As an electronics-programming platform designed with the criteria of being easy to learn and easy to use, Arduino helps those who have no expertise in electronics or programming to create their own electronic products according to their preferences. Launched in 2005, this platform has influenced the fields of engineering, education, art... and currently attracts more than 2 million users worldwide.

Product design ability from middle school

Learning about Arduino since 8th grade, Phung Anh Triet, a 11th grade physics student at the Gifted High School (HCMC), said that this platform helps him design products to serve his life, such as a system to collect data on water flow and send it to the cloud, or an automatic watering system.

To learn more about this platform, Triet and hundreds of students and technology experts attended the Arduino Day event on July 1 in Ho Chi Minh City. This was an activity organized by the Arduino Vietnam group to celebrate the birthday of the Arduino platform.

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Bao, founder of Arduino Vietnam group - Head of the event organizing committee, said that Arduino has penetrated all levels of education, from junior high school to university and college; most clearly demonstrated in science and technology competitions and STEM education (Science: science; Technology: technology; Engineering: engineering and Math: math).

"By eliminating and simplifying complex steps, Arduino helps learners easily approach programming and electronics early on. By simply exploring and consulting with predecessors, students can apply Arduino to complete projects related to technical, mechanical, and technological factors, such as smart home design," said Mr. Bao.

Currently a senior software engineer at Zalo, Mr. Bao believes that accessing this platform not only helps students gain practical experience, but also creates opportunities for specialized students and working people to save time in creating prototypes.

Mr. Hoang Pham Gia Khang, a technology expert in Ho Chi Minh City - author of the book Arduino Handbook , believes that Arduino is the "predecessor" of STEM education in Vietnam.

"Arduino is the core of many STEM products, both hardware and software, and is considered by students as the first step into the technology realm. From a movement, this platform is now a useful tool in many fields from engineering to art and education," said Mr. Khang.

To approach Arduino systematically, experts say that learners should practice programming according to the available structure and then start thinking about project design.

Popularizing skills for university students

Although popular among students and technology enthusiasts, according to many experts, Arduino teaching has been limited over the years, mainly taking place spontaneously, through communities such as groups, clubs or workshops (academic discussions and exchanges).

However, this story is changing, Dr. Truong Trung Kien, Head of the Engineering Department at Fulbright University Vietnam (HCMC), said that the school not only organizes free workshops on Arduino for secondary school students, but also teaches students how to use this platform in general subjects. "90% of the students' final products use Arduino, such as automatic trash cans, deodorizing devices...", Mr. Kien informed.

According to Dr. Kien, teaching students how to use Arduino should start with the simplest content, and should not only be limited to technical aspects but also incorporate many other factors such as design thinking and solving practical problems in life. "The most important thing is that you know how to think about using tools, not just knowing how to program," said Mr. Kien.

Dr. Kien also believes that the process of approaching Arduino should start from secondary school so that students can initially visualize the concepts of programming and product design. By the time they reach university, they will be able to implement complex projects with more advanced tools besides Arduino. "Schools also need to work with businesses in the training story so that students learn how to develop products suitable for reality," said Mr. Kien.

On the business side, Mr. Le Hong Long, Director of EOH Company Limited (HCMC), said that he is working with a number of universities and colleges to turn Arduino into a part of formal training. "The platform not only helps students a lot, especially in the fields of electricity, electronics and information technology, but is also a 'bridge' leading the entire digital technology transformation from basic to advanced," Mr. Long commented.