The Raspberry Pi Report
Are you an enthusiastic individual that is interested in using the Raspberry Pi in the classroom and in community education programs? Then get ready to fill out your application for Raspberry Picademy USA! This will be the first time ever that the Raspberry Pi Foundation will be offering a Picademy in the United States. If you haven’t ever heard of Picademy, or have and are looking to participate, then I’ll answer some basic questions for you on the ins and outs of Raspberry Picademy USA.
What is Picademy? Picademy is a two day series of classes taught by certified Raspberry Pi educators. These classes involve learning all hardware and software aspects of the Raspberry Pi. You will also be learning from some of the brightest minds that make up the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
What do I get from attending Picademy? Upon completion of Picademy, participants will receive a certificate from the Raspberry Pi Foundation saying they are now a Raspberry Pi Certified Educator. The knowledge gained from Picademy allows graduates to apply their education however they see fit in their communities, such as by conducting Raspberry Jams. Along with the certificate, graduates will also receive a swag bag containing the latest Raspberry Pi, VIP access to foundation projects, access to the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s education team and badges (both virtual and physical) that will let others know of your proud accomplishment.
What is a Raspberry Pi Certified Educator? A Raspberry Pi Certified Educator is anyone who has completed the official Picademy course that is held and conducted by the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
How do I get into Picademy? No experience is necessary, but there a few things you must have in order to get into Picademy. First, you have to be a professional educator. Next, you will need to fill out an application explaining where you are an educator and at what level you teach. The rest of the application will ask questions ranging from your knowledge of the Raspberry Pi to why, exactly, should they pick you to attend Picademy. Remember, only 40 participants will be selected to attend, so make sure to put down all your contributions to education, including side projects and meetups, to show why you would make an excellent participant at Raspberry Picademy USA.
Where and when will this Picademy be held? The first Raspberry Picademy USA will be held at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California on the weekend of February 27-28. Onsite attendance is required for both days and there will be an optional social event the Friday night before.
How much does it cost to attend Picademy? Picademy is free to attend, but attendees will be responsible for any travel and accommodations.
When will the next Raspberry Picademy USA be held? That is still to be decided. The Raspberry Pi Foundation is looking to hold more Picademys in the United States in the coming months.
Do I have to attend Picademy to be able to teach with the Raspberry Pi? No. You can still teach with the Raspberry Pi and educate others as well. Picademy gives you a chance to learn from the best and most renowned people in the Raspberry Pi community, which will save you a lot of learning on your own or trying to find answers to questions that you may not be sure about. Even if you attend Picademy, you will still need to keep your education and knowledge up to date, it’s just that attending Picademy will get you up to speed faster on how to best use the Raspberry Pi in an educational environment.
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In addition to hosting a Raspberry Pi meetup in Washington D.C., Isaac Carter is a co-host on mintCast. He’s also a software engineer who enjoys working with Java, JavaScript, and GNU/Linux. When he’s not coding, you can find him reading on any number of subjects or on the golf course.
