How I started teaching Arduino
I do not conduct training workshops and seminars. I introduced the study of Arduino in the educational program of the college. That is, students come to me to write code in the language Processing Wiring and watch how it is executed on the board. 
For a long time, I have been working in the Ural Radio Engineering College . He taught various subjects: electronics, radio engineering, P-CAD, transmitters, etc., and more recently began to teach students how to work with Arduino. I have a negative attitude to this platform, but I see a lot of advantages in studying it within the walls of an educational institution.
It all began, oddly enough, from the fact that I constantly participated in various exhibitions of educational institutions. These are image events with a dubious effect to attract applicants. The administrations of educational institutions love to participate in them and, as cannon fodder at exhibition stands, they send young teachers there.
At one of these exhibitions, participants were invited to organize master classes in addition to the usual exposition. I must say that shortly before this, I made a self-made Arduino . Just because he could, without ulterior motives. I offered to make a couple of boards, put a table, two laptops and offer visitors to the exhibition to flash with LEDs.
I can not say that our booth was popular with the public, but the leadership of the college was delighted. They liked it so much that I was even offered to organize Arduino training at the college as part of the provision of additional educational services and I agreed.
Note that Arduino is not taught as an alternative to core subjects. We bought debug boards from DiHalt and students work on them with AVR, PIC and STM.
Actually the course itself suggested a couple of theoretical and 16 practical classes. Usually, those who work with Arduino use mock-ups and collect the circuit using the wires. In terms of mass learning this path is a dead end - it is impossible to keep up so that no one is locked out. To make laboratory work possible, we made the decision to draw our shield. In essence, it is a set of LEDs, buttons, variable segment indicator resistors and a tweeter.
Since we still ordered these shields, we didn’t buy Arduino either. Made your version and ordered all the group workpiece.
I have already assembled twenty sets, prepared a methodical material, a computer class, and now I am conducting practical classes in all. Of course, for the time being I have only one pilot group in my studies - the 4th year, studying in the specialty "Radio Appliances".
To begin with, I told the students what the Arduino platform is. Acquainted with some projects based on it. He told about its capabilities and we started a laboratory workshop.
The process of carrying out laboratory work is quite simple. The training manual provides examples with explanations that students perform. Each task describes in detail what jumpers should be installed and how the circuit will look like. They parse and load ready-made code samples and observe the results of its execution. Then they are invited to perform an independent task. At the moment, the task is the same for everyone, but I will definitely make different options.
In a short time, I plan to come up with many global individual tasks that will affect the work with several peripheral devices at once. For example, on commands from the COM port, play different tunes or write a timer for sports events. The most important thing is to find examples of using these devices in real life. To make it clear that now a student, in some form, can actually make a color organ prefix, a doorbell or something else. I want to build the whole course based on the fact that at the end the student will need to create some big project.
')
In fact, I see a lot of positive effects:
Classes are already over a month and I have made a lot of interesting observations for myself.
For the first time in my life, students linger on couples after a call not because I detained them. They are really interested. Students have programming difficulties, but they do not interfere with their work. One of them, based on Arduino, has already made a tracked platform, controlled via Bluetooth from a phone, and did not stop there. Now he makes an autonomous meteorological station and uses already standard means of working with microcontrollers.
When I started working on this project, I was interested in my students (and other teachers) if they heard about the existence of Arduino. At that time, only a few could answer my question in the affirmative. I am convinced that the skills of working with Arduino can help them in their further work, and even if not, they should at least have an idea about it.
For a long time, I have been working in the Ural Radio Engineering College . He taught various subjects: electronics, radio engineering, P-CAD, transmitters, etc., and more recently began to teach students how to work with Arduino. I have a negative attitude to this platform, but I see a lot of advantages in studying it within the walls of an educational institution.
How it all began
It all began, oddly enough, from the fact that I constantly participated in various exhibitions of educational institutions. These are image events with a dubious effect to attract applicants. The administrations of educational institutions love to participate in them and, as cannon fodder at exhibition stands, they send young teachers there.
At one of these exhibitions, participants were invited to organize master classes in addition to the usual exposition. I must say that shortly before this, I made a self-made Arduino . Just because he could, without ulterior motives. I offered to make a couple of boards, put a table, two laptops and offer visitors to the exhibition to flash with LEDs.
I can not say that our booth was popular with the public, but the leadership of the college was delighted. They liked it so much that I was even offered to organize Arduino training at the college as part of the provision of additional educational services and I agreed.
