In a recent post, we looked at the ways Raspberry Pi projects can be successfully introduced into a classroom curriculum.  But what about Raspberry Pi classes for older students?  Can Raspberry Pi be used effectively in advanced college and university course?

The answer is a resounding yes!              

One great example is students at Centre College who recently have had the opportunity to take a course called “Raspberry Pi: Building Hardware and Software Systems” with Associate Professor of Computer Science David Toth. 

In this course, students get to work on a variety of projects as well as learn to write code and plot data.  According to Toth:

“While the students will be learning a number of techniques, they will spend more time in lab than in lecture. The prospect of them building something that would be useful for somebody is also exciting.” 

Here at Vilros, we’re excited to see college and university students get this opportunity to learn this technology. Here are just three of the benefits advanced students can get from learning Raspberry Pi from their professors:

1. Hands-On

One of the benefits of a college course on Raspberry Pi is that it truly is a hands-on learning experience. 

Students today deal with digital technologies at an unprecedented rate, but here is there opportunity to actually work on writing code and building functioning digital projects themselves.

For example, in Toth’s class, students learn how to connect different sensors to Raspberry Pi computers and then use the information to solve a problem, for example a temperature sensor in a freezer that will send an email if the temperature starts getting too warm

2. Laboratory + Creativity

Another benefit of a Raspberry Pi course is that it stimulates both the left and right brain, encouraging students to be both scientific in a laboratory setting and creative like an artist or innovator.

In Toth’s course, students develop an understanding of the Raspberry Pi hardware and learn to build things from existing parts and tools in the computer science laboratory.  They also have an opportunity to exercise their creativity and problem-solving skills to create new solutions and design original projects.

3. Real World Applications

Colleges and universities can get a bad rap for being too “ivory tower,” and certainly there are professors and courses that deal in mere castle-in-the-air theories – but a course on Raspberry Pi is all about making a difference in the real world. 

In Toth’s class, the goal is for students to build something that will be useful to them or other people they know.  For example, there’s a project that will monitor water levels and let you know when to water your plants or a project that will enable you to turn off a light using a smartphone.

This is learning that makes a tangible difference to students’ lives!  

Our team here at Vilros is excited to see Raspberry Pi spread to college and university classrooms – and we want to help! If you’re interested in our help to successfully introduce this technology into a college classroom setting, make sure to reach out and let us know!

Now we’d like to know: have you used Raspberry Pi in a college or university setting? If you’re well-experienced with Raspberry Pi, what do you think college students should know about the technology? Let us know in the comments!