Today we’re publishing a position paper setting out five arguments for why we think that kids still need to learn to code in the age of artificial intelligence.
Generated using ChatGPT.
Just like every wave of technological innovation that has come before, the advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are raising profound questions about the future of human work. History teaches us that technology has the potential to both automate and augment human effort, destroying some jobs and creating new ones. The only thing we know for sure is that it is impossible to predict the precise nature and pace of the changes that are coming.
One of the fastest-moving applications of generative AI technologies are the systems that can generate code. What started as the coding equivalent of autocomplete has quickly progressed to tools that can generate increasingly complex code from natural language prompts.
This has given birth to the notion of “vibe-coding” and led some commentators to predict the end of the software development industry as we know it. It shouldn’t be a surprise then that there is a vigorous debate about whether kids still need to learn to code.
In the position paper we put forward five arguments for why we think the answer is an unequivocal yes.
We need humans who are skilled programmers
First, we argue that even in a world where AI can generate code, we need skilled human programmers who can think critically, solve problems, and make ethical decisions. The large language models that underpin these tools are probabilistic systems designed to provide statistically acceptable outputs and, as any skilled software engineer will tell you, simply writing more code faster isn’t necessarily a good thing.
Learning to code is an essential part of learning to program
Learning to code is the most effective way we know for a young person to develop the mental models and fluency to become a skilled human programmer. The hard cognitive work of reading, modifying, writing, explaining, and testing code is precisely how young people develop a deep understanding of programming and computational thinking.
Learning to code will open up even more opportunities in the age of AI
While there’s no doubt that AI is going to reshape the labour market, the evidence from history suggests that it will increase the reach of programming and computational approaches across the economy and into new domains, creating demand for humans who are skilled programmers. We also argue that coding is no longer just for software engineers, it’s becoming a core skill that enables people to work effectively and think critically in a world shaped by intelligent machines. From healthcare to agriculture, we are already seeing demand for people who can combine programming with domain-specific skills and craft knowledge.
Coding is a literacy that helps young people have agency in a digital world
Alongside the arguments for coding as a route to opening up economic opportunities, we argue that coding and programming gives young people a way to express themselves, to learn, and to make sense of the world.
And perhaps most importantly, that learning to code is about power. Providing young people with a solid grounding in computational literacy, developed through coding, helps ensure that they have agency. Without it, they risk being manipulated by systems they don’t understand. As Rushkoff said: “Program, or be programmed”.
The kids who learn to code will shape the future
Finally, we argue that the power to create with technology is already concentrated in too small and homogenous a group of people. We need to open up the opportunity to learn to code to all young people because it will help us mobilise the full potential of human talent, will lead to more inclusive and effective digital solutions to the big global challenges we face, and will help ensure that everyone can share in the societal and economic benefits of technological progress.
The work we need to do
We end the paper with a call to action for all of us working in education. We need to challenge the false narrative that AI is removing the need for kids to learn to code, and redouble our efforts to ensure that all young people are equipped to take advantage of the opportunities in a world where AI is ubiquitous.
You can read the full paper here:
The cartoon image for this blog was created using ChatGPT-4o, which was prompted to produce a “whimsical cartoon that expresses some of the key ideas in the position paper”. It took several iterations.
Bradford was buzzing with excitement this May as over 170 young digital makers from across the UK gathered for Coolest Projects UK 2025 at the Life Centre to celebrate the amazing things young people create with technology. Run by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and hosted by BBC science presenter Greg Foot, the free, in-person event brought together budding creators, families, mentors, and even a few troops of Scouts for a fun-filled day.
From AI tools and advanced programming to Scratch games and hardware builds, the showcase featured an incredible range of projects from 113 Coolest Projects participants and 58 scouts. Every young person received thoughtful feedback from industry professionals, the chance to try hands-on coding challenges, and the thrill of sharing what they built with a welcoming crowd and other creators.
A day of discovery and digital making
Coolest Projects UK 2025 wasn’t just about showcasing finished products; it celebrated every part of the creative journey. Many creators shared works-in-progress or prototypes, sparking conversations around design, problem-solving, and learning through code.
One of the day’s highlights was an interactive escape room designed just for the event, giving attendees a chance to flex their logical thinking and collaboration skills. And for 58 visiting Scouts, the day was a chance to earn their Digital Maker Badge and share their creations with the showcase participants.
Greg Foot is known for BBC Radio 4’s Sliced Bread and other popular science shows. He brought energy and enthusiasm as host, sharing stories and celebrating young people’s creativity on stage.
A platform for everyone
Many of this year’s participants came from local Code Clubs, CoderDojos, and schools across the UK. Others had worked independently to bring their ideas to life. The event encouraged collaboration and connection, with creators exchanging feedback, learning from each other, and celebrating shared interests.
Earlier this year, young people from Bradford also had the chance to take part in hands-on workshops. Held at the National Science and Media Museum, they were guided on getting started with digital making and developing their own project ideas for the showcase.
Featured projects
Here are a few of the projects that were showcased on the day. Each one demonstrates the power of digital tools and the fun and creativity that young people bring to their Coolest Projects journeys. Here’s what the creators had to say about their work, what inspired them, and their experiences of the day:
Arlo | MUST. EAT. DONUTS., AI
Arlo’s interactive game featured AI models that used face and mouth tracking to make the main character, called Chompy, mirror the movements of the player. Arlo’s game was inspired by a session at his Code Club. He came across a video sensing motion plug-in and realised he could make a game that used the player’s head as the controller.
“It is a fun and silly game for all to play. I also created the artwork myself in my own style, as drawing is another one of my passions, alongside coding. I would love to come back next year, maybe in a different category. I wanted to enter because I got the chance to share my coding and drawing skills, and I was excited to think others may play a game I created.”
Felicia and Francesca | The Silent Forest, Scratch
Felicia and Francesca created a top-down, Zelda-style RPG in Scratch, where the player explores a pixel world and interacts with characters and objects. Instead of using the keyboard, the game is controlled with a Micro:bit. Felicia shared with us why they wanted to showcase the game at Coolest Projects.
“I went to Coolest Projects UK because I love making things with Scratch and wanted to show my game to other people. It was a fun way to share what I built, see what other kids made, and learn new ideas. I wanted to challenge myself and be part of something really cool!”
Eesa, Yahya and Yusha | Let’s Speak Arabic!, Scratch
Let’s Speak Arabic is an interactive program designed to help people learn conversational Arabic. Eesa, Yahya, and Yusha are home educated and study a book called Al Arabiyyah Bayna Yadayk together. This inspired them to think about fun ways to upgrade their study, and the idea for gamifying their learning through Scratch was born. The team shared a little about their experience:
“The event was awesome. Actually, it was even better than we imagined! We loved meeting people from all over the country, really enjoyed playing other people’s games, and got lots of ideas for what we could code in the future. And, our parents were so proud we got judge’s favourite!”
Jay | J Bot, Hardware
Jay is a long-time friend of the Foundation and has been taking part in Coolest Projects online and in person for the past few years. He wowed again this year with his life-sized J Bot and shared with us why he thinks Coolest Projects is such an important event for the young creator community.
“I know it might seem a bit intimidating to come and showcase in front of all these people, but I feel more and more people should try and get involved [in Coolest Projects] because it’s a really good community of people. And they are really supportive as well. So I would just say, give it a go. Don’t be nervous because people are here to help you along the way.”
What’s next?
Coolest Projects UK continues to grow as a platform for the next generation of changemakers. We can’t wait to see what they create next!
Although the online showcase and Foundation-led events are now closed for this year, there are still many more partner events happening globally throughout 2025.
Coolest Projects is just one part of the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s work to help young people explore computing. Across the UK and Ireland, over 2000 free Code Clubs offer sessions where young people build digital skills, grow in confidence, and work on creative projects with others. Across the world, there are nearly 6000 more clubs running.To find your local Code Club or get involved as a volunteer, head to codeclub.org.