If interested, what is DOW from the inside?
It looks like this: an educational institution provides basic educational services within the framework of which an educational program is implemented, laboratory tests and examinations are taken. These services are financed by the state. In addition, the Shelter can offer DOW. For example, mugs, discos, consultations, additional items, etc. Naturally, there is a separate contract for the provision of DOW and they are already paid. In the framework of the provision of preschool education, the college can conduct any additional subjects. For example, electronics engineers are taught intellectual property, sysadmins extend the course of electrical engineering and there may be two or three such subjects every semester. Theoretically, the student can refuse these services, but in practice, most can be persuaded. I must say that for 1000rub / month the acquisition, as a result, is worthy.
Note that Arduino is not taught as an alternative to core subjects. We bought debug boards from DiHalt and students work on them with AVR, PIC and STM.
Actually the course itself suggested a couple of theoretical and 16 practical classes. Usually, those who work with Arduino use mock-ups and collect the circuit using the wires. In terms of mass learning this path is a dead end - it is impossible to keep up so that no one is locked out. To make laboratory work possible, we made the decision to draw our shield. In essence, it is a set of LEDs, buttons, variable segment indicator resistors and a tweeter.
Since we still ordered these shields, we didn’t buy Arduino either. Made your version and ordered all the group workpiece.
I have already assembled twenty sets, prepared a methodical material, a computer class, and now I am conducting practical classes in all. Of course, for the time being I have only one pilot group in my studies - the 4th year, studying in the specialty "Radio Appliances".
Arduino Lesson
To begin with, I told the students what the Arduino platform is. Acquainted with some projects based on it. He told about its capabilities and we started a laboratory workshop.
The process of carrying out laboratory work is quite simple. The training manual provides examples with explanations that students perform. Each task describes in detail what jumpers should be installed and how the circuit will look like. They parse and load ready-made code samples and observe the results of its execution. Then they are invited to perform an independent task. At the moment, the task is the same for everyone, but I will definitely make different options.
Sample list of practical work
- Work with digital outputs
- Segment indicator control
- Using pulse width modulation
- Piezo emitter control
- Work with a COM port
- Work with digital inputs. Using buttons
- ADC application
In a short time, I plan to come up with many global individual tasks that will affect the work with several peripheral devices at once. For example, on commands from the COM port, play different tunes or write a timer for sports events. The most important thing is to find examples of using these devices in real life. To make it clear that now a student, in some form, can actually make a color organ prefix, a doorbell or something else. I want to build the whole course based on the fact that at the end the student will need to create some big project.
')
What i want to achieve
In fact, I see a lot of positive effects:
- Modern graduates in general "can learn", but do not own specific technologies. And it is embedded in educational standards. That is, they can cope with real tasks, but only under the guidance of senior colleagues. I can not say that Arduino will fix this, but I hope that it will help to push off from something. Reduce the threshold of entry into the specialty.
- Among other things, I lead a circle of technical creativity. Building, flashing and checking forty real boards was an interesting task for my guys. Taking this opportunity, I will boast of our workshop:
- I count on a quantitative increase in the creative projects of our students. We have an annual exhibition of technical creativity and usually 20-30 projects participate in them. For 1000 tech-students who study with us it is very little.
- In secondary vocational schools, the Arduino can be used as the basis for graduate design. The task of graduates in the specialty "Radio Apparatus" to come up with a scheme and develop the design of a device. Now it’s hard to imagine a device without a MK, and the vast majority have a hard time with it. Therefore, there are two ways out: either the manager is writing a program, or a finished circuit with firmware is taken. In general, this is acceptable, but limits the potential. Therefore, it is quite possible to use Arduino as brains for their security alarms and combination locks that they make for diplomas.
Where are we now
Classes are already over a month and I have made a lot of interesting observations for myself.
For the first time in my life, students linger on couples after a call not because I detained them. They are really interested. Students have programming difficulties, but they do not interfere with their work. One of them, based on Arduino, has already made a tracked platform, controlled via Bluetooth from a phone, and did not stop there. Now he makes an autonomous meteorological station and uses already standard means of working with microcontrollers.
When I started working on this project, I was interested in my students (and other teachers) if they heard about the existence of Arduino. At that time, only a few could answer my question in the affirmative. I am convinced that the skills of working with Arduino can help them in their further work, and even if not, they should at least have an idea about it.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/212161/
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