Google Buys 15,000 Raspberry Pis for Use in UK Schools
Help teach computer science.
Fantastic news for the education sector today, as Google announces that it has purchased a whopping 15,000 Raspberry Pi computers for use in UK schools.
The Raspberry Pi is a single-board computer about the size of a credit card, made to offer an accessible and cost-effective means of teaching computer science. Google chairman Eric Schmidt said that the device is key to driving the future of Britain's innovation in the sector.
Of course, Google does have its own interests in mind as well - Schmidt said that the training of technically-competent people is a concern of the company - but it's still very commendable.
"Google’s primary concern is to make sure that there’s lots a lot of technically trained people in the world. Almost everything is better when people are better educated, and there’s a real issue around the shortage of math and science people. And it’s not just in the UK. It’s everywhere, in every country," he told BBC News.
"Innovation these days is mostly technically driven… so getting those skills built early is a good investment for Britain. Of course, some of these children will go off and make great companies, but some of them will work for them, and some of them will work for Google."
Raspberry Pi co-founder Eben Upton added, "We hope that our new partnership with Google will be a significant moment in the development of computing education in the UK. We believe that this can turn around the year-on-year decline in the numbers and skill sets of students applying to read computer science at university"
The Raspberry Pi is a single-board computer about the size of a credit card, made to offer an accessible and cost-effective means of teaching computer science. Google chairman Eric Schmidt said that the device is key to driving the future of Britain's innovation in the sector.
Of course, Google does have its own interests in mind as well - Schmidt said that the training of technically-competent people is a concern of the company - but it's still very commendable.
"Google’s primary concern is to make sure that there’s lots a lot of technically trained people in the world. Almost everything is better when people are better educated, and there’s a real issue around the shortage of math and science people. And it’s not just in the UK. It’s everywhere, in every country," he told BBC News.
"Innovation these days is mostly technically driven… so getting those skills built early is a good investment for Britain. Of course, some of these children will go off and make great companies, but some of them will work for them, and some of them will work for Google."
Raspberry Pi co-founder Eben Upton added, "We hope that our new partnership with Google will be a significant moment in the development of computing education in the UK. We believe that this can turn around the year-on-year decline in the numbers and skill sets of students applying to read computer science at university"
Companies:
Google
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