From smart devices to workplace tools, AI is becoming part of everyday life and a major part of how people are thinking about the future — raising big questions about access, skills, and readiness.
As governments around the world create AI strategies for the decade ahead, many are seeing an urgent need to address the large gap between how AI tools are already impacting jobs and people’s lives, and making sure young people have the chance to gain the skills and knowledge to keep up with this rapid pace of technological change. This gap is larger still when it comes to opportunities for educationally underserved communities.
That’s why we’re excited to share how Experience AI, our AI literacy programme, is helping organisations around the world create these much-needed opportunities for young people.
The value of a global network
Experience AI was co-developed in 2022 by us and industry experts at Google DeepMind with a clear mission: to equip teachers with free, accessible, easy-to-use classroom resources that build AI literacy from the ground up. The programme offers a suite of materials to help students understand real-world applications of AI, the basics of machine learning, and the ethical considerations around these technologies.
In 2023, we started building an international Experience AI network by collaborating with a group of our existing educational partners. We saw a huge amount of interest and received very positive feedback, and through our partnerships we reached an estimated one million young people. In late 2024, with support from Google.org, we tripled the size of our Experience AI partner network to 21, with new organisations joining from across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In this way, we aim to reach an additional 2.3 million young people by December 2026, helping them to gain the knowledge and skills to confidently engage with AI in an ever-changing world.
Each partner in the Experience AI network is a unique educational organisation looking to create lasting social change. Through their local knowledge and networks, we can present Experience AI to educators and students in a way that is engaging and relevant for local communities.
Partners help us to adapt and translate our resources, all while making sure that the core pedagogy and design principles of Experience AI are preserved. Just as importantly, these organisations train thousands of teachers on how to use the materials, providing educators with free support. With their work, they reach communities that otherwise may have never had the opportunity to learn about AI.
We asked some of our partners to share their insights on the impact Experience AI is having on the teachers and young people in their communities.
Building communities
The Latvian Safer Internet Centre (LSIC), an initiative of our partner, the Latvian Internet Association (LIA), is dedicated to helping young people protect themselves online, and to preparing them for a fast-changing digital economy. As an Experience AI partner, they aim to train 850 teachers and support 43,000 students to build a strong foundation in AI literacy through the programme.
“We hope to spark a cultural shift in how AI is […] taught in Latvian schools. Our goal is for AI literacy to become a natural part of digital competence education, not an optional extra.”
Based in Riga, the team is travelling to 18 different regions across Latvia to bring in-person professional development to teachers, including those in rural communities far from major cities. By meeting teachers where they are, the LIA are creating invaluable networks for learning and support between communities. Through hands-on training, they are also supporting teachers to bring Experience AI into their own classroom, creating examples which are suited for their learners.
“We chose an in-person training model because it fosters a more collaborative and engaging environment, especially for teachers who are new to AI. Many educators, particularly those who are less confident with digital tools, benefit from direct interaction, real-time discussions, and the chance to ask questions in a supportive setting.”
As an Experience AI partner, the Latvian Internet Association is not just delivering content but working to strengthen digital competency across the country and ensure that no teacher or student is left behind in Latvia’s AI journey.
One teacher shares: “The classroom training was truly valuable: it gave us the chance to exchange ideas and reflect on our diverse experiences. Hearing different perspectives was enriching, and I’m glad we’re shaping the future of our schools together.”
“AI is for everyone”
EdCamp Ukraine’s mission is to unite educators and help them to grow. Operating from their main base in Kharkiv, near the Eastern border and the frontline of the ongoing war in Ukraine, they see AI as both a tool for new technological breakthroughs and as something that can help build a fairer, more efficient, and resilient society.
“We firmly believe AI should not only be an object of study — it must become a tool for amplifying human potential. AI should also not be a privilege, but a resource for everyone. We believe the Experience AI programme can truly transform education from the bottom up.”
Within their community of 50,000 teachers, EdCamp Ukraine ensures that every educator, regardless of their living conditions or where they work, can access high-quality, relevant, and accessible support. For the organisation, the ongoing situation in Ukraine means being flexible with planning, preparing for a range of different outcomes, and being ready to pivot delivery to different locations or to an online setting when needed. These same considerations apply to EdCamp Ukraine’s teacher community, who need to be ready to adapt their lessons for any scenario.
“Recognising these war-related challenges helps us see the bigger picture and always have contingency plans in place. We think ahead and develop flexible scenarios.”
This year, the team piloted Experience AI through their community of trainers, who, when they’re not training, are busy teaching in the classroom. Teacher Yuliia shared how her students valued the opportunity to be creators, rather than just users of technology:
“One student, who is an active AI user, kept silent during the lesson. I thought he wasn’t interested, but during the reflection he shared a lot of positive feedback and expressed his gratitude. Other students said it was important that they weren’t just told about AI — they were using it, creating images, and working with apps.”
EdCamp Ukraine plans to roll out training for Ukrainian teachers this autumn, reaching 2,000 teachers and 40,000 young people by the end of next year.
More countries, more classrooms
Two new partners in Nigeria are about to join the Experience AI network, and there are many more organisations in more countries coming soon. As our partner network continues to grow, we are excited to reach more communities and give more young people around the world the chance to build AI literacy skills and knowledge.
You can find out more about Experience AI on the website. If your organisation is interested in partnering with us to deliver Experience AI, please register your interest and we will let you know about opportunities to work with us.
Amidst heated discussion of smartphones and their impacts on young people’s lives, it’s become a frequent recommendation to ban phones in schools. Below I summarise the research evidence on smartphone bans (it’s mixed) and share tips for computing educators on how to constructively address the topic with their learners and empower them to think critically about technology design.
A turning tide
2024 was the year the tide turned against smartphones. Across the world, parents, teachers, and governments highlighted the risks of excessive phone use among young people. In the UK, the ‘Smartphone Free Childhood’ movement emerged, quickly growing to 100,000 members who advocate for keeping smartphones away from children due to concerns about addiction, harmful content, and mental health. Jonathan Haidt’s global bestseller The Anxious Generation has further fuelled the movement, linking smartphone use to adolescent mental health issues and recommending phonefree schools. Meanwhile, countries including England, France, and Finland have urged schools to adopt strict phone bans, hoping to reduce classroom distractions and enhance student safety.
Despite widespread support, academic research on phone bans remains limited and inconclusive. Given this situation, computing educators are uniquely positioned to offer an alternative approach.
Evaluating evidence on phone bans
The rapid spread of school smartphone bans is a straightforward response to complex issues around personal technology use in education. Teachers and parents frequently view phones as inherently disruptive, a perspective supported by studies that show phones can impair students’ focus and engagement in lessons. Concerns about cyberbullying and addiction contribute to this view, with many educators seeing bans as a practical solution to mitigate risks. Surveys in England reveal that nearly half of all secondary schools now enforce all-day bans. This trend was supported by teachers participating in my master’s degree research, who see these policies as necessary to reduce distractions and maintain control in the classroom.
“Calls for outright bans may oversimplify the conversation.”
Yet calls for outright bans may oversimplify the conversation, limiting opportunities to examine both the benefits and the risks of smartphone use in schools. Evidence on the impact of phone restrictions is mixed: while some studies suggest restrictions may benefit learning, especially for students who struggle the most, others indicate no significant impact on academic outcomes. Additionally, recent findings show that cyberbullying is not directly linked to time spent online, with traditional bullying still more prevalent in schools. Even the narrative around smartphone addiction is contested, with some researchers suggesting that concerns about addiction may be overstated. And some schools do not have access to digital devices for learners and then smartphones may play a crucial role in teaching and learning digital literacy skills.
As the debate over smartphone bans continues, educators have an opportunity to move beyond restrictions and engage students in understanding the technology that shapes their lives. This is where computing educators can really make a difference. How can they guide students to understand why technology is designed to capture attention and what lies behind these design choices?
