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Firia Labs Unique Educational Approach

Our educational program creates real-world learning experiences for students. This is achieved through the use of:

• Open-ended physical hardware, used to implement meaningful projects
• Open-ended software, integrating development tools with instructional content
• Python, the fastest growing major programming language used in Industry

The term open-ended refers to the ability for students to directly apply the tools well beyond the scope of what is covered in the curriculum. The program comprises a project-based curriculum grounded in the maker mindset: creating new physical devices and tinkering with existing ones. This gives students a context for learning to code, and dramatically increases engagement over traditional computer science instructional methods which focus on solving math problems or manipulating on-screen elements.

Central to the approach is the exclusive use of text-based programming, rather than drag-and-drop icons. Students are guided step-by-step in the process of learning the python language, with the support of web-based software tools that help catch errors and debug programs. This allows a natural process of learning through making mistakes and iteratively fixing them. The approach appeals to students seeking relevance, meaning, and real-world value from instruction.