Picademy – UK teachers, apply to take part!
On 14th and 15th April we ran the first ever Raspberry Pi Academy for Teachers: ‘Picademy’ for short. We invited 24 teachers from all over the UK to come to Pi Towers and be part of a very different type of training programme. We had hoped — rather than expected — to attract educators from a range of backgrounds, schools and even subject areas who were open to trying something new with Raspberry Pi. What we got was 24 super-creative and innovative teachers who were willing to be learners and leaders; who were creative with ideas; and who are continuing to have an impact within their schools and communities with Raspberry Pi and Computing.
As you can see from the new Picademy area of our forums, the graduates from the first Picademy have their own forum tag of ‘Raspberry Pi Certified Educator’ (and even a little enamel badge to wear). Some of the cohort have been interviewed by the MagPi magazine for a forthcoming issue, and some will be part of a panel discussion at the next Cambridge Raspberry Jam! I’m looking forward to hearing more from our first cohort about their school Raspberry Pi projects; and I’m looking forward to the resources that they will help us produce and test over the coming months. It is an exciting time for computing education!
Following the success of the first Picademy, we will be running two more Picademy sessions on 16th–17th June and 14th–15th July. If you would like to take part in either of these, then please fill out the application form by May 30. We welcome applications from teachers from any subject areas, not just computing; there is a lot of cross-curricular activity available for subjects from art to geography. We’d also like you to provide a link to either a video, a blog post, or an audio recording on the topic of ‘Being a 21st century teacher’ (maximum length for audio and video is one minute) – this isn’t compulsory, but it’ll help support your application.
Attending Picademy is free, and we’ll feed you while you’re here too (although you or will have to pay for overnight accommodation in Cambridge). Please note that at this time we are only accepting applications from people who are classroom teachers at schools in the UK. Finally, if you still have any doubts as to whether Picademy is for you, here’s what some of our new Raspberry Pi Certified Educators had to say after the first Picademy:
Thanks for the fantastic two days at Picademy. You must have put so much effort into it and it was brilliant. Best CPD I have ever been on – and it was FREE!!! Many thanks – ED
Thanks so much for inviting me to the event. I have come away with so many ideas which I will start implementing into the school classrooms and then hopefully into other schools at events. – RD
Thank you so much for a lovely two days – My mind is buzzing with ideas. – LD
I’ve been playing around with Scratch and Minecraft, and have some code now that links the two together – it was so easy to develop after the workshop we had! I’ll put it on GitHub when I’m happy with it. – RJ
29 comments
Clarence Fisher
Please, please tell me that something like this is going to take place in Canada… I’ll even help plan it. Seriously. I am positive that this would work here as well and I’d be thrilled to help make it happen.
James
Wow! so soon! You don’t mess about :-) . If I applied for the first picademy, should I resubmit an application or just send you a blog link to support the application you have?
Raspberry Pi Staff Liz Upton
It’s a lot easier for us if you resubmit – sorry if it creates a bit of extra work!
James
Liz, that’s cool. Just thought I’d check.
Davie
This is pretty awesome. I know this programs aligns with your concept with the Raspberry Pi, but I would love to be part of this. Are there any plans to expand this beyond teachers? Maybe to other regions of the world? I would definitely consider making a trip there to attend.
Beavon Magare
This is sweet.One of our friends just shipped a sample of what the Raspberry Pi looks like to KENYA.I love what u do.Expand to other parts of the world.:)
Boyd
Sounds cool, I’m wondering whether there are some docs or videos for those who can’t attend Picademy or any other way to get the certification for those aren’t in UK, e.g. China.
Mark
Really interested in this but only have a little experience of programming, have used scratch a little and PIC logicator but as an “old school” tech teacher I mainly deal with woodwork – if I apply would I be overwhelmed? I have been looking for an opportunity to move my teaching into the 21st century and I think this is the way
Raspberry Pi Staff Liz Upton
You’ll be absolutely fine: we’ve welcomed educators with absolutely zero technical experience onto Picademy before, and they’ve gone through with flying colours and found they have plenty they can use in the classroom afterwards. All you need is the will to learn and a spot of enthusiasm: please put in an application, because I think you’ll find things much less challenging than you suppose!