Understanding and questioning the design of technology
School smartphone bans can feel like a hopeless act that suggests phones and social media are inherently incompatible with learning and student well-being. This approach assumes the only solution is to remove them, rather than considering how these technologies might be better managed or reimagined to support young people. What if, instead of banning phones, educators worked with students to explore why they are so captivating and how they could be designed differently? Computing educators can lead this exploration. With digital literacy as part of their curriculum, computing teachers can help students question the motives behind their devices, fostering a critical understanding of the forces shaping their digital world.
“With digital literacy as part of their curriculum, computing teachers can help students question the motives behind their devices, fostering a critical understanding of the forces shaping their digital world.”
At the heart of how social media platforms are designed is their business models. Tech companies rely on features such as notifications, autoplay, and infinite scrolling to maximise user engagement and revenue. This is part of what the writer Shoshana Zuboff calls “surveillance capitalism”, where companies gather vast amounts of behavioural data by keeping users engaged on their platforms for as long as possible.
In the classroom, educators can open discussions with students on the motives behind technology design, exploring questions such as why platforms want users to stay engaged, and what data they are collecting. Activities might include analysing popular apps to identify which features encourage prolonged use, or debating how social media could be designed to prioritise user wellbeing. By critically examining these design choices, students can better understand the forces driving their digital interactions and consider ways in which technology could be reimagined to serve them, rather than just profiting from them.
Collaborative policymaking
Once young people understand why phones and social media are designed the way they are, educators can work with students to create phone policies that reflect shared values and goals. This collaborative approach encourages students to take ownership of their technology use, and computing teachers, drawing on their knowledge of technology design and digital literacy, are ideally positioned to facilitate these discussions.
Research suggests that policies developed with student input are more effective, as they foster responsibility and engagement. By involving students in policymaking, educators can encourage them to consider how phones could support rather than hinder learning. For example, students might agree that phones should stay off during certain times, or in certain spaces, but that they might be useful in other scenarios where access benefits learning. This kind of flexibility ensures that phones are used thoughtfully, allowing for both practical boundaries and opportunities for educational use.
Critical skills for navigating the digital world
As debate around smartphone use in schools continues, academic research remains inconclusive on the effectiveness of phone bans. This uncertainty presents computing educators with an opportunity to move beyond restrictive policies and foster deeper understanding. By guiding students to explore why phones and social media are designed to capture attention, we can help to equip them with the critical skills needed to navigate their digital world thoughtfully. Involving students in crafting flexible, meaningful phone policies reinforces this understanding, giving them a sense of agency in shaping technology’s role in their lives.
Computing educators are uniquely positioned to empower students, not just as users, but as active challengers of technology design norms. Embracing a collaborative approach allows computing educators to inspire students to envision a future where technology genuinely serves their growth and their learning, rather than commercial interests.
More on digital literacy for young people
A version of this article appears in the newest issue of Hello World magazine, which is all about teaching digital literacy. Explore issue 26 and download your free PDF copy today.
Lack of access to devices presents teachers with challenges in any setting. In schools, money is often limited and digital technology may not be the priority when buildings need maintenance or libraries need replenishing. This issue is particularly important when the very subject you teach relies on and relates to devices that you may have limited or no access to.
It must be frustrating for teachers in this situation to see marketing campaigns from companies showing how their curriculum offering will use the very latest in robotics, AI, or media production, when the teachers’ reality is that they don’t have anything like the means or resources to deliver this.
Fortunately there are approaches that can help. Below I outline some of the ways we are working with teachers to make the teaching of computing and digital literacy less resource-heavy and more accessible and equitable.
Schools in Kenya: A case study
Our work with Kenyan teachers has brought the access issue into sharp focus for us. We are currently developing free resources to deliver the Kenyan curriculum to schools in Mombasa and the Frontier Counties. There are big contrasts both between and within these two areas of the country. Some schools are well equipped with digital technology, while others have very little access to any computing devices; in these schools, smartphones play a crucial role.
With that in mind, the curriculum resources we develop suggest class activities that make the most of limited devices, such as the use of projected demonstrations. We also provide a step-by-step guide to computing tasks, with screenshots, to guide learners through the tasks conceptually. This ensures learners understand the process and can apply their new knowledge once they gain access to the necessary devices.
We make these resources available online and in downloadable documents. This means the resources can be taken offline and taught in places without stable internet connection. We are also careful to limit file sizes, to make downloads more accessible. Wherever possible, our resources are device-agnostic, so that they can be accessed on a wide range of devices, including personal devices such as mobile phones.
As well as tailoring curriculum resources, we have also adapted our teacher training to make it more accessible for people with less experience of using computing devices. For example, during a recent project coaching community trainers in Mombasa, we emphasised activities that improve digital skills on various devices. This meant that when passing the training on to other teachers, the community trainers had a broader set of skills across a wider range of devices.
You’ll be able to read more about the impact of our work with Kenyan schools in an upcoming blog post.
Unplugged activities
Even computing-specific concepts such as a programming construct can, to a degree, be taught with very limited access to devices. Unplugged activities, where no digital technology is required, can be used to introduce fundamental concepts such as sequencing and repetition.
For example, you can ask learners to recognise patterns in repeating sequences of colours and identify how to describe the sequences without repeating the colours many times. While it is good practice to link the learning from an unplugged activity back to a plugged activity, students will still benefit when that is not possible.
Emulators
There are also a significant number of devices which offer online emulator apps that mirror the functions of the physical device. Consider Bee-Bot floor robots, which can be relatively expensive to purchase and may get damaged in a classroom. If you don’t have the physical device, its emulator app provides a similar experience.
Similarly, the micro:bit, a versatile microcontroller for young people, can be emulated in the MakeCode programming environment, including all its buttons and sensors. There are also numerous emulators which enable you to make and test your own circuits using a variety of hardware platforms.
What do you actually need?
Sometimes it can be helpful to look up what devices you actually need — they might not be as expensive as you think. General-purpose, single-board computers such as Raspberry Pi can be bought new for less than £25, and more powerful models still under £50.
Similarly, microcontrollers such as Raspberry Pi Pico, micro:bit, or Crumble, range from about £5 to £20 per device. Accessories such as LEDs, jumper leads, motors, and buzzers are also reasonably priced. They can be a relatively low-cost entry into physical computing and robotics, especially if you pair them with craft materials or share devices between students.
Make the most of it
However limited your access to devices is, I encourage you to:
Look out for partners or solution providers that prioritise inclusivity and accessibility in their resources
Consider whether you can make activities accessible on a wider range of devices and use what students may already have (check out the OctoStudio app for smartphones for example)
Use unplugged activities, and relate them back to plugged devices when possible
Look up devices which might be more affordable than you realised
If you have your own tips to share with fellow teachers, please comment below.
Experience CS is our new free curriculum that helps elementary and middle school educators (working with students aged 8 to 14) teach computer science with confidence through creative, cross-curricular lessons and projects. Designed for teachers, by teachers, Experience CS is built to be easy to use in classrooms, with everything you need integrated into one safe, school-friendly platform.
In this blog post, we will share more about the safety features of Experience CS, and the steps we’ve taken to make the platform a great fit for your school.
A safe, teacher-managed environment
Experience CS supports young people to develop their understanding of computer science through engaging, interactive projects using the programming language Scratch. Scratch is a popular block-based language that helps young people get started with coding, and Experience CS includes a version of Scratch that we have built especially for schools. With our version, which is fully integrated into the Experience CS platform, students can explore coding in a teacher-managed, closed environment that aligns with schools’ safeguarding policies and gives you full control over what your students see and do.
Scratch coding within Experience CS. If you’ve used our Code Editor, you’ll recognise this interface.
Student safety and privacy are at the forefront in Experience CS, which means:
A private, closed environment. Projects are kept within the classroom and cannot be published to a public gallery.
Teacher-controlled access. Students don’t need to create or manage their own accounts. Teachers manage their students’ access, with no student email addresses required.
No social features. Students don’t create public profiles or follow other users, and there are no chat or comment features for young people.
Curated content. Students can only access the projects and materials you share with them, not content from other users.
