For many students around the world, “school” continues to be a 100% online experience, as the lingering threat of COVID keeps many under lockdown. Resources and tools for learning at home have never been so important.

Luckily, whether you’re a student enrolled in an official curriculum or just a “student of life” trying to make the most of lockdown by learning new skills, there are now many 100% free programs you can do from the comfort of your couch, computer in hand.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation is one such provider of a variety of free resources that can help you and any other students in your life develop cutting-edge technological skills, all while learning at home.

Fun Projects to Learn Coding Skills

When parents are busy and stressed out trying to juggle a job and home life, the easy solution is to just let the kids binge watch Netflix or YouTube so that they’re occupied, safe, and leaving the parents free to concentrate on work. However, there are more productive ways that kids could spend their time, having just as much fun and learning coding skills.

Here are just a few ways that the Raspberry Pi Foundation is supporting young digital learners and makers, with free projects and resources that parents can feel good about:

Code-Along-Videos on YouTube – if your kids love watching videos online, check out the different series uploaded by Raspberry Pi. For example, there are livestreams of Raspberry Pi’s “Digital Making at Home” series, that get kids involved making new projects that test and advance their coding abilities. There are also tutorials designed specifically for parents who want to support their kids in learning how to code.

Coolest Projects 2021 – anyone under 18 can share their favorite digital creation in this worldwide online showcase. Registrations will open on February 1st, so there’s still plenty of time to get involved and build a fun coding project that celebrates the spirit of creativity.

Resources and Tools Available for Teachers and Students 

Teachers and schools have been under pressure since COVID first started spreading – the transition to online learning had to happen seemingly overnight, and educators are still struggling to adapt and make the most of this unprecedented shift.

Many students are in danger of falling behind, and concerned adults want to make sure that those who are at-risk will not only keep up but thrive. Thankfully, this moment of crisis is also a moment of opportunity, and it’s now possible to get a world-class education in computing that’s free and accessible anywhere you have an internet connection.

Here are some of the resources that the Raspberry Pi Foundation is now making freely available to support teachers and students:

Teach Computing Curriculum – this is a comprehensive set of educational resources designed to teach students aged 5-16 years old. There are lesson plans, homework, tests, and additional teacher tools to guide students from zero knowledge through multiple levels of competency in digital technology.

Isaac Computer Science – for more advanced and older students (aged 16-18 years old), this is an online learning platform with interactive materials and video guidance. Students can even develop their own individualized assessments to help them track and measure their own progress.

How Can You Use (and Support!) Raspberry Pi for Learning at Home?

Are you a student, teacher, or parent taking advantage of these Raspberry Pi resources so that lockdown can continue to be a time of growth and development? If so, tell us your story!

Also, if you want to help support the Raspberry Pi Foundation in its efforts to partner with youth and community organizations that help students in need to make sure they have access to a computer for learning at home, you can find out more and donate today.

And be sure to return here to our Vilros blog to discover more resources and tools from Raspberry Pi and Arduino you can use for continuous and effective learning throughout 2021!