Why are so many people fascinated by Arduino, the platform considered the "precursor" to STEM education?

As an electronics and programming platform designed for ease of learning and use, Arduino allows those without expertise in electronics or programming to create their own electronic products. Launched in 2005, this platform has influenced fields such as engineering, education , and art, and currently attracts over 2 million users worldwide.

Arduino board and corresponding programming software.

Product design skills from junior high school

Having learned Arduino since 8th grade, Phung Anh Triet, an 11th-grade physics student at the High School for the Gifted (Ho Chi Minh City), said that this platform helps him design products for everyday life, such as a system to collect data on water flow and send it to the cloud, or an automatic plant watering system.

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

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

"By eliminating and simplifying complex steps, Arduino makes it easy for learners to get started with programming and electronics. With a little experimentation and guidance from experienced people, students can use Arduino to independently complete projects related to engineering, mechanics, and technology, such as designing a smart home," Bảo said.

Arduino is currently attracting the attention of many students and tech enthusiasts.

Currently a senior software engineer at Zalo, Bao believes that accessing this platform not only provides students with practical experience but also creates opportunities for students in relevant fields and working professionals to save time in developing prototypes.

Hoang Pham Gia Khang, a technology expert in Ho Chi Minh City and author of the Arduino Handbook , believes that Arduino is the "precursor" to STEM education in Vietnam.

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

To approach Arduino in a structured way, experts suggest that learners should practice programming using pre-existing structures before starting to think about project design.

Gia Khang (standing) introduces the application of Arduino in art at the Arduino Day event in Ho Chi Minh City.

Providing skills training for university students.

Despite its popularity among students passionate about technology, many experts believe that Arduino teaching has been limited over the years, mainly taking place spontaneously through communities such as groups, clubs, or workshops (academic exchange and discussion sessions).

However, this is changing. Dr. Truong Trung Kien, Head of the Engineering Department at Fulbright University Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City), said that the university not only organizes free Arduino workshops for junior high school students but also teaches undergraduates how to use the platform in their general education courses. "90% of the students' final projects use Arduino, such as automatic trash cans and odor removal devices," Dr. Kien informed.

Arduino is making its way into universities and colleges in various ways.

According to Dr. Kien, teaching Arduino to students should start with the simplest concepts and not be limited to technical aspects. It should incorporate other elements such as design thinking and problem-solving skills. "Most importantly, students should know how to think critically about using the tool, not just how to program," Dr. Kien stated.

Dr. Kien also believes that the process of introducing Arduino should begin at the junior high school level so that students can initially understand the concepts of programming and product design. By the time they reach university, they will be able to implement more complex projects with more advanced tools beyond Arduino. "Schools also need to collaborate with businesses in training so that students learn how to develop products that are relevant to real-world situations," Dr. Kien said.

According to experts, Arduino is being used in many different fields, from mechanics and electronics to art and education.

From the business perspective, Mr. Le Hong Long, Director of EOH Co., Ltd. (Ho Chi Minh City), said that they are collaborating with several universities and colleges to make Arduino a part of formal training. "The platform not only greatly benefits students, especially in electrical engineering, electronics, and information technology, but also serves as a 'bridge' leading the entire digital transformation from basic to advanced levels," Mr. Long stated.

Showcase products that utilize Arduino.

Concerns

According to Gia Khang, STEM education is facing a "fatal" problem: it cannot escape programming and robotics, with Arduino as its "backbone." This contributes to the booming market for buying and selling science and technology projects to participate in competitions at the high school level, or to complete projects at the college and university levels. "It also causes students to gradually lose interest in STEM fields," Khang added.

Meanwhile, Quoc Bao is concerned that users may become overly dependent on Arduino, leading to knowledge gaps and a lack of understanding of how the platform has simplified operations. This could make it difficult to undertake more professional and elaborate projects that no longer use Arduino. "On the other hand, there is also a preconceived notion that Arduino is just a toy for children and cannot be applied to real-world work," Bao shared.

Dr. Trung Kien believes the biggest obstacle currently is the lack of documentation. Specifically, the market is quite short of Vietnamese-language documentation, and even when available, it usually focuses primarily on technical aspects, neglecting the design thinking and application aspects. "Financial considerations are also a concern, as Arduino boards are quite expensive, even the cheapest ones cost around 200,000 VND, and they are very prone to failure during use," Dr. Kien added.

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