Tailor-made for schools
We have designed every part of the Experience CS platform with school environments in mind, making it easier for teachers to manage and for students to use.
Here’s how:
Fully integrated platform. Everything students need is built into the Experience CS platform, including Scratch, lesson resources, student materials, and project templates. There is no need to visit other websites.
Simple access. Teachers generate class codes so learners can jump straight into activities, with no student email address required.
Automatic progress saving. Students’ projects are saved in the platform and linked to their class. Teachers can see students’ progress at a glance.
Teacher control. Teachers have full visibility of students’ activity, and what students see and do stays within the classroom environment.
Experience CS gives you the tools and peace of mind to deliver creative, engaging computer science lessons and activities in a way that works for your school. You will be able to effortlessly manage students’ work, with everything you and your students need provided within a simple, intuitive interface.
Be the first to try Experience CS
Experience CS is launching soon, and we can’t wait to see what you and your students create with it.
If you would like early access, want to stay up to date, or are interested in trying Experience CS out in your classroom, sign up for updates and we’ll keep you in the loop.
We’re also planning ahead: in the coming months, we’ll make our version of Scratch available to all schools and clubs via our Code Editor. That means whether or not you use the Experience CS curriculum, you’ll be able to run safe, creative coding sessions using Scratch in a school-friendly environment.
April 22 is Earth Day – a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to preserve the planet for future generations. While the call for climate action grows louder, Arduino is committed to making sustainability an ongoing priority through concrete projects and global collaborations every day of the year.
One of the most exciting steps in that direction is our work on bio-based printed circuit boards (PCBs) – announced by co-founder David Cuartielles during this year’s Arduino Days. It’s an effort to fundamentally rethink how electronics are made, used, and eventually disposed of.
Our bio-based PCB initiative is part of Desire4EU, a European project funded by the European Innovation Council (GA N°101161251). Running from 2024 to 2028, it brings together researchers and engineers from Sweden, Italy, Hungary, Belgium, and France. The goal: to design and test bio-based multilayer PCBs that reduce environmental impact, without compromising on functionality or performance.
Partners include the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, CROMA at the Université Grenoble Alpes, the Catholic University of Leuven, and others. Arduino is proud to contribute both open hardware designs and real-world testing thanks to the Arduino community – hey, that’s you!
The first working prototypes have already been manufactured using a new flame-retardant composite made from PLA-flax, instead of traditional fiberglass and epoxy. And yes, it actually works: the team has already successfully replicated Arduino Nano and UNO boards using this new bio-based substrate.
A holistic approach for sustainability
As Pascal Xavier (researcher at CROMA and professor at the Technology University Institute in Grenoble) pointed out during Arduino Days, making boards bio-compatible first and biodegradable second is a step forward in managing growing volumes of e-waste that collect on our planet. But benefits don’t stop there, because to make the most of the new materials, researchers had to lower soldering temperatures – leading to lower energy consumption during manufacturing. This helps reduce not just end-of-life waste, but the total environmental footprint of electronics production.
According to a paper the team published on Nanotechnology in the early phases of the project, assembly with the new material is still compatible with standard surface mounted technology (SMT), meaning no expensive new infrastructure is needed. Also, the new boards use optimized layouts to improve yield and reliability – even with double-sided designs and through-hole vias.
Looking beyond the board: full lifecycle impact matters
All of these aspects (and more) are being considered to validate the environmental benefits of the project in a holistic perspective. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is being conducted by the team at the Catholic University of Leuven, leveraging all the necessary data to quantify how much waste and CO? can be saved, the energy savings during production, and the potential for bio-leaching. The latter provides a way to recover high-purity copper from used PCBs using bacterial processes, instead of energy-intensive chemical treatments.
At the moment, we estimate that 90% of the traditional FR4 substrate (the composite material made with woven fiberglass cloth and an epoxy resin binder traditionally used) can be replaced with sustainable materials – without altering the behavior of the board during use at extreme environmental conditions?.
Designing with the planet in mind (and barely changing a thing)
What changes when design meets bio-compatibility? Surprisingly little according to Attila Géczy (head researcher in bio-based electronics at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics), who took part in the Arduino Days announcement to provide interesting technical details. Most existing Arduino board designs can be adapted with minimal changes. A few layout tweaks – like teardrop pads and improved via structures – help ensure reliable manufacturing, but the overall workflow stays familiar to any embedded designer. That’s crucial if we want these technologies to be adopted widely, not just experimentally.
Be part of the solution!
As part of the Desire4EU project, we’ll be giving away 1,000 beta boards starting in April 2026 – built on this new sustainable substrate and featuring an open-source design with LoRa® wireless connectivity.
We’re looking for testers, educators, and innovators to help us evaluate performance in real-world applications. If you’re interested in joining the program, stay tuned: we’ll share more in the coming months.
The joysticks found on ordinary controllers are quite simple, and as a result, they fail to provide much in the way of haptic feedback for the user. This is especially tough in racing or flight simulator games where making sharp turns should require a greater amount of force.
YouTuber zeroshot’s project aimed to overcome this by combining a pair of stepper motors and positional sensors into a single two-axis joystick for use in Microsoft Flight Simulator. Based on how a gimbal can rotate in several directions while moving along static axes, the custom 3D-printed housing features a central pivot point and two sub-frames that each connect to ball bearings in the base for smooth movements.
The motors are responsible for applying a varied amount of force that is constantly trying to realign the joystick to the center. An Arduino Micro was selected since it could act as a native USB human interface device (HID) to relay the positions being sensed by the magnetic encoders to the host machine. This data was also used to instruct the motors on how far to move in each axis.
Once fully assembled, zeroshot’s next-level flight joystick was able to provide plenty of resistance when flying in a virtual cockpit and could even fly the plane itself once a few inputs had been preprogrammed into the Micro.
How can we ever really know anything? If you listen to the anti-science types, you might believe that we can’t. But if you get past Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, you can start identifying basic truths, through logic and experiments, on which to build upon. One important foundational building block is absolute zero. Most of us take scientists at their word about where that is relative to temperatures we can comprehend, but Marb built this machine to find it for himself through experimentation.
In the real world, nobody can physically bring anything down to absolute zero. It is a bit like Zeno’s Dichotomy Paradox — you can’t reach zero, because there isn’t anything cooler than the thing you’re cooling, so you just keep getting closer. But it is possible to get really close and that’s why Marb did here.
The experiment works by expanding gas as much as is feasible, reducing the average energy in any given volume and resulting in cooling…on average. If you’ve ever used canned air to clean a dirty keyboard, you’ve experienced that effect yourself.
But Marb didn’t have a way to expand gas enough to get anywhere close to absolute zero. Instead, he needed a way to develop a mathematical function to estimate the value.
To achieve that, he used a glass syringe (meant for gasses), a hot air gun, a thermocouple with amplifier, and a time-of-flight sensor from Adafruit. An Arduino Nano board took measurements from those. It measured the temperature and the plunger position in pairs while Marb heated the syringe. Using those values, Marb was able to calculate the gas volume for each given temperature.
From there, estimating absolute zero was a matter of finding a function that fits the measured values and extrapolating it out to zero.
An increasing number of frameworks describe the possible contents of a K–12 artificial intelligence (AI) curriculum and suggest possible learning activities (for example, see the UNESCO competency framework for students, 2024). In our March seminar, Lukas Höper and Carsten Schulte from the Department of Computing Education at Paderborn University in Germany shared with us a unit of work they’ve developed that could inform such a curriculum. At its core, the unit enhances young people’s awareness of how their personal data is used in the data-driven technologies that form part of their everyday lives.
Lukas HöperCarsten Schulte
Lukas Höper and Carsten Schulte are part of a larger team who are investigating how to teach school students about data science and Big Data.
