you’ll find out how games are made, who makes them, and how you can code them to play for yourself using detailed guides.
The latest deal gets you three issues for just £10, plus your choice of one of our official books as a gift. By the way, that ‘three for £10 plus a free book’ is available across ALL our magazines. Did I not tell you that before? My bad. It’s good though, right?
And as an extra Christmas gift to you all, we’ve decided to keep our Black Friday deal rolling until Christmas Eve, so if you buy just one teeny tiny book from the Raspberry Pi Press store, you get two more completely FREE!
Better still, all of the books in the deal only cost £7 or £10 to start with, so makes for a good chunky batch of presents at a brilliantly affordable price.
Hey everyone, come and see, come and see! Here’s a great new bookazine from the makers of the official Raspberry Pi magazine. We do love the folks at The MagPi. Clever, they are.
If, like us, you’re over 2020 already, dive into the pages of The Official Raspberry Pi Handbook 2021, and pretend it never happened. That will totally work.
To help you get the most of out of your Raspberry Pi computer, this official Handbook features 200 pages of essential information, inspiring projects, practical tutorials, and definitive reviews.
Beginner-friendly
If you’re an absolute beginner, you can learn from the Handbook how to set up your Raspberry Pi and start using it. Then you can move on to the step-by-step tutorials that will teach you how to code and make with your Raspberry Pi.
Shiny new stuff
You’ll also (re)discover the new Raspberry Pi 400 and High Quality Camera, both released this year. And you’ll find out about the top kits and accessories for your projects.
Be inspired
And finally, we’ve also picked out some incredible Raspberry Pi projects made by people in the community to inspire you to get making and coding.
Personally, we prefer new book smell and the crackle of physical pages but, if you’re less picky and don’t mind on-screen reading, the lovely folks at The MagPi have a PDF version you can download for free.
The most wonderful time of the year is approaching! “Most wonderful” meaning the time when you have to figure out what gift best expresses your level of affection for various individuals in your life. We’re here to take away some of that stress for you — provided your favourite individuals like Raspberry Pi, of course. Otherwise you’re on your own. Sorry.
We’ve got ideas for the gamers in your life, what to get for the Raspberry Pi “superfan” who has everything, and options that allow you to keep giving all year round.
Newest and hottest
If keeping up with the Joneses is your thing, why not treat your nearest Raspberry Pi fan to one of our newest products…
Raspberry Pi 400 | $70
This year, we released Raspberry Pi 400: a complete personal computer, built into a compact keyboard, costing just $70. Our community went wild about the possibilities that Raspberry Pi 400 opens up for home learners and for those who don’t have expensive tech options at their fingertips.
You just plug in a mouse, a monitor (any semi-modern TV screen should work), and go. The Raspberry Pi 400 Personal Computer kit costs $100 and comes with a few extras to help get you started. Or you can buy the Raspberry Pi 400 unit on its own.
Depending on where you are in the world, you may need to pre-order or join a waiting list, as Raspberry Pi 400 is in such high demand. But you could give a homemade ‘IOU’ voucher letting the recipient know that they will soon get their hands on one of our newest and most popular bits of kit.
Our latest book of coding coolness | £10
We publish some cool books around these parts. Laura Sach and Martin O’Hanlon, who are both Learning Managers at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, have written the very newest one, which is designed to help you to get more out of your Python projects.
In Create Graphical User Interfaces with Python, you’ll find ten fun Python projects to create, including a painting program, an emoji match game, and a stop-motion animation creator. All for just £10.
So, if you’ve a keen coder in your midst, this book is the best choice to stretch their skills and keep them entertained throughout 2021. Buy it online from the official Raspberry Pi Press store.
The Pi Hut’s Raspberry Pi 4 Retro Gaming Kit costs £88 and includes everything you need to create your very own retro gaming console. All your lucky kit recipient has to find is a screen to plug into, and a keyboard to set up their new Raspberry Pi, which comes as part of the kit along with a case for it. The Pi Hut has also thrown in a 16GB microSD card, plus a reader for it, as well as our official micro HDMI cable. Job done.
How cool does Picade look?! It’s sold by Pimoroni and you can buy an 8″ display set for £165,or a 10″ display version for £225. Show me a self-respecting gamer who doesn’t want a desktop retro arcade machine in their own home.
Picade is a Raspberry Pi–powered mini arcade that you build yourself. All you’ll need to add is your own Raspberry Pi, a power supply, and a micro SD card.
