The MagPi - February 2020

Joshua Lowe

Price:

FREE

edublocks.org

CREATOR

Learning Python in 2020? PJ Evans catches up on the latest resources

Learn Python

with Raspberry Pi

As great a choice as Python

is for your first adventure

in coding, many start with

Scratch (scratch.mit.edu), a

fantastic free online coding

environment that teaches the

fundamentals of coding using

visual ‘blocks’ to build up the

set of instructions. Scratch is

taught all over the world and is

especially popular in schools. So

what happens when it’s time to

transition to a more formal form

of coding? Scratch can only take

you so far, but the move to ‘all

text’ Python can be daunting,

especially to younger coders.

Joshua Lowe agreed and (at

the age of just twelve) created

EduBlocks, which bridges the

gap between visual block-based

coding and Python. Simply create

your Scratch-style program, click

a single button, and pow, there’s

the equivalent Python code ready

to cut and paste.

EduBlocks is online and

completely free. If you’re

concerned about the next step

in your coding adventure, this

is the ideal place to play and

experiment. You’ll see that there

isn’t that much difference after

all. The main site is supported

by an extensive collection of

tutorials and worksheets, many

designed for Raspberry Pi.

EduBlocks

Free Online Courses

YOUTUBE

Yes, it sounds obvious, but it’s hard to

overstate how many great resources are

available on ¥ouTube. The offerings from

freeodeamp and Programming With

MoshƤare particularly recommended for

Python beginners.

magpi.cc/youtubepython

DEEP LEARNING PREREQUISITES:

THE NUMPY STACK IN PYTHON

cumpy Šan extensive mathematical toolkitš

was a game-changer, promoting Python to

a maģor player in machine learning. This free

course gives you a solid grounding in these

advanced principles.

magpi.cc/udemynumpy

PROGRAMMING FOR EVERYBODY

(GETTING STARTED WITH PYTHON)

Bow about learning about Python from the

Žniversity of Michiganũ This highly rated

beginner’s course features both tutorials and

assignments, is available for free, and comes

with online support from instructors.

coursera.org/learn/python

Learning that won’t hurt your wallet

80 magpi.cc Learn Python with Raspberry Pi

RESOURCES