Sometimes learning can be boring, and a potentially good way to get kids more engaged is to learn by playing. Edu-C Arduino compatible board is designed to teach game development to kids old and young, so they have a lasting reward once they complete programming of the board, or they may decide to customize the game further.
Edu-C hardware specifications:
- MCU – Microchip Atmel AVR328 microcontroller
- Display – 28×64 pixel OLED display + 1-digita 7-segment display
- Game Inputs – Left and right potentiometers
- Misc – 8x LEDs, left & right LEDs, RGB LED, on/off power switch, reset button, buzzer
- USB – 1x micro USB connector for programming (CH340) and power
- Power Supply – 5V via USB; LiPo battery support
The board ships with a 200 mAh Lipo battery, and a charger. Educational materials are also provided, but only in French right now, except for some documents which are in English. There are also various tutorials, again in French language:
- EduC-Clair complies with the syntax of C and Arduino IDE constraints, but uses instructions in French (Repeat, Loop, …) to better focus on the structure of some simple programs.
- EduC-Fun explains how we get to the game of ping-pong by first playing with simple programs to read knobs, position objects on the screen, compare values. Reflex games are easier.
- EduC-Mod introduces the C language in 7 modules and uses many simple examples to understand the basic concepts of procedural languages.
The developer further explains the goal of the project
Edu-C does not compete with an Arduboy full of games; it has similar objectives to the TI Booster pack for technical schools, but it is Arduino, self powered, easy environment, good libraries, plenty of examples to understand the hardware and progress with software
Edu-C can be purchased for $45 on Tindie with battery and power adapter.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Hmm. It is like a pared down version of the Arduboy.
I’m sceptical that any of this stuff gets kids into programming.
Seems like creating e-waste with good intentions TBH.