Code the Classics, Volume 1 | £12
And if the gamer on your gift list prefers to create their own retro video games, send them a copy of Code the Classics, Volume 1. It’s a stunning-looking hardback book packed with 224 pages telling the stories of some of the seminal video games of the 1970s and 1980s, and showing you how to create your own. Putting hours of projects in the hands of your favourite gamer will only set you back £12. Buy it online from the official Raspberry Pi Press store.
Raspberry Pi superfans
Raspberry Pi Zero W | $10
For just $10 apiece, you can drop a couple Raspberry Pi Zero W into any tinkerer’s stocking and they’ll be set for their next few projects. They will LOVE you for allowing them try a new, risky build without having to tear down something else they created to retrieve an old Raspberry Pi.
Babbage Bear | $9
What to get the superfan who already has a desk full of Raspberry Pi? An official Babbage Bear to oversee the proceedings! Babbage only costs £9 and will arrive wearing their own Raspberry Pi–branded T-shirt. A special Raspberry Pi Towers inhabitant made our Babbage this Christmassy outfit before we photographed them.
Official t-shirts | $12
Raspberry Pi “Pi 4” T-shirt
Raspberry Pi “Make Cool Stuff” T-shirt
If you’ve a superfan on your gift list, then it’s likely they already own a t-shirt with the Raspberry Pi logo on it — so why not get them one of these new designs?
Both costing just £12, the black Raspberry Pi “Pi 4” t-shirt was released to celebrate the launch of Raspberry Pi 4 and features an illustration of the powerful $35 computer. The white Raspberry Pi “Make Cool Stuff” option was created by Raspberry Pi’s own illustrator/animator extraordinaire Sam Alder. Drop that inside fact on the gift tag for extra superfan points.
Wearable tech projects | £7
And if they’re the kind of superfan who would like to make their own Raspberry Pi-–themed clothing, gift them with our Wearable Tech Projects book. This 164-page book gathers up the best bits of wearable technology from HackSpace magazine, with tutorials such as adding lights to your favourite cosplay helmet, and creating a glowing LED skirt. It’s on sale for just £7 and you can buy it online from the official Raspberry Pi Press store.
Keep giving all year
What if you could give the joy of opening a Raspberry Pi–themed gift every single month for a whole year? Our magazine subscriptions let you do just that, AND they come with a few extra gifts when you sign up.
The MagPi magazine
The official Raspberry Pi magazine comes with a free Raspberry Pi Zero kit worth £20 when you sign up for a 12-month subscription. The magazine is packed with computing and electronics tutorials, how-to guides, and the latest news and reviews.
HackSpace magazine is packed with projects for fixers and tinkerers of all abilities. 12-month subscriptions comes with a free Adafruit Circuit Playground Express, which has been specially developed to teach programming novices from scratch and is worth £25.
Wireframe magazine lifts the lid on video games. In every issue, you’ll find out how games are made, who makes them, and how you can make your own using detailed guides. The latest deal gets you three issues for just £10, plus your choice of one of our official books as a gift.
Custom PC is the magazine for people who are passionate about PC technology and hardware. You can subscribe to receive three issues for just £10, and you’ll also receive a book as a gift.
That’s all folks. Have a holly jolly one. Drop a question in the comments box below if you’re after something Raspberry Pi–themed which isn’t mentioned here. I’m half elf and should be able to help.
Laura Sach and Martin O’Hanlon, who are both Learning Managers at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, have written a brand-new book to help you to get more out of your Python projects.
In Create Graphical User Interfaces with Python, Laura and Martin show you how to add buttons, boxes, pictures, colours, and more to your Python programs using the guizero library, which is easy to use and accessible for all, no matter your Python skills.
This new 156-page book is suitable for everyone — from beginners to experienced Python programmers — who wants to explore graphical user interfaces (GUIs).
Meet the authors
That’s Martin in the blue T-shirt with our Digital Making at Home live stream hosts Matt and Christina
Laura is also pretty cool! Here she is showing you how to solder your Raspberry Pi header pins:
Hi Laura!
Martin and Laura are also tonnes of fun on Twitter. You can find Martin as @martinohanlon, and Laura goes by @codeboom.
10 fun projects
In Create Graphical User Interfaces with Python, you’ll find ten fun Python projects to create with guizero, including a painting program, an emoji match game, and a stop-motion animation creator.
A peek inside Laura’s and Martin’s new book
You will also learn:
How to create fun Python games and programs
How to code your own graphical user interfaces using windows, text boxes, buttons, images, and more
And if you don’t need the lovely new book, with its new-book smell, in your hands in real life, you can download a PDF version for free, courtesy of The MagPi magazine.
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