Carsten explained that Germany’s informatics (computing) curriculum includes a competency area known as Informatics, People and Society (IPS), which explores the interrelationships between technology, individuals, and society, and how computation influences and is influenced by social, ethical, and cultural factors. However, research has suggested that teachers face several problems in delivering this topic, including:
Lack of subject knowledge
Lack of teaching material
Lack of integration with other topics in informatics lessons
A perception that IPS is the responsibility of other subjects
Some of the findings of that 2007 research were mirrored in a more recent local study in 2025, which found that although there have been some gains in subject knowledge in the interval period, the problems of a lack of teaching material and integration with other computer science (CS) topics persist, with IPS increasingly perceived as the responsibility of the informatics subject area alone. Despite this, within the informatics curriculum, IPS is often the first topic to be dropped when educators face time constraints — and concerns with what and how to assess the topic remain.
In this context, and as part of a larger, longitudinal project to promote data science teaching in schools called ProDaBi, Carsten and Lukas have been developing, implementing, and evaluating concepts and materials on the topics of data science and AI. Lukas explained the importance of students developing data awareness in the context of the digital systems they use in their everyday lives, such as search engines, streaming services, social media apps, digital assistants, and chatbots, and emphasised the difference between being a user of these systems and a data-aware user. Using the example of image recognition and ‘I am not a robot’ Captcha services, Lukas explained how young people need to develop a data-aware perspective of the secondary purposes of the data collected by these (and other) systems, as well as the more obvious, primary purposes.
Lukas went on to illustrate the human interaction system model, which presents a continuum of possible different roles, from the student as the user of digital artefacts to the student as the designer of digital artefacts.
Figure 1. Different roles in interactions with data-driven technologies
To become data-aware users of digital artefacts, students need to be able to understand and reflect on those digital artefacts. Only then can they proceed to become responsible designers of digital artefacts. However, when surveyed, some students were only moderately interested in engaging with the inner workings of the digital technologies they use in their everyday lives. Many students prefer to use the systems and are less interested in how they process data.
The explanatory model approach in computing education
Lukas explained how students often become more interested in data-driven technologies when learning about them with explanatory models. Such models can foster data awareness, giving students a different perspective of data-driven technologies and helping them become more empowered users of them.
To illustrate, Lukas gave the example of an explanatory model about the role of data in digital systems. Such a model can be used to introduce the idea that data is explicitly and implicitly collected in the interaction between the user and the technology, and used for primary and secondary purposes.
Figure 2. The four parts of the explanatory model
Lukas then introduced two teaching units that were developed for use with middle school children to evaluate the success of the explanatory model approach in computing education. The first unit explores location data collected by mobile phone networks and the second features recommendation systems used by movie streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Taking the second unit as their focus, Lukas and Carsten outlined the four parts of the explanatory model approach:
Part 1
The teaching unit begins by introducing recommendation systems and asking students to think about what a streaming service is, how a personalised start page is constructed, and how personal recommendations might be generated. Students then complete an unplugged activity to simulate the process of making movie recommendations for a peer:
Task 1: Students write down movie recommendations for another student.
Task 2: They then ask each other questions (they collect data).
Task 3: They write down revised movie recommendations.
Task 4: They share and evaluate their recommendations.
Task 5: Together they reflect on which collected data was helpful in this exercise and what kind of data a recommendation system might collect. This reflection introduces the concepts of explicit and implicit data collection.
Part 2
In part 2, students are given a prepared Jupyter Notebook, which allows them to explore a simulation of a recommendation system. Students rate movies and receive personal recommendations. They reconstruct a data model about users, using the idea of collaborative filtering with the k-nearest neighbours algorithm (see Figure 3).
Figure 3. Data model of movie ratings
Part 3
In part 3, the concepts of primary and secondary purposes for data collection are introduced. Students discuss examples of secondary purposes such as personalised paywalls for movies that can be purchased, and subscriptions based on the predictions of future behaviour. The discussion includes various topics about individual and societal issues (e.g. filter bubbles, behaviour engineering, information asymmetry, and responsible development of data-driven technologies).
Part 4
Finally, students use the explanatory model as an ‘analytical lens’. They choose other examples from their everyday lives of technologies that implement recommendation systems and analyse these examples, assessing the data practices involved. Students present their results in class and discuss their role in these situations and possible actions they can take to become more empowered, data-aware users.
Uses of explanatory models
Using the explanatory model is one approach to make the Informatics, People and Society strand of the German informatics curriculum more engaging for students, and addresses some of the problems teachers identify with delivering this competency area.
In presenting the idea of the explanatory model, Carsten and Lukas emphasised that the model in use delivers content as well as functioning as a tool to design teaching content. In the example above, we see how the explanatory model introduces the concepts of:
Explicit and implicit data collection
Primary and secondary purposes of that data
Data models
The explanatory model framework can also be used as a focus for academic research in computing education. For example, further research is needed to evaluate if explanatory models are appropriate or ‘correct’ models and to determine the extent to which they are useful in computing education.
In summary, an explanatory model provides a specific perspective on and explanation of particular computing concepts and digital artefacts. In the example given here, the model focuses on the role of data in a recommender system. Explanatory models are representations of concepts, artefacts, and socio-technical systems, but can also serve as tools to support teaching and learning processes and research in computing education.
Figure 4. Overview of the perspectives of explanatory models. Click to enlarge.
The teaching units referred to above are published on www.prodabi.de (in German and English).
See the background paper to the seminar, called ‘Learning an explanatory model of data-driven technologies can lead to empowered behaviour: A mixed-methods study in K-12 Computing education’.
In our current seminar series, we’re exploring teaching about AI and data science. Join us at our next seminar on Tuesday 13 May at 17:00–18:30 BST to hear Henriikka Vartiainen and Matti Tedre (University of Eastern Finland) discuss how to empower students by teaching them how to develop AI and machine learning (ML) apps without code in the classroom.
To sign up and take part in our research seminars, click below:
We’re very excited to share that the Arduino AI Assistant is now available in the Arduino Cloud Editor! This expert coding companion truly understands your project and board, and can generate and fix your code in seconds.
We know that many of you already use other AI tools to assist with coding, but switching back and forth between different platforms is frustrating. That’s why we built an AI Assistant directly into the Cloud Editor, where it has the full context of your project and can make coding easier, faster, and more intuitive than ever before.
By taking care of repetitive setup tasks and generating reliable boilerplate code, the Arduino AI Assistant lets you spend more time exploring, experimenting, and building. It’s a powerful extension of your own creativity. After all, it’s not about replacing learning, it’s about assisting it, one smart suggestion at a time.
Arduino + Cloud: coding with AI
The Arduino AI Assistant, powered by Anthropic Claude, is designed to help you at every stage of development:
Generate code quickly – Just tell it what you want to build, and it will write the sketch for you.
Fix bugs instantly – if there is a mistake in the code, let the AI analyze and suggest corrections.
Provide explanations – Need help understanding a function? The Assistant can break it down for you.
To showcase its power, let’s dive into 2 quick demos and see how the Arduino AI Assistant can transform your coding experience!
Demo 1: Generating an Arduino sketch
With the AI Assistant, you can bypass manual coding and debugging to create simple animations on an LED matrix. For instance, you can instruct the Assistant to animate a column of four LEDs moving from left to right across the display.
Step-by-step:
1. Open the Arduino Cloud Editor and navigate to the AI Assistant panel. 2. Type: “I want to draw on the LED matrix a column of 4 LEDs that is moving from left to right over time.” 3. Instantly, the AI generates a functional Arduino sketch, complete with pin configurations and logic. 4. You can tweak the code as needed and upload it to your board right away!
The AI Assistant instantly generates the Arduino sketch, saving you time and effort. You can then upload the code and watch as your LED matrix displays the smooth animation exactly as you envisioned.
Imagine you’re working on a project where you want to read temperature and humidity data from a DHT11 sensor and display it on an LCD. You write the code, but when you try to compile it, you get an error. Frustrated, you turn to the AI Assistant for help.
The great news is that everyone can code faster with Arduino Cloud’s AI Assistant! All users receive 25 free daily compilations and 30 monthly AI Assistant chats.
