COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST

AND AFRICA

( MEA ) CAN GAIN INSIGHT FROM THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION ’ S REVISED DIGITAL

EDUCATION

ACTION PLAN THAT EMPHASISES THE COMMITMENT TO ACCELERATING

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO

DIGITAL SKILLS FOR ALL . recommendations for projects which could help children to understand some of the concepts they might already be picking up in science and IT lessons at school and bring them to life .

Digital DIY

The Raspberry Pi might only cost around US $ 36 , but it really is just a tiny computer . It ’ s been very successful , with over 36 million sold so far . As well as a native CPU it boasts enough ports and connection for you to create your own DIY PC . The device can consume and create content as it has a web browser , word processing , spreadsheets and access to YouTube . It can go as far as connecting the board to additional motors and controllers to create a simple robotics project or even running Minecraft Pi , which is a means of giving children the opportunity to learn and experiment with code whilst exploring and interacting with the Minecraft world at the same time .

Whatever you choose to do , the learning is in the doing . From working out what cables and connections are needed , to doing the programming once things are set up , putting theory into practice is a great way to make concepts understandable .

For those that want to go further , the Raspberry Pi can also create a passable smart home hub – connecting everything from your smart speakers to your smart meters . While for many , this type of digital Lego-set might be a fun way to pass the time , getting to grips with processes such as these can be the makings of a future engineer .

IT proficiency

While just setting up the Raspberry Pi to be whatever you want it to be is a learning experience , the fact that you can essentially build your own PC , touchscreen device or smart TV for a relatively affordable price presents further opportunities .

For families who do not possess the luxury of or feel the need to have , multiple devices in the household , it ’ s an accessible way to lay your hands on them . This can be helpful for picking up basic skills such as word processing and email management as well as gaining access to all the information on the World Wide Web .

Mastering more advanced concepts like programming and coding starts with the basics and instilling a sense of confidence in children in using IT and computers can reap dividends further down the line . It also serves as a springboard to access more learning resources on the Web , with the inspiration and ideas that can easily come with them .

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Intelligent SME . tech