Arduino
Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform. It is one of the most flexible pieces of equipment that is often found in Makerspaces. Arduino’s design as a prototyping board means that its use is only limited by the imagination and skill of the user. Students who would be most interested in this platform are those learning about electronics and programming. Below are three projects that the Arduino could be used for, from learning how to use the platform to creating a complete project.
Click on the image below for an easy to follow, in depth explanation of the Arduino platform by Jody Culkin (n.d, p.1)
Click on the image below for an easy to follow, in depth explanation of the Arduino platform by Jody Culkin (n.d, p.1)
Baby Steps: Arduino basics
Arduino isn't just a tool for advanced users is also an excellent tool for students to learn and explore the theory side of electronics. This project is a very basic introduction guide to Arduino and how it can be used to explore electronic theory. Students could safely work alone on these lessons at their own pace. The steps are all laid out with clear explanations, images and videos of what the results should look like. This is an example of the way that students are interacting with multiliteracies, interacting with many different grammars of understanding while working on a single project.
Stop, Slow, Go: using Arduino to make a simple traffic light
As the Arduino platform is open source it is a very popular with online communities of people experimenting then passing around what they have found. Instructables.com is the largest such community. The site offers projects of all sorts, knitting to blacksmithing. The project linked in the image is for a simple traffic light. Like the introductory project there are clear explanations and images for each step. Once students are more advanced they will be able to record their own projects and submit them. Instructables also caters to teachers!
Play it again Sam: an Arduino synthesizer
This is a more advanced project that shows how far the platform can be pushed. The completed project is a synthesiszer that would allow students to experiment with sounds and music. Not only would students learn much through the construction of this project they also gain a valuable tool. This project is also from instrutables.com and is clearly explained and documented. As this project is more advanced it would be best left to students who are very comfortable Arduino and broader electronics theory.
Images:
Arduino Hack: Light Sensor, mozillaeu, https://www.flickr.com/photos/mozillaeu/5146390498/, CC BY 2.0
Arduino!, Jody Culkin, http://playground.arduino.cc/uploads/Main/arduino_comic_v0004.pdf. , CC BY NC SA 3.0
BlinkM MaxM, Tod Kurt, https://www.flickr.com/photos/todbot/3021653282, CC BY NC 2.0
Simple Arduino Traffic Lights, bjarni1995, http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-Arduino-Traffic-Lights/, CC BY NC SA 2.0
The Arduino Synthesizer, audreyobscura, http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Arduino-Synthesizer/, CC BY NC SA 2.0
Arduino Hack: Light Sensor, mozillaeu, https://www.flickr.com/photos/mozillaeu/5146390498/, CC BY 2.0
Arduino!, Jody Culkin, http://playground.arduino.cc/uploads/Main/arduino_comic_v0004.pdf. , CC BY NC SA 3.0
BlinkM MaxM, Tod Kurt, https://www.flickr.com/photos/todbot/3021653282, CC BY NC 2.0
Simple Arduino Traffic Lights, bjarni1995, http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-Arduino-Traffic-Lights/, CC BY NC SA 2.0
The Arduino Synthesizer, audreyobscura, http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Arduino-Synthesizer/, CC BY NC SA 2.0