If you’re an individual user looking to code more with AI, you can upgrade to a Maker Plan which offers unlimited compilations and expands AI interactions to 1,500 per month.
If you’re part of a business looking to take advantage of the AI Assistant and other premium features, the Team or Enterprise Plans will give you access to unlimited compilations.
Try the Arduino Cloud AI Assistant out for free
If you want to try out any plan, you can enjoy a 30-day free trial! It’s a great way to explore all the possibilities before committing. And you can cancel anytime!
Also, we’d love to hear what you think! Inside the Cloud Editor, you’ll see thumbs up and down buttons next to the AI output — just give it a quick tap. If you hit the thumb down button, you’ll get the chance to tell us what didn’t work so we can keep making it better for you.
1. Where can I find the AI Assistant in Arduino Cloud?
It’s super easy! Just head over to app.arduino.cc, open an existing sketch or create a new one. Then, look for the ? magic star icon at the bottom of the left-hand menu—that’s your gateway to the AI Assistant. Click it, type your prompt in the chatbox, and let the Assistant help you write or fix your code in seconds.
2. Is the AI Assistant free to use?
Yes! You can try the AI Assistant for free with up to 30 interactions per month. If you need more, the Maker Plan ($6.99/month) gives you up to 1500 interactions. And for unlimited access, you can upgrade to our Team or Enterprise plans. To see all the options, check out cloud.arduino.cc/plans.
Dr. David Cuartielles, co-founder of Arduino, recently participated in a workshop titled “TinyML for Sustainable Development” in Zomba, organized by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), a category 1 UNESCO institute, and the University of Malawi. Bringing together students, educators, and professionals from Malawi and neighboring countries, as well as international experts from Brazil, Slovenia, Italy, and Sweden, the event aimed to introduce participants to tiny machine learning (tinyML) and its applications in addressing global challenges, bringing cutting-edge technology to new frontiers.
The workshop was supported by various global organizations and companies, including RAiDO, ICTP, NAiXus, UNESCO’s IRC-AI, the EDGE AI FOUNDATION, ITU’s AI-4-Good, CRAFS, and the Ministry of Education of Malawi. As part of our commitment to supporting educational initiatives that promote technological empowerment and sustainable development worldwide, Arduino contributed by donating equipment for the hands-on sessions, enabling participants to gain practical experience with embedded systems and machine learning.
Cuartielles – who centered his session on an introduction to Nicla Vision – is a long-time supporter of the importance of providing access to advanced technologies in regions with limited resources. He believes that such communities can leapfrog traditional development stages by adopting innovative solutions tailored to their specific needs. During the workshop, participants engaged in projectsfocusing on agriculture, health, and environmental monitoring, demonstrating the potential of tinyML in improving local livelihoods.
“You cannot imagine the pride of seeing things work, when students and teachers from different countries or regions join to learn about our technology, and about how they can apply it in their own education programs or everyday implementation cases,” Cuartielles says.
Are you looking to strengthen digital literacy in your classroom? In the latest episode of the Hello World podcast, three experienced teachers from the USA and the UK share practical tips they’ve used in their classrooms to help their students build digital literacy. Whether you’re just getting started with digital literacy or looking for new ideas, the episode is full of real-world advice you can apply straight away.
Behind the scenes whilst recording the Teacher Tips: Digital literacy episode of the Hello World podcast.
The episode also marks the launch of a new mini-series on the Hello World podcast focusing on digital literacy. Throughout the series, which totals three episodes, we’ll continue conversations that feature in the latest issue of the Hello World magazine, sharing expert insights and real-world examples from educators who are integrating digital literacy into their classrooms.
So tune in this week, then stay tuned!
Who features in this episode, and what will I learn?
Get ready for some top tips from Katie Dahlman, a preschool teacher and Digital Learning Specialist in Bloomington Public Schools in Minnesota, USA. With over 16 years of experience as an early childhood educator, Katie has dedicated her time to developing engaging computer science (CS) lessons for young learners.
Katie believes that digital literacy starts with building foundational skills to prepare students for their roles as digital citizens. One of the tips Katie shares in the episode emphasises the importance of integrating computational thinking into the classroom:
“My second tip for enhancing digital literacy in your classroom is to integrate computational thinking skills and vocabulary into your existing curriculum.”
Read Katie’s article ‘Tech tinkering and teamwork’ on pages 52–53 of Hello World, issue 26.
Curt Hitchens from Rock Spring, GA, USA
We also hear from Curt Hitchens, a computer science teacher at Saddle Ridge Elementary and Middle School in Rock Spring, Georgia, USA. Since 2018, Curt has been teaching computer science and now serves as a Virtual CS Specialist for the Georgia Department of Education.
Curt explains in the podcast that digital literacy is about equipping students with the necessary skills to use technology effectively in everyday situations and the workplace. He also shares an important tip for teachers, encouraging them to give students regular chances to engage in hands-on learning:
“Make sure that you’re providing consistent opportunities for creation and exploration within your classes.”
Read Curt’s article ‘Computer science opportunities in rural schools’ on pages 46–47 of Issue 26.
Halima Bhayat, London, UK
The episode also features Halima Bhayat, the Head of Computing and Digital T Levels at Ursuline High School in London, UK. Halima is an Asian Women of Achievement 2021 Finalist, a digit<all> ambassador, an Amazon teacher, and the Computing at School Merton lead for all schools.
With a wealth of experience, she emphasises that digital literacy is more than about using technology — it’s about understanding how the digital world functions, how technology shapes our daily lives, and how it impacts individuals and communities.
One of Halima’s top tips for enhancing digital literacy in the classroom is to focus on touch typing. She believes that students should be equipped with fast and efficient typing skills, as so many tasks today are online.
“My first tip would be to get [your students] touch typing, get them to start becoming faster with their fingers on those keyboards, because lots of things have become online.”
Read Halima’s article ‘From switches to success’ on pages 76–77 of Issue 26.
We hope this episode inspires you and helps you to engage your students in computing. We’d love to hear your thoughts, your feedback, and any of your own tips on the topic of digital literacy in the comments section below.
We hope you enjoy the episode!
More to listen to next week
Next week, the podcast brings you an insightful conversation featuring Rachel Arthur, Chief Learning Officer at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, Dr Jessica Hamer from King’s College London, and Becky Patel from Tech She Can.
They’ll discuss the current state of girls’ engagement in computing and explore ways to empower young women in computing at school, at university, and onwards into their careers.
You can watch, or listen, to each episode of our podcast on YouTube, or listen via your preferred audio streaming service, whether that’s Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music.
Subscribe to Hello World today to ensure you never miss a podcast episode or issue of the magazine.
Arduino Cloud has grown tremendously over the past year, adding powerful features to make development smoother and IoT deployments more scalable. From real-time collaboration to interactive digital twins on a dashboard and AI-powered coding assistance, our platform has evolved to support everyone.
Now, if you tuned in to Arduino Days 2025 (watch the video), you may have heard that our Arduino Cloud plans are evolving! We’re simplifying and expanding our plans to make it even easier to find the right fit:
Makers and individuals get access to all premium features under a single Maker Plan.
Businesses and teams have a clearer path to growth with new professional and enterprise options.
Arduino Cloud plans: what’s changing?
A clear path for businesses – Companies can now start small and scale up with Prototyping and Team Plans, designed to support professional IoT applications with multi-user collaboration, fleet management, and advanced data retention.
A unified Maker Plan – Hobbyists and individual developers now have one simple Maker Plan, with everything they need for IoT projects.
Free Plan remains available – Everyone can explore Arduino Cloud for free with support for up to 2 devices and essential features.
If you’re working on personal IoT projects, the Maker Plan gives you unlimited compilations, OTA updates, dashboard sharing, and AI-powered assistance – all in one plan.
For startups and professional users
If you’re building an IoT product or scaling a business, the Prototyping Deal lets you experiment with the full power of Arduino Cloud for 6 months at a special rate. When the period ends, you’ll seamlessly transition to the Team Plan to continue growing.
