DjangoPi - education through example.
The Raspberry Pi is a tiny, powerful $25 computer aimed at educating people of all ages about how computers work.
It provides a simple lightweight set of tools with which to help teach people the basics of computer programming and computer hardware.
The Raspberry Pi by default comes equipped with Python, a powerful, flexible and cleanly typed programming language. It is perfect for education.
Django is a framework built on top of Python to provide dynamic websites.
This project aims to build a free educational website that teaches people how to set up their own Django website and run it on a Raspberry Pi.
The good bit
What seperates this from all the other educational sites?
This entire website will be running on Django, on a Raspberry Pi.
The best way to teach people is through example, and I am hoping that by getting this website set up like this I can show people how simple it is to learn how to deploy their own website, and learn about everything from the server back end to the HTML front end.
What do we need funding for?
The very nature of the raspberry pi means it is very cheap to purchase and get stuck in, but to get us off the ground and set up this project I need funding to cover:
- The dedicated raspberry pi device.
- All the basic raspberry pi components we need.
- Some extra hard drive space.
- Domain name registration for the first two years.
- Cover costs for me to travel and promote the project at Django / Raspberry pi conferences and meetings.
- Help feed me whilst I run this project!
Who are you?
I am Paul Hallett, a third year Computer Science student who has an obsession with Python and helping to educate others about the world of technology.
I have spent a lot of time using the raspberry pi and Django.
I was also one of the first people to successfully install Django on the device after they came out.
I want to show people the potential of the raspberry pi and also help educate as many people as possible about it.
What will the project cover?
The project website will be a django based website running on a raspberry pi device, with all the tutorials and FAQ's needed to help people learn about setting up and running their own DjangoPi.
The website will have a regular blog about raspberry pi and django educational news, as well as guest posts from a few experts in both fields.
I will be going to as many Django / Raspberry pi conferences as I can to promote this website and encourage the community to contribute.
I am also planning to do talks at a few schools to get students on board and learning as soon as the website is up and running.
What conferences are you going to?
I am hoping to visit Pycon in Germany, a large conference of Python enthusiasts.
I am also planning talks at Django / Python / Raspberry Pi / Hacker meetings around the UK to get experts involved.
Frequently asked questions -
Do you want to talk at my conference / school / group?
Of course I will! Send me an email at ph@sponsorcraft.com
Why raspberry pi?
The raspberry pi is cheap and built with education in mind, so this device is a much more cost effective way of teaching students about computer science and I think it is one of the cheapest ways for students to build and host their own websites.
Who is benefiting from this project?
The people benefiting from this project are students from 8+ eager to learn about computer programming and web development. We're also giving current developers a chance to help educate the next generation of programmers by offering them to contribute their own tutorials.
Have you done this before?
I have 5 years of programming experience, including 16 months working for companies and running websites, however this is my first solo venture building a website. This is also my first crowd funded project that I have been involved in. I am not pretending to be an expert and this is an educational experience for me as well. Despite this, I have many people who can back up my ability and skill set for this job.
Do I want to be an educator someday?
I would definitely like to be involved with the education of Computer Science in the next generation of students, this is just the beginning.
Will you need professional help writing the content?
I'd love to get as many professionals and experts contributing to this website, especially those with experience of using the Django + Raspberry Pi combination, so yes!
What does "early access" mean?
I am one person and I don't have the manpower to full test the functionality or content of the site, so early access will be provided to users to help refine the tutorials and content on the site.
The ideal candidates for early access will be people with some technical knowledge of Django, Raspberry Pi or hosting your own website in general.
What size shirts are available?
We'll be able to print shirts in small to extra large
What comes on the premade SD card?
The premade SD cards will come with all the recommended packages that are installed using our custom made scripts, saving you all the trouble of installing it all and being one of the first to build a Django powered website on a Raspberry Pi. It will include everything you need to start your own website and deploy it live on the internet. The only thing I don't supply is the Raspberry pi :D