Eve
Hi there,
I’ve applied and received confirmation on the website, but not via email – is this what happens? Just want to check my application has gone through as I’m BERRY excited! :)
Eve x
Ben Nuttall
Yes – we’ve got it! There is no email confirmation.
Good luck!
Dave W
Hi Pi-folks,
Are you considering any training sessions like these for home educators at all?
Cheers,
Dave
Raspberry Pi Staff Liz Upton
We might, but for now, at any rate, it’s much harder to make it scale with home educators so it’s not on the cards at the moment. Teachers in schools are usually working with dozens of kids in any given school year, so the training we give them has the potential to reach a lot of children. The investment (running these courses costs our charity money) doesn’t work out as clearly for us with home educators.
We *do* make plenty of resources (there are more to come; we’re busy editing and testing more at the moment) that can be used by teachers in schools and those of you who teach your kids at home: check out the blue “resources” tab at the top right.
Catherine Lamin
Hi there,
I’m really keen to take part in this as I’ve just bought 4 Pis for my school. Before I make a video for you, in the interests of child protection, will my video be shared with anyone outside of your organisation? If not, I can use some of the kids in my class.
Thanks
Cat
Raspberry Pi Staff Liz Upton
If you make the video private for people with the link only, then we won’t share it.
Catherine Lamin
Brilliant – thank you very much!
H.P. Vermeulen
I am a Dutch informatics teacher at a local secundary school (Pax Christi College) and I’m currently revising our (outdated) informatics curriculum. I’m very enthusiastic about the Raspberry Pi and I’m planning on letting is play a major role in our lessons the coming years. I would LOVE to attend the Picademy sessions and very dissappointed only UK teachers are able to subscribe. Why not allow teachers from Europe as well? Will there be any sessions for international teachters?
justin
how to activate javascript on raspberry pi
Dawn Hewitson
I can thoroughly recommend this course to any teacher wishing to develop their knowledge for the new computing curriculum. Having worked with Carrie-Anne for a few years now and attending workshops she has presented at The Education Innovation Show and BETT, I am sure this will be up to her usual brilliant standard.
I wish I was still a classroom teacher so that I could attend. If you get the chance please go, you will meet a brilliant team of people and create your own little network that you can plug into to develop and share your ideas.
Christine Harvey
I have just submitted my application for the July Picademy. I hope I’m not too late – it’s taken my ages to do my video!
Michael Myford
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
― Pablo Picasso
My video is 5 seconds over!
LauIT
I sent in an application last week but never received an email back to confirm.
Should there have been one an automated reply or not?
Victor Ekiliwo
I would like to attend the training sessions. I live in Dallas Texas, US. Is there an opportunity for that here? I will also like to be a distributor and teach other people. Thanks
Laura
Are these courses full? I know I missed the deadline (couldn’t be sure I’d be allowed out of school), just asking on the off-chance their may still be space on the 14-15 July?
Raspberry Pi Staff Liz Upton
I’m afraid they are full – but we’ll be opening up another round of application soon, so watch this space.
Michael
Hi, like someone else mentioned, I was just wanting to know when we will find out if we have been successful for the course? so I can make the necessary arrangements…
Thank you
Michael
Raspberry Pi Staff Liz Upton
The July cohort hasn’t been selected yet: we’ll mail everyone when it has been.
Jordan Graham
Hi, was just wanting to find out when we will find out if we have been successful for the course? so I can arrange travel and accommodation etc…
Thanks
Jordan
Steve
I would be VERY interested in pursuing Raspberry Pi certified educator status, for those that are on a limited income how about some kind of online accreditation ?
I have delivered Raspberry PI training to many adults in the community to increase their digital skills and knowledge and believe the Raspberry Pi is a great way of getting all ages interested in technology and the benefits it can bring to them and remove the expense and black magic of the tablet and console !
The following are a few interesting links showing personal involvement with digital inclusion and the Raspberry Pi :-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIWKPCfJYks
http://infostocksy.wordpress.com/digital-inclusion/
http://dainproject.com/raspberry-pi/
http://annwalkerwea.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/digital-inclusion-volunteering-and-cost-effective-technology/
thanks again for bringing computing back out of the shadows and into the light and hope to see more and more schools embracing computing and coding again.