It can be a challenging and rewarding process to create an IoT / physical computer course. I’ve been fortunate to learn from great colleagues and resources so I wanted to share a few resources I’ve found helpful.
Course websites
- Course website for ITP 348 (Introduction to Physical Computing)
My entire course content (lectures, assignments, in-class exercises, etc.) is available publicly and freely. Please use any of you find helpful–I’d love to know if you do. It is still a work in progress since this is my second semester. - Additional course websites:
At the bottom of that page, I’ve linked to other course resources I’ve found
Trainings
- Tech Explorations Arduino Step by Step: Getting Started
This is a helpful video course that covers the basics of Arduino. It is a great introduction, and Udemy frequently runs sales so the course is $10-15 - Sparkfun Arduino for Educators
This is an in-person workshop in the summer that is specifically for teachers. You might want to email them to see if they are having a class this summer. - Slack channel
A colleague and I created a Slack channel (discussion board) for electronics / IoT teachers. It can be a great place to ask questions. If you’re interested in joining and are a faculty member, reach out to me and I can add you.
Microcontroller
- Arduino is a really popular microcontroller and there are lots of resources online.
- I’m using different microcontroller called Argon made by Particle. The upside is that it has wifi and bluetooth built in, but there are fewer resources online specific for it. The Particle support team has been really helpful and generous so I think this is great direction. They also have a discount for education / non-profit.
Components and Kits
Sparkfun has been great to work with. They helped me create a custom kit for my students, provide an education discount, and have free education resources online.