Understand
Explain electronics, Arduino hardware, C++ structures, sensors, buses and actuator drivers.
Arduino Uno - Self-study - College practical preparation
Learn Arduino by understanding, building and testing
A complete 33-lesson path from safe first circuits to integrated projects and practical assessments.
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What you will be able to do
Build safely
Plan power, wire breadboards, protect outputs and verify circuits before energising.
Code independently
Read inputs, make decisions, schedule tasks, organise functions and diagnose faults.
Prove competence
Complete projects, measurements, code explanations, practical evidence and mock assessments.
Starter kit and safety
Core equipment
Uno, USB data cable, breadboard, jumpers, multimeter, LEDs/resistors, buttons, potentiometer and buzzer.
Modules
Servo, motor driver, stepper driver, LCD, DHT11, RTC, LDR/thermistor, ultrasonic and IR receiver.
Safety boundary
Use extra-low-voltage DC only. Never connect mains. Motors and servos require suitable external supplies and common GND.
Seven-unit learning path
Unit A - Foundations
6 lessons
Safety, Electricity & Breadboards - Microcontrollers & the Arduino Uno - Arduino IDE 2 & First Upload...
Unit B - Inputs & Outputs5 lessons
Digital Outputs, RGB LEDs & Buzzers - Digital Inputs, Pull-Ups & Debouncing - UART Serial & Debugging...
Unit C - Actuators & Displays5 lessons
Transistors, MOSFETs & Relays - Servo Motors - DC Motors & H-Bridges...
Unit D - Sensors & Buses7 lessons
I2C, Address Scanning & I2C LCD - DHT11 Temperature & Humidity - DS1307 RTC & Formatted Text...
Unit E - College Practice6 lessons
Practical Fault-Finding & Multimeter Skills - Capstone 1: Environmental Monitor - Capstone 2: Clock, Alarm & Servo...
Unit F - Assessment & Reference3 lessons
College Practical Assessments - Theory Reference - Build Your Own Library
Unit G - ESP321 lessons
Introducing the ESP32 Family
All lessons
Work in order if you are new, or search for a revision topic.
01Unit A - Foundations
Safety, Electricity & Breadboards
Work safely and build reliable low-voltage circuits.
2-3 hours02Unit A - FoundationsMicrocontrollers & the Arduino Uno
Understand the computer inside the Uno and its connections.
2-3 hours03Unit A - FoundationsArduino IDE 2 & First Upload
Install, verify, upload and diagnose the Blink sketch.
2 hours04Unit A - FoundationsSketch Structure, Variables & Types
Write readable sketches and store values safely.
3 hours05Unit A - FoundationsOperators & Decisions
Calculate, compare and select actions.
3 hours06Unit A - FoundationsLoops, Arrays & Functions
Remove repetition and organise reusable code.
4 hours07Unit B - Inputs & OutputsDigital Outputs, RGB LEDs & Buzzers
Control binary outputs and generate sound.
3 hours08Unit B - Inputs & OutputsDigital Inputs, Pull-Ups & Debouncing
Read stable button and switch signals.
3 hours09Unit B - Inputs & OutputsUART Serial & Debugging
Observe programs and receive commands from a computer.
3 hours10Unit B - Inputs & OutputsAnalogue Inputs, ADC & Voltage Dividers
Measure voltage and scale readings into engineering values.
4 hours11Unit B - Inputs & OutputsPWM, millis() & State Machines
Control average power while several tasks run together.
4 hours12Unit C - Actuators & DisplaysTransistors, MOSFETs & Relays
Switch loads safely without overloading an Arduino pin.
4 hours13Unit C - Actuators & DisplaysServo Motors
Command and safely power a closed-loop position actuator.
3 hours14Unit C - Actuators & DisplaysDC Motors & H-Bridges
Control motor direction, speed and stopping safely.
4 hours15Unit C - Actuators & DisplaysStepper Motors & Drivers
Produce repeatable incremental motion.
4 hours16Unit C - Actuators & Displays16x2 LCD in 4-Bit Mode
Display text and live values on a character LCD.
4 hours17Unit D - Sensors & BusesI2C, Address Scanning & I2C LCD
Share a two-wire bus and simplify display wiring.
4 hours18Unit D - Sensors & BusesDHT11 Temperature & Humidity
Use a library-based digital environmental sensor.
3 hours19Unit D - Sensors & BusesDS1307 RTC & Formatted Text
Keep calendar time through power loss and format it for displays.
4 hours20Unit D - Sensors & BusesThermistors, LDRs & Calibration
Convert resistance changes into calibrated measurements.
5 hours21Unit D - Sensors & BusesHC-SR04 Ultrasonic Distance
Measure echo time and handle missing or noisy returns.
4 hours22Unit D - Sensors & BusesInfrared Remote Control
Decode modulated infrared commands and map them to actions.
3 hours23Unit D - Sensors & BusesUART, I2C & SPI Reference
Choose and troubleshoot common embedded communication buses.
3 hours24Unit E - College PracticePractical Fault-Finding & Multimeter Skills
Diagnose circuits methodically instead of guessing.
4-5 hours25Unit E - College PracticeCapstone 1: Environmental Monitor
Integrate sensing, display, timing and alarms.
6-8 hours26Unit E - College PracticeCapstone 2: Clock, Alarm & Servo
Build a timed actuator system without blocking delays.
6-8 hours27Unit E - College PracticeNon-Blocking Timing with millis()
Run several timed tasks together without delay().
3 hours28Unit E - College PracticeExternal Interrupts
React instantly to a pin edge, then finish the work in loop().
3 hours29Unit E - College PracticeMFRC522 RFID