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How about home school projects?

How about home school projects?

Hmm..   That seems interesting.   Can you provide any examples of the types of projects this would involve?

We're coming up close to a new poll...

Hi, and thanks for getting back quickly.

The plan I was thinking of implementing is using components of programming and S.T.E.M. to provide a package for home schooling families.

Unless the teaching parent has a background in engineering or makes a concentrated effort to learn "the stuff". To get satisfactory coverage for math and sciences (and now programming), additional resources (tutors) need to be employed.

I was thinking of providing a step based approach to putting together a database with a modifiable front end that works as a combination personal planner and journal.  Going through the basics of how to create a relational database, and how to use SQL to interface to a program. The platform can be simple using a Raspberry Pi, or a complex personal device. The result is a tool that can be used for managing coursework, which can be networked to a central location for turning in papers and grading.

Jack.

...also,

A video game teaches all the components of real time embedded programming. Math and geometry for movement, physics for collisions and gravity, statistics for historical operation.  Some role playing games can actually pose different puzzles to pull in elements of chemistry, biology, earth sciences, geography, and sociology.

Just a(nother) thought

RParkerE had an idea around S.T.E.M. as well.

I'm thinking maybe there's a way to combine these ideas so these projects could fit under a single theme that people could vote on.

I agree with Jack, doing games or simulations allow you to closely relate science to programming.

While some games look simple, there are a lot of interesting software implementations going on.

I used to follow Game sites just to see how they implemented various problems.  I then took that information back and updated some of our simulators to add faster response times to our interactive interfaces.

You can really learn a lot by understanding how some of these games work.

DAB

The first idea I had when I read the proposal of school projects has a name: BBC:MICRO BIT.

Also using simple hardware and simplifying some projects this micro opens to an incredible quantity of options.

I have some stuff that can be easily reused ti demonstrate some interesting applications.

Enrico

I think something along the line of schooling (especially home) would be a low price project that could allow for simple devices like the BBC:Micro Bit or Raspberry Pi Zero (seems like the Zero has been easier to obtain over in the US.    Maybe the UNO or Codebug as well? 

John, true but we should make a distinguo.

IMHO devices like BBC:Micro Bit and Raspberry Pi Zero are far to be simple, and this is the reason that they are good for schooling, are complex but made easy to use to create project based on them. Remain the fact that operates at two different levels and a different minimal knowledge base it is needed; also the same project (maybe the classic LED blinking) follows two different path when running on the Zero Linux machine instead of the BBC micro controller.

UNO I think not. At least not at the same level of the BBC as it is based not only on an old hardware generation but also because the programming approach si more oriented to the language. I think should be considered the third element (with the BBC and Zero) to complete che choice.

About the Codebug I think that the best thing is to consider it a flop, at least respect this depicted scenario; they never relased the promised information, as far as I know never evolved and mimcs the BBC with an incredibly limited set of options and interfacing. Not more than just a toy.

Enrico

I like both the ease of use as well as the potential of both the Raspberry Pi Zero and BBC:Micro Bit, the price is also an excellent thing for them to be considered by wide use within an educational format with very little budget.  Some facilities are able to obtain full STEM projects like Robotics and similar where as others will be hard pressed to obtain a Raspberry PI Zero and the accessories it needs to be usable.

The reason I had thought possibly the UNO is the huge support it has for a variety of projects and already has been introduced to a lot of people.  I have given educators RPi Zero's who had never touched a RPi but had played with arduino projects.

The Codebug purely for the option of simplistic and safe tweaking for brand new people.  I am sure some of the Arduino Flora projects would also be of interest.

The big thing was coming up with some base parameters to allow our fine Members to brain storm and try and provide interesting applications that could be use for education.  Hopefully all ages, not just the right about to go to College ages.  :-)