edX, the global online learning platform that exists to help learners everywhere unlock their potential, has announced that the Raspberry Pi Foundation, an international education charity helping young people to use digital technologies effectively and creatively, is the newest member of the global edX partner network, joining hundreds of universities and institutions in expanding access to the world’s best education.
The courses cover various topics, including programming in Python, web development, cybersecurity, machine learning and AI, and are open for enrollment.
Speaking on the collaboration, the Chief Education Officer of Raspberry Pi Foundation, Sian Harris, said:
Our global vision is that every young person worldwide can learn how to use and create with digital technologies. However, access to computing education is still limited in many places. Our partnership with edX gives educators everywhere a new way to engage with our free, expert-led computing education training. As people design and deploy new and powerful digital technologies, it’s important that no one is left behind and all can build the skills and confidence to engage with technology together.
By partnering with edX, the Raspberry Pi Foundation will connect more teachers worldwide to transformative courses that help them gain a foundational understanding of existing and emerging digital technologies and crucially enable them to create impactful, engaging learning experiences for their students. The Foundation also announced the launch of 20 online courses designed to empower teachers to enhance their skills and educate students about computing and computer science in all its forms.
Headquartered in the UK, the Raspberry Pi Foundation aims to enable young people to realize their full potential through the power of computing and digital technologies. The company works to allow any school to teach students about computing and how to create with digital technologies by providing the best possible curriculum, resources, and training for teachers; to engage millions of young people in learning about computing and how to create with digital technologies outside of school, through online resources and apps, clubs, competitions, and partnerships with youth organizations; and to deepen its understanding of how young people learn about computing and how to create with digital technologies, and to use that knowledge to increase the impact of its work and advance the field of computing education.
The firm’s vision is that every young person develops the knowledge, skills, and confidence to use digital technologies effectively and to be able to evaluate these technologies and confidently engage with technological change critically.
Andrew Hermalyn, President of Partnerships of 2U, the parent company of edX, added:
edX’s partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation embodies our common vision to empower educators and students alike. Educators play an instrumental role in shaping our future generations, and these new courses will help equip primary school educators with the necessary tools to effectively teach the understanding and application of today’s technology and digital tools.
According to the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s most recent impact report, in 2021 alone, their online courses supported over 47,000 teachers worldwide to develop their subject knowledge and pedagogy, with 84% of participants reporting that their confidence had grown.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation’s content adds to edX’s catalogue of free-to-degree online learning experiences for educators developed in partnership with the world’s top universities and corporations.
Founded by Harvard and MIT in 2012, edX connects 76 million people worldwide with the skills, knowledge, and support to achieve their goals. The platform and the world’s leading universities and companies offer thousands of free and open courses, professional certificates, boot camps, credit-bearing micro-credentials, and undergraduate and graduate degrees. The company’s mission is to increase access to high-quality education everywhere.
edx has recently introduced its groundbreaking new Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence MicroBootCamp program in partnership with 12 top universities.
