--- title: SparkFun Education Blog | Shawn Hymel description: Maker Education Blog --- [![Sparkfun](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/img/logo.png)](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/index.html) - [SparkFun Webstore](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com) - [Higher Ed](https://sparkfuneducation.com/higher-ed/index.html) - [Contact Us](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/contact-us.html) - [Follow Us](https://twitter.com/SparkFunEDU) - [Home](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com) - [Blog](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com) - [Curriculum](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/curriculum.html) - [PD/Events](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/professional-dev.html) - [KITS/Materials](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/materials.html) - [Educator Stories](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/educator-stories.html) - [Activities](https://activities.sparkfuneducation.com) [Blog Home](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/) / SparkFun Education Blog ## Shawn Hymel ![](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/hubfs/EDU/Shawn%20Hymel.jpg) ### Recent Posts [![](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/hubfs/Python_Images-02-1.jpg)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/getting-started-with-micropython) ## [Getting Started with MicroPython](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/getting-started-with-micropython) BY [Shawn Hymel](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/shawn-hymel) 9/27/18 6:30 AM [0](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/getting-started-with-micropython#comments-listing) [python](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/python) [micro:bit](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/microbit) [microcontroller](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/microcontroller) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) If you are already teaching Python in the classroom, MicroPython can be a fantastic way to introduce microcontrollers into the mix to interact with hardware by blinking lights, responding to button ... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/getting-started-with-micropython) [![](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/hubfs/templivefast1.gif)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/plot-live-sensor-data-with-python) ## [Plot Live Sensor Data with Python](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/plot-live-sensor-data-with-python) BY [Shawn Hymel](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/shawn-hymel) 7/24/18 6:34 AM [2](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/plot-live-sensor-data-with-python#comments-listing) [python](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/python) [computer science](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/computer-science) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Python offers a fun and easy entry into text-based programming, and is also used by professionals for quick prototyping to run websites, test algorithms and control robots. When used on the Raspberry ... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/plot-live-sensor-data-with-python) [![](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/hubfs/Headless_RPi_Twitter_Monitor.jpg)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/using-a-raspberry-pi-without-a-monitor) ## [Using a Raspberry Pi Without a Monitor](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/using-a-raspberry-pi-without-a-monitor) BY [Shawn Hymel](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/shawn-hymel) 5/31/18 6:28 AM [0](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/using-a-raspberry-pi-without-a-monitor#comments-listing) [python](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/python) [programming](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/programming) [helpful information](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/helpful-information) [raspberry pi](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/raspberry-pi) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) The Raspberry Pi is a fantastic little computer that enjoys widespread popularity in the classroom. Teachers are able to use it as an inexpensive platform for teaching a variety of coding concepts. ... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/using-a-raspberry-pi-without-a-monitor) [![](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/hubfs/37703736591_68398b4b9d_k.jpg)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/sparkfun-avc-2018-rules) ## [SparkFun AVC 2018 Rules](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/sparkfun-avc-2018-rules) BY [Shawn Hymel](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/shawn-hymel) 5/1/18 7:00 AM [0](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/sparkfun-avc-2018-rules#comments-listing) [AVC](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/avc) [robotics](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/robotics) [STEM](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/stem) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Start your engines! If you're ready to build your bot to compete in one of SparkFun's Autonomous Vehicle Competition divisions, we've got the rules ready for you:... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/sparkfun-avc-2018-rules) [![](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/hubfs/2018-02-06_-_External_Interrupts_cr.png)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/understanding-the-inner-workings-of-arduino-interrupts) ## [Understanding the Inner Workings of Arduino: Interrupts](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/understanding-the-inner-workings-of-arduino-interrupts) BY [Shawn Hymel](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/shawn-hymel) 3/22/18 1:37 PM [0](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/understanding-the-inner-workings-of-arduino-interrupts#comments-listing) [Arduino](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/arduino) [programming](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/programming) [computer science](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/computer-science) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Last time, we dove under the hood of the Arduino UNO and looked at how registers work in microcontrollers. While the Arduino framework is a great tool for making projects quickly and with little ... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/understanding-the-inner-workings-of-arduino-interrupts) [![](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/hubfs/AIS.png)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/understanding-the-inner-workings-of-arduino-registers) ## [Understanding the Inner Workings of Arduino: Registers](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/understanding-the-inner-workings-of-arduino-registers) BY [Shawn Hymel](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/shawn-hymel) 1/23/18 6:33 AM [6](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/understanding-the-inner-workings-of-arduino-registers#comments-listing) [Arduino](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/arduino) [Adventures in Science](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/adventures-in-science) [programming](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/programming) [computer science](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/computer-science) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Arduino is an amazing teaching tool that has been used in classrooms all over the world to engage students with material, introduce them to programming and entice them to start tinkering with ... 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