For teams and enterprises
The Team Plan provides RBAC (Role-Based Access Control), up to 50 users, and 100 devices – perfect for professional projects requiring security, white labeling, and efficient device management.
I’m on an Entry or Maker Plus Plan – do I need to switch?
Nope! You can continue using your plan. But if you’d like more features, you can upgrade at a discounted rate.
I plan to use Arduino Cloud for my own business or professional application. Where do I start?
The Prototyping Deal gives you six months to experiment with all Team Plan features at a special rate. After that, you’ll automatically transition to a monthly Team Plan ($100/month) for seamless continuity.
What happens if I don’t want to continue after my six-month Prototyping Deal?
You can cancel anytime before the end of your period to avoid automatic renewal.
Can I still use Arduino Cloud for free?
Yes! The Free Plan lets you explore Arduino Cloud with limited usage, supporting up to two devices for getting started.
Chris emailed us a little while ago (sorry, Chris!) about his fun little Raspberry Pi Pico project which he describes as “a simple stand-alone Q&A game or ice-breaker for a party, using a Pico, a thermal printer, and a big red button” – although we’d say the button is medium-size compared to the 100 mm ones we’ve seen/used in the past.
According to the GitHub page for the project (which includes the build instructions too), it was made for a New Year’s event, and is easily modifiable. “I used a cigar box for the build, but it can fit into any suitable project box,” Chris says. Although we quite like the box ourselves.
Woodwinds and brass are so 19th century. We’re living in the future and now it is synthesizers all the way down. There are many to choose from and the Bleep Labs Nebulophone is a neat example that was sold from 2012 to 2016, with the design files now available on GitHub for DIYers. Marcus Dunn liked how the Nebulophone sounds, but wanted it to be more practical. That’s why he developed this “Solar” upgrade that dramatically enhances the playability of the Nebulophone.
The primary interface of the Nebulophone is a stylus keyboard integrated directly into the PCB. That was a design choice that saved a lot of money and has a lot of character, similar to the iconic Stylophone, but a stylus is a bit unwieldy during performances that include several pieces of equipment.
Dunn’s Solar upgrade adds a tactile keyboard and repackages the entire thing so that it can fit in a Eurorack along with other modules. There is also a sync-in for using Solar with other synths.
The audio circuitry is based on the original Nebulophone, but Dunn completely redesigned the PCB to accommodate the new features. In fact, Solar has two PCBs: one for the circuitry and one that mostly acts as a cover plate. It looks great with the Cherry MX key switches and key caps.
The brain of the operation is an Arduino Nano board and it runs the Nebulophone sketch, available on Dunn’s GitHub page. As Dunn demonstrates in his video, Solar sounds really cool and would be a great addition to your Eurorack.
We are thrilled to announce that the Raspberry Pi Foundation (RPF) has been accepted as a member of UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition (GEC).
Initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when 1.6 billion learners were shut out of the classroom, the GEC aimed to provide continuity of education in times of crisis. Since then, the Coalition has grown into a global multistakeholder network, and we are proud to help drive education transformation and accelerate the path to achieving UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4 – Quality Education).
UNESCO’s vision to transform education for the world’s most underserved aligns with our mission at the Raspberry Pi Foundation. Being part of the Coalition enables us to work together to achieve this shared aim.
In addition to being part of the GEC, we have been invited to join the Digital Transformation Collaborative (DTC), a tech-focused subgroup that empowers educators and education leaders to include emerging technologies in their teaching practices and decision-making through capacity building and training.
Coalition achievements
We’re joining a coalition that has already achieved a lot. Having attended the GEC annual conference last week in Paris, Ms Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, stated that to date the GTC has:
Helped over 858,898 youth develop skills that make them more employable
Trained 794,580 teachers
Offered learning resources to more than 1,000,000 learners studying foundational subjects, such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
Reached 2,459,192 of the most marginalised girls and women
Whilst these are amazing achievements to celebrate, there is still more work to do, with Ms Giannini also highlighting that there are currently 251 million children and youth out of school and that 44 million more teachers are needed for universal primary and secondary education by 2030.
Digital Transformation Collaborative
Our commitment to the Coalition
The Digital Transformation Collaborative (DTC), which the Foundation has committed to support, aims to play a crucial role in shaping the future of education through technology. The group has established a framework structured around six core pillars:
Coordination and leadership
Connectivity and infrastructure
Cost and sustainability
Capacity and culture
Content and solutions
Data and evidence
Through our work at the Foundation, we believe we have the expertise to provide meaningful support through the sharing of our expertise across these issues. Many of these are challenges we work to overcome through the delivery of our programmes.
Conclusion
Joining UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition marks a significant milestone for the Raspberry Pi Foundation. Our mission to empower the underserved aligns with the Coalition’s goals. We are excited to contribute our expertise and resources to this global effort, driving forward the agenda for inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
I’m looking forward to writing more on our projects and initiatives within the GEC as we move forward and work together to transform global education.
Most of us will never get a chance to drive a Ferrari F50 around the Nürburgring in real life, but we can all do so in a racing sim. To get the most out of that experience, many people build serious and elaborate racing sim rigs. What if one could use their racing sim rig to control something in the real world? That’s exactly what YouTuber bitsbits did by linking a racing sim rig to an actual, physical RC car.
Traditional RC cars relied on fairly rudimentary analog signals, but complete digital control is common today. The transmitter simply sends encoded digital data containing whatever information is necessary, such as the steering angle and throttle position. Typically, that is a standard protocol that the receiver can understand and translate into motor movement.
In this case, the transmitter sends data that comes from the racing sim rig instead of joysticks and buttons. The rig connects to a PC that runs a Python script that turns inputs (steering wheel angle, brake pedal position, and so on) into simple values sent to an Arduino board. The Arduino then tells the RC transmitter what to control commands to send to the RC car’s receiver.
An FPV (first-person view) camera on the car, with the video streamed to the rig, completes the experience. It is like miniaturizing oneself and sitting in the driver’s seat of the RC car!
We’re excited to introduce the new Image Map Widget in Arduino Cloud! This powerful feature allows you to overlay live data onto an image, creating interactive and highly visual dashboards. Whether you’re managing a factory floor, an office space, or a piece of industrial equipment, this widget brings your data to life in a whole new way.
In case you’re wondering how to use it, we’ve put together a few examples using some of our existing dashboards to help you understand how this feature can make your data easier to visualize.
1. Create an interactive office floor plan
Need a better way to monitor different areas of your office, home, or factory? With the Image Map Widget, you can upload a floor plan and place real-time data points directly on it.
Example of an office map with real-time data
At our Arduino offices in Turin, we rely on Arduino Cloud and GIGA Displays to keep our meeting rooms organized and accessible. A few months ago, we shared a blog post about how our engineers developed a custom room booking system that integrates with Google Calendar APIs.
We used a traditional Arduino Cloud dashboard listing all meeting rooms, showing details like seating capacity and availability (see screenshot below).
Before: A standard Arduino Cloud dashboard listing all meeting rooms
While functional, it lacked a spatial representation, making it harder to get an immediate overview of the office layout. Now, with the Image Map Widget, our meeting room dashboard has become a fully interactive floor map. Instead of scanning through a list, you can instantly see where each room is located and its real-time availability. Plus, thanks to embedded URLs, you can book a room directly from the dashboard!
After: A smarter meeting room dashboard: real-time availability at a glance
2. Generate a digital twin for machinery
Monitoring industrial equipment has never been easier. Instead of manually checking machine status on-site, the Image Map Widget lets you create a digital twin, an interactive visual representation of your machine with real-time data overlays.
Example 1: Air Compressor Monitoring
Before: A static dashboard showing pressure levels, run hours, and power usage in separate widgets.
After: A virtual air compressor with markers displaying key data directly on an image of the machine. Now, you can quickly assess its health and performance without being on-site.
