This course will teach you the basics of Computational thinking and programming using the Arduino Uno microcontroller. An Arduino is programmed using a subset of the C++ computer language that also likely drives your computer's operating system, your favourite game, and the software controlling fighter jets! Learning this language will make picking up other languages easier and more straightforward in the future.
To complete this course, you will need access to an Arduino Ninjas Beginner Kit. You can obtain these by contacting the University of South Australia's Education Futures Outreach team at EDC-Enquiries@unisa.edu.au. This kit contains an Arduino Uno compatible board, breadboard and all the components that you will need to complete the tasks and challenges in this course. You can add to this kit later by purchasing other components and sensors from Jaycar or other electonics suppliers.
John is a Lecturer in STEM Education and the designer of the Arduino Ninjas program. He is a maker, a tinker, and was a Physics teacher for 15 years before joining the University. He now researches into student attitudes towards STEM subjects and has a passion for designing self-paced outreach activities that make the maker movement more accessible to all.
Biography of instructor/staff member #2
The Open edX platform works best with current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari.
See our list of supported browsers for the most up-to-date information.
You will need to use the Arduino IDE (version 2.x.x) or an Arduino Web Tools account. Both of these are free of charge.
No. You will learn about the C++ language while completing this course. However, you can always go beyond this by reading further and just trying things out.