Short course
Creative Computing Short Course
Course description
Course overview
The technological context that we exist in is one of ‘black box’ technology. We use phones and other portable electronic devices every day, but they generally work without our knowledge of what's happening inside the device. This course offers the chance to look inside the ‘black box’ and build your own portable electronic device from the ground up and to learn how to program in Python by doing so.
The course begins with learning how to wire electronic components together, looking at how to correctly power them, program them and finally how to combine components and programs together into a functioning portable device.
Students will explore the environmental impacts of the digital throughout the course, learning about the materials and processes that go into making electronic devices and considering how to make them low-impact by utilising low-power components and re-using components from older, disused devices.
Who this course is for
This course is aimed at non-computing specialists who want to incorporate creative computing into their practice. It could suit anyone, from artists and designers who want to expand the digital side of their practice into the physical, to photographers who are interested in how a digital camera works.
No experience is necessary, but coding / electronics experience will allow students to go further with their devices.
Key information
Topics covered
- Electronics design: building electronic circuits, connecting components, powering single board computers, learning about what components suit different contexts
- Programming: introduction to operating systems, learning how to write and run scripts in Python, reading data from sensors with Python, writing a simple ‘Graphical User Interface’ for a physical device in Python, using open-source libraries
- Understanding and responding to the environmental context of computing: learning about the materiality of digital devices, and what steps can be taken to reduce the environmental impact of new devices
Learning outcomes
- Identify the functionality of all key components in a portable device such as: GPU, CPU, RAM, permanent memory, input devices (sensors/controls), output (screens/audio)
- Identify what electrical components are needed to create a portable device and how to put together a circuit
- Learn how an operating system works
- Learn how create and run Python scripts to read data from inputs and output data to outputs
- Work towards creating a simple Graphical User Interface on a small screen
- Be able to explain what choices designers and programmers can make to reduce the environmental impact of electronic devices
- Digital badge and certificate of attendance
Materials
- Please bring your laptop
Book a course
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