Example 2: Industry main control panel
The new Image Map Widget also supports skeuomorphic data visualization, which means you can use real images or schematics of your physical environment — like the layout of your production lines, machinery, or control panels — and overlay them with live sensor data from Arduino-connected devices.
The photo of an industrial control panel with live data markers placed on top providing operators with an intuitive view of what’s happening on the floor.
3. Access status of production lines in an industry plan
Imagine managing a plant with multiple production lines. With the Image Map Widget, you can upload a schematic of the factory layout or simply a clean visual split into 5 vertical columns, each representing a production line (Line 1 to Line 5). For each line, you can display:
Current phase (Development, testing, optimization, or completion)
Boolean states (e.g. “Ready,” “Maintenance needed,” “Paused”)
Throughput metrics
Live status of five industrial production lines
Why you’ll love the new Image Map Widget
Instant insights – No more scanning lists of data; see everything at a glance.
Customizable – Add images, pin multiple values, and embed links for deeper insights.
Exclusive to paid plans – Unlock this premium feature with the Maker plan and any plan for businesses to take your dashboards to the next level.
A conventional model rocket engine is simple combustible solid fuel (black powder or more advanced composites) molded into a cylinder that uses expanding gas to produce thrust. Though it is minimal, there is some danger there. An alternative is compressed gas, which will also expand to produce thrust — just without the explosive chemical reaction. If that intrigues you, then take a look at this compressed air launchpad for paper rockets by Aiden Wyandt.
Compressed air can be dangerous, too. But 80 PSI (the highest tested pressure for this project) doesn’t pose a huge risk with proper hardware. The downside is that all of the gas expansion is immediate and comes from the launcher. In that way, it is more like a cannon than a true rocket. This is perfect for cheap, handcrafted paper missiles and the launcher makes that both fun and safe.
Inside the laser-cut plywood enclosure is an Arduino UNO R4 WiFi board. It receives power from a 20V DeWalt tool battery boosted to 24V. That also powers solenoid valves through relays and the Arduino controls those, along with the LED lighting. The Arduino hosts a web interface for arming and launching, so the kids can move to a safe distance. Once the countdown completes, the solenoid will open and compressed air will expand into the launch tube to send the rocket flying.
That air comes from an external air compressor through a standard fitting. It goes into a pair of small tanks and the solenoids sit between those tanks and the launch tubes. Because there are two, this launcher can handle two rockets before needing to be reset.
We often believe we understand the meaning of ‘digital literacy’, but it can be a misleading term. Do we mean digital skills? Online safety? Where does AI fit in? As computer science education evolves to meet the needs of our increasingly digital world, we believe that true digital literacy empowers young people to engage with technology thoughtfully, critically, and confidently.
In this issue of Hello World, out today for free, we discuss what digital literacy means, how it is taught in different countries around the world, and how educators are rethinking digital literacy for their students and themselves.
Digital literacy
As the use of digital technology grows, a broader view of digital literacy is necessary. Digital literacy is more than knowing how to use software. It’s the ability to use digital technologies effectively, safely, and responsibly.
In Issue 26 of Hello World, we explore this topic in detail and hear insights from educators across the world, including:
Becci Peters shares how Computing at School (CAS) in the UK is supporting digital literacy skills for students and educators
Sourav Pattanayak discusses how digital literacy is defined in India, and the formal and informal ways educators are teaching digital literacy
Sandra Hartman explores strategies for enhancing digital literacy in the US
Gavin Davenport asks what would happen if we considered digital literacy in the same way as we consider traditional literacy
This issue also includes inspiring articles from the world of computer science education:
Leah Dungay tells us about a programme combining physics, video games, and the Large Hadron Collider to engage young people in particle physics
Gina Fugate shares how digital accessibility enhances digital experiences for all
Halima Bhayat shares her inspiring journey in computer science
And there is lots more for you to discover in issue 26.
New podcast series in audio and video
We’re also pleased to announce that the Hello World podcast has returned alongside the magazine with a miniseries also focused on digital literacy.
We asked for your thoughts on the podcast in our previous annual survey, and you kindly sent us lots of helpful feedback. Based on that, we’re trialling new episode formats, welcoming additional hosts, and bringing in more expert voices from around the world.
On Tuesday 15 April we’ll be releasing our first teacher tips episode, a shorter podcast with 3 teachers sharing practical, actionable tips for improving digital literacy in the classroom.
The week after, Tuesday 22 April, you’ll be able to hear a brilliant conversation between the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s Chief Learning Officer, Rachel Arthur, and two special guests: Dr Jessica Hamer from King’s College London’s School of Education and Becky Patel from Tech She Can. They’ll be discussing the current state of girls’ engagement in computing — a wide-reaching and important conversation exploring how we can empower more girls in computing through school, university and their careers.
Then on Tuesday 29 April the final episode in the miniseries will be a panel debate about “digital natives” where we’ll be asking, ‘Are young people who grew up with technology around them truly tech-savvy, or are they dependent on digital tools without understanding how they work?’ James Robinson — Senior Learning Manager here at the Raspberry Pi Foundation and regular host of the podcast — will lead this discussion as global educators debate the myth of the “digital native,” uncover how it could overlook complex issues of access, skills, and education, and consider what it really takes to be tech-smart in the modern world.
More information and links to listen can be found inside the magazine.
Share your thoughts & subscribe to Hello World
We hope you enjoy this issue of Hello World, and please get in touch with your article ideas or what you would like to see in the magazine.
Share your thoughts and ideas about Hello World and the new issue with us via the Raspberry PI Foundation social media channels
To many readers, ‘F/A-18C Right Console’ will look like a bunch of letters and numbers thrown together. To aviation enthusiasts, though, those letters and numbers clearly refer to the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, a fighter plane developed in the 1970s for the US Marines and US Navy. This replica control console by ValeNoxBona was apparently the maker’s first ever build using the Arduino microcontroller, which is used to control the addressable RGB LEDs that light this project. The build uses a 3D-printed enclosure with a laser-cut and engraved acrylic top, backlit with WS2812 addressable RGB LEDs mounted on a custom PCB and controlled by the Arduino.
The lettering is engraved into the acrylic, which makes the material thin enough for the lights underneath to shine through. Apart from the time involved, the biggest cost in building this was the switches, made by NKK of Scottsdale, Arizona.
Einwilligung verwalten
Um dir ein optimales Erlebnis zu bieten, verwenden wir Technologien wie Cookies, um Geräteinformationen zu speichern und/oder darauf zuzugreifen. Wenn du diesen Technologien zustimmst, können wir Daten wie das Surfverhalten oder eindeutige IDs auf dieser Website verarbeiten. Wenn du deine Einwillligung nicht erteilst oder zurückziehst, können bestimmte Merkmale und Funktionen beeinträchtigt werden.
Funktional
Immer aktiv
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugang ist unbedingt erforderlich für den rechtmäßigen Zweck, die Nutzung eines bestimmten Dienstes zu ermöglichen, der vom Teilnehmer oder Nutzer ausdrücklich gewünscht wird, oder für den alleinigen Zweck, die Übertragung einer Nachricht über ein elektronisches Kommunikationsnetz durchzuführen.
Vorlieben
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff ist für den rechtmäßigen Zweck der Speicherung von Präferenzen erforderlich, die nicht vom Abonnenten oder Benutzer angefordert wurden.
Statistiken
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff, der ausschließlich zu statistischen Zwecken erfolgt.Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff, der ausschließlich zu anonymen statistischen Zwecken verwendet wird. Ohne eine Vorladung, die freiwillige Zustimmung deines Internetdienstanbieters oder zusätzliche Aufzeichnungen von Dritten können die zu diesem Zweck gespeicherten oder abgerufenen Informationen allein in der Regel nicht dazu verwendet werden, dich zu identifizieren.
Marketing
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff ist erforderlich, um Nutzerprofile zu erstellen, um Werbung zu versenden oder um den Nutzer auf einer Website oder über mehrere Websites hinweg zu ähnlichen Marketingzwecken zu verfolgen.
