The use of technology in education is widely regarded as one of the most important challenges of the 21st century in order to effectively prepare the youth of today for digital citizenship and a technology-driven workforce. However, it has not always been easy for today’s teachers to get the training needed to adequately instruct tomorrow’s digital leaders.

Raspberry Pi is determined to make a difference and teach the teachers.

Especially in our now post-COVID era in which so many students around the globe have depended on digital solutions for education, and many parents have taken on the role of teaching from home, the need to train teachers of all levels in computing skills has never been greater.

Interestingly, Raspberry Pi has been a leader in this initiative, offering the free FutureLearn online courses to teachers in England since 2017. However, today with additional support and funding from both Google and the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE), Raspberry Pi is now making its online teacher-training courses freely available to anyone, whether you’re a “professional teacher” or not.

Raspberry Pi offer courses for educators of all backgrounds and levels, whether you’re a tech neophyte yourself, or an advanced teacher and digital expert seeking cutting-edge information to stay up to date, support other professionals, and progress to a higher level.

Teachers Getting Started in IT & Computing 

One way that Raspberry Pi can help is specifically for teachers who are just getting started teaching the subject of IT and Computing Skills.

Maybe you’re already an accomplished teacher in another field, or maybe you’re just beginning in the role of a teacher – if you’re like many in this beginner stage, you may (understandably!) feel daunted and overwhelmed by tech, but Raspberry Pi’s program makes it easy and straightforward to go step-by-step and build up new skills and increasing confidence.

For example, one popular course sequence is the Programming sequence where you start by exploring the basics of Python and learning to code your first program. Then you progress to the next stage where you learn more intermediate then advanced Python skills. To get started, Programming 101 is a four-week course requiring about two hours of study each week – all now freely available online to anyone.

In addition, Raspberry Pi has created Teach Computing Curricula, with resources and materials you can use to teach computing, including lesson plans, worksheets, homework, and assessments that have been created by subject matter experts incorporating pedagogical research and practical feedback from actual teachers. These curricula available for free so you have everything you need to teach students in four age groups: 5-7 years-old, 7-11 years-old, 11-14 years-old, and 14-16 years-old.

Teachers Keeping Up to Date with the Latest Tech Advances 

If you’re already a more advanced technology teacher, chances are your role requires staying fresh on cutting-edge technology and serving as a tech champion among your other teacher peers. If so, Raspberry Pi has free resources that can help you too.

For example, Programming Pedagogy in Secondary Schools is a freely available meta-level program that explores a range of advanced pedagogical approaches that are useful to teaching students who are at a minimum middle-school level. This is a program that can help you as an accomplished teacher further develop your own pedagogical approach.

Or, you might be interested in a new course called Get Ready for a Masters in Data Science and AI, a free 2-week program requiring six hours per week that will ensure you have indeed mastered the skills necessary to pursue an advanced degree in the field.

Help a Teacher? 

Do you know any teachers who can use these resources?

Even if you’re not a teacher yourself, chances are you know a student who at any level would benefit from a teacher with these resources. How can you help spread the word?

As proud a partner of Raspberry Pi, our team here at Vilros wants to know your suggestions to help make sure these resources get even greater circulation, and any personal success stories you may have experienced or witnessed!

And don’t forget to check out more Raspberry Pi and Arduino news here on our Vilros blog!