Graduate with Raspberry Pi
Graduate with Raspberry Pi
Lawrence B. Crenshaw
WGU
Graduate with Raspberry Pi
Most college students choosing an IT degree will often have a background with computers. Many began with tinkering with electronics that would grow into a fascination with computers. In 1976 computer hobbyist Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computers from their years of experimenting and programming computers. Many more would follow and an entire industry would sprout from labor of theses enthusiast. Today, the fascination and entrepreneurship with computers continues in the form of the Raspberry Pi. Developed in the United Kingdom by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, the device is a small, fully functioning personal computer for only $35 USD. Nearly the size of a credit card and its five volt power requirements, this tiny PC is truly compact. The small form factor boasts all the essential processor speed, memory, and peripherals needed to run most projects. Because of all the multifaceted projects and its low cost the Raspberry Pi is an ideal investment for the aspiring IT graduate.
Programming is an essential skill taught in university IT programs, yet students approach the subject with some difficulty and anxiety. Without prior experience in a programming language these courses may prove too challenging. The Raspberry Pi provides many projects that expose the student to programming language. Python is a powerful language that is both easy to use and flexible enough to create useful programs with the Pi (Monk, October 30, 2012). Using this language one can develop a plethora of software from productivity programs to games. Learning Python with the Raspberry Pi helps students grasps complex concepts such as strings, variables, and data structures. Using programs created by the student can assist in mastering key programming principles and inspiring creativity. One such project is Pygame
Lawrence B. Crenshaw
WGU
Graduate with Raspberry Pi
Most college students choosing an IT degree will often have a background with computers. Many began with tinkering with electronics that would grow into a fascination with computers. In 1976 computer hobbyist Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computers from their years of experimenting and programming computers. Many more would follow and an entire industry would sprout from labor of theses enthusiast. Today, the fascination and entrepreneurship with computers continues in the form of the Raspberry Pi. Developed in the United Kingdom by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, the device is a small, fully functioning personal computer for only $35 USD. Nearly the size of a credit card and its five volt power requirements, this tiny PC is truly compact. The small form factor boasts all the essential processor speed, memory, and peripherals needed to run most projects. Because of all the multifaceted projects and its low cost the Raspberry Pi is an ideal investment for the aspiring IT graduate.
Programming is an essential skill taught in university IT programs, yet students approach the subject with some difficulty and anxiety. Without prior experience in a programming language these courses may prove too challenging. The Raspberry Pi provides many projects that expose the student to programming language. Python is a powerful language that is both easy to use and flexible enough to create useful programs with the Pi (Monk, October 30, 2012). Using this language one can develop a plethora of software from productivity programs to games. Learning Python with the Raspberry Pi helps students grasps complex concepts such as strings, variables, and data structures. Using programs created by the student can assist in mastering key programming principles and inspiring creativity. One such project is Pygame