At CoderDojo Altona North our kids (aged 7 – 15) work on variety of different hardware platforms, programming languages on a weekly basis. Our kids start learning to program with block based programming languages like Scratch, BBC micro:bit, moving onto basics of electronics with the BBC micro:bit while also exploring fundamentals of making and creating with other online platforms. Over time our kids get introduced to the basics of robotics and try their hand at programming micro-controllers like the Arduino using C/C++ while some kids take to programming MicroPython on the BBC micro:bit including the Raspberry Pi Pico.
Miss Z has been with us for a few years now and has worked on a number of different programming platforms quickly moving away from block based programming to text based programming using Python. These last few weeks Miss Z has transitioned to working on a Raspberry Pi desktop, connecting remotely to another Raspberry Pi Zero, learning the basics of Linux, getting accustomed to working at the command line. Miss Z has experienced a sharp learning curve moving away from the safety of block based programming and a graphical programming environment to a text based programming environment completely driven via the Command Line Interface on the Raspberry Pi Zero (working remotely over SSH).
The GoPoGo 3 is a powerful robot based on the Raspberry Pi which you can use to build a line following, object detecting robot. You can also stick a camera into the Raspberry Pi and control the robot remotely just by seeing through the camera onboard the Raspberry Pi making it a fun platform to program and play with. For more serious learners you can make use of the same platform and work on Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence related challenges using the GoPoGo 3 Raspberry Pi Robot.
We recently got Miss Z working with the GoPiGo which is a Raspberry Pi based Robot which can be programmed in Python. In these images you’ll see Miss Z controlling the GoPiGo 3 Raspberry Pi Robot using a simple program that’s she put together.
We wish Miss Z the best and hope she’ll continue to have many more fun filled years at CoderDojo Altona North exploring various other aspects of STEM, gaining critical life skills along the way.