Synopsis
Six years ago, a group of friends and colleagues set out to revitalise computer science education by developing a tiny and cheap computer for kids. They wanted to do something about a situation where computers had become so expensive and arcane that parents forbade experimentation – and instead provide a platform akin to the old home computers that earlier generations had learned to program on.
The Raspberry Pi project is now at a turning point - with the first units shipped to rave reviews, and over a quarter of a million people on the waiting list for the $25, credit-card sized computer.
Dr Eben Upton, Executive Director at the not-for-profit Raspberry Pi Foundation, will speak about leading the project from its inception in the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory through to the sell-out launch of the first Raspberry Pi devices.
After the talk we will host a panel discussion on the future of technology in education, and the benefits of making ultra-low-cost and truly personal computers accessible for all. We will be joined by Dr Rob Mullins, Raspberry Pi Foundation trustee and lecturer at the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory, and by a representative from Hackney UTC. Due to open in Hoxton this September, Hackney UTC is a new 14-19 school specialising in health and digital technologies, and is working closely with local employers and universities to develop a curriculum relevant to those areas.
There will also be an opportunity to see some Raspberry Pi devices in action.