EEME makes hands-on learning kits + online lessons to teach kids electronics and Python coding.

This post is the July 2023 update to what's going on with EEME and our new Python Coding and Electronics Learning Kit.

In this post, we'll cover:

• "Intro" Learning Curricula Package progress
• Being late to my own EEME office hour!?
• Parenting thoughts - what is lasting fun?

Recap: the Python Coding and Electronics Learning Kit + "intro" Learning Curricula Package

EEME's new Python Coding and Electronics Learning Kit teaches kids electronics and Python coding thru the making and programming of various circuit projects.

This "Learning Kit" includes an "intro" Learning Curricula Package to build and program an automatic night light and display panel circuit. More importantly, this "intro" Learning Curricula Package also teaches the students the electrical engineering and Python programming concepts applied in the projects - 12 hours of building and learning in total.

In a past monthly update, we talked about the difference between a "Learning Kit" and "Learning Curricula Package". Feel free to refer to that update post for more details.

"Intro" Learning Curricula Package progress - the final Genius Light Part 3 published!

As you may be aware of, our "intro" Learning Curricula Package is only 67% published.

The Genius Light project within the "intro" Learning Curricula Package - an automatic night light project - is a 3 part project.

In the first 2 parts of Genius Light, the students build a simple LED circuit using just electronics components, and then built the same LED circuit using Python code they write. They learn electrical engineering concepts such as about LEDs, resistors, breadboards, resistance, electric current, etc, as well as Python programming concepts - loops, functions, modules, variables, and much more.

In July, we published the final Part 3 for Genius Light, where the student built the final automatic night light circuit with just electronics components and then with Python code they write. In Part 3, they learn electrical engineering concepts such as about photoresistors, voltage dividing, etc, as well as Python programming concepts such as conditionals, and much more.

With Part 3, we now have 8 of the 12 hours (67%) of material published for the "intro" Learning Curricula Package that's included with the purchase of the new Python Coding and Electronics Learning Kit.

Because we don't have the full 12 hours published, the Python Coding and Electronics Learning Kit is currently being offered at an "early adopter" reduced price - proportional to what we have published and will eventually increase to full price as we publish the entire 12 hours.

What's after the Genius Light Part 3 curricula?

To help pace the student's learning progress, a single project, such as the Genius Light, is usually broken up into multiple curricula parts - each curriculum is about 1-2 hours of learning and building. Recall, Genius Light is broken up into 3 curricula parts.

Each curriculum consists of a number of lessons, predominantly video-based. Each lesson is 2-5 minutes in length (~15 lessons per curriculum).

Again, refer to our past update post for more details about curricula vs lessons vs projects.

We are currently working on the scripting and audio/video production for the lessons for part 1 of a 2 part project called DIY Display - a project to build and program, with Python, a display panel circuit.

This 2 part DIY Display project will teach the students a ton of new, as well as revisit past electrical engineering and programming concepts - such as about segment LEDs, resistance, voltage drops, functions, conditionals.

The publishing of the 2 part project DIY Display will complete the final 12 hours of the "intro" Learning Curricula Package included with the purchase of our new Python Coding and Electronics Learning Kit.

What's after the DIY Display curricula?

For students that complete the "intro" Learning Curricula Package, we will have follow-on Learning Curricula Packages available for purchase in late 2023 thru 2024. These follow-on packages will include projects to build alarm circuits, fading light, countdown timers, etc.. and teach about transistors, capacitors, pulse-width modulation, more advanced programming concepts such as classes and object oriented programming.

These follow-on Learning Curricula Packages will use, re-use the physical electronics components from the Python Coding and Electronics Learning Kit that the students have already purchased. Therefore, the price of these follow-on Learning Curricula Packages will be cheaper than the Python Coding and Learning Kit in terms of dollars per hours of learning.

This is currently the plan - as each month passes, we'll update if our intentions change.

Parenting thoughts - what is lasting fun?

As an avid mountaing biker and rock climber, I have been coaching, encouraging both my 11 year old son and 7 year old daughter to mountain bike and rock climb since they could walk. As my son matures older, he has grown quite capable in both activities.

On a recent family mountain biking vacation, my son exclaimed about how much fun he is having biking, which made me think about the definition of fun and what it means as a parent to help your kids nurture "fun".

I reflected upon my own perspectives of what's fun and I realized that while I find it "fun" to hang out with friends, relax in front of a TV show (or Netflix these days), my most "lasting" fun has to do with activites where I invest time to achieve some sort of mastery - be it robotics, biking, climbing, and/or playing music (I played guitar since I was 10 years old). As I continue to sharpen my skills in those activities, the more fun I have. This fun is independent of external factors - it's sourced internally. I think my son has started to develop this same type of "lasting" fun as he sharpens his skills, walking the path towards getting better at biking and climbing.

As a parent, perhaps I be more deliberate in helping my kids focus and grit through the hills and valleys of progress and mastery of skills they wish to attain - to help them invest early and develop a good toolbox of "lasting" fun to source from internally - especially in a future of digital distractions which over-weigh external social influences.

On a related note - the most "fun" part of working on EEME is the opportunity to exchange parenting thoughts with other parents and educators. If you have thoughts and suggestions, please feel free to reach out and share them!!

Misc - ongoing Monthly "office hours"

The July "office hour" session on EEME's Facebook page started off rocky - I was 30 minutes late having totally lost track of time while fixing an EEME project issue!?

But better late than never. Thanks to all who participated!

This month's Facebook "Office Hour" will be held on August 10, 2023 at 11:30am Pacific Time. You can RSVP, set a reminder with this Facebook Event. These monthly office hour sessions allow you, the EEME community, to come and ask questions, offer suggestions, etc. in a real-time like manner.

Conclusion

So this concludes the updates for July.

The goals for August are:

1. To publish "DIY Display - Part 1 of 2" for the "intro" Learning Curricula Package.

   In the meantime, check out / purchase EEME's new Python Coding and Electronics Learning Kit. The "early-adopter" pricing has increased slightly from the previous month due to the recent publishing of Genius Light - Part 3 of 3.

   Upon the publishing of "DIY Display - Part 1 of 2", the price will increase again accordingly.

2. We will hold monthly office hours on EEME's Facebook Page on August 10th at 11:30am PT.

As usual if you have any additional questions, suggestions, feedback, please don't hesitate to reach out!!

Thanks so much and happy building (and coding)!!
Jack "EEME Dad"