The global pandemic transformed the traditional education environment; students stopped attending classes at brick-and-mortar schools, sitting in classrooms, or taking notes off a whiteboard. STEM students face the challenges of learning from home without labs and other helpful classroom tools. But students of all ages can still build new skills without in-person instruction or collaboration.
Let's explore some of our favorite top STEM tools for students, teachers, and anyone learning how to code at home.
Arduino Starter Kit: Arduino coding basics
Arduino should be an essential stop on every coding journey. The world of Arduino includes hardware and software, both of which endeavor to make complex electronics development simple and accessible. Hardware products, such as the famous Arduino Uno, consist of development boards made up of simple microcontrollers and microprocessors that allow users to quickly program and reprogram functions. The software is a development platform, also called an Integrated Development Environment (IDE), that lets users write simple code and upload it to their hardware. The code language is often called 'Arduino Code,' but is based on the widely adopted C and C++ coding languages.
The Arduino Starter Kit is the perfect introduction to learning code and understanding microcontroller hardware. The Arduino Starter Kit comes with all the hardware you'll need to interact with the Arduino IDE and begin coding. Within 30 minutes of opening the box, you can expect to power an LED using code you wrote yourself. The Arduino Starter Kit is also a fantastic tool for learning about basic circuit design. It comes with discrete, easy-to-use components and tutorials to help you create magnificent, code-powered STEM projects.
SparkFun Qwiic Engineering Kit
Once you're ready to take your coding past LED blinking, motor control, and sensors, the next step is the SparkFun Qwiic Engineering Kit. This kit comes loaded with more advanced development boards―like LCD screens and advanced sensors―that will keep intermediate coders busy. One astounding feature of these mini development boards is that they all interact seamlessly with each other via I2C. This uniform system provides another level of excitement for students. Best of all, the kit comes with interface boards for both the Arduino Uno and the Raspberry Pi, making it quickly adaptable to your development platform of choice.
Raspberry Pi 4 Model B: Raspberry Pi coding basics
The Raspberry Pi is perhaps the world's most famous mini-computer, which makes the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B ideal if you want to learn the basics of:
· Computer engineering
· App development
· Game development
· Networking
The Raspberry Pi consists of a small processor and various interface ports. A simple setup means you can control the system using a keyboard, mouse, and HDMI output. Best of all, the Raspberry Pi development community is incredibly vast and profoundly knowledgeable, making it easy to bring any programming idea to life, even without a class full of peers and an instructor.
Arduino CTC101 Educator's Program
If you're a teacher looking for resources to help teach your students code, Arduino's CTC101 Educator's Program is a full hands-on-based STEM curriculum designed to do just that. Intended for a full classroom, the CTC101 Educator's Program comes with six shareable hardware kits―great for small group projects―and educator access for up to three users. The CTC 101 curriculum comes with 26 easy-to-follow tutorials on subjects such as:
· Basic coding
· Circuit design
· 3D model building
· Prototyping
According to Arduino, 90% of teachers claim they would reteach the CTC 101 Program, and 90% of students enjoyed the program. The CTC 101 program is even certified by the Finnish Kokoa Education Standard, making it an extremely effective and well-vetted educational resource.
Whether you're a teacher looking for ways to inspire your students or a new coder yourself, these tools will help you learn valuable new skills from the comfort and safety of home.
