Treffer: Next-Generation LED Display Control: Simplified Python Solutions on Raspberry Pi

The fundamental concepts, while crucial, can sometimes feel abstract and disconnected from the creative power of coding in most students taking computer science courses. Media Computation, where students draw and edit images programmatically, has been shown to be a best practice in teaching Introduction to Computer Science since it derives concrete examples from abstract ones. Oberlin's CSCI 150 uses a Python module called the picture to allow students to programmatically draw and display images by creating lines and shapes and modifying images pixel by pixel. In this project, we extend the picture module to add the ability to display images on a 128 by 128 LED matrix. We developed sample demonstration programs to make it easy for students to learn, and this will allow them to manipulate easily for animations and pattern development. Future work will look at whether the ability to display their work on a large LED matrix will increase student excitement and motivation about Computer Science, which can later be introduced in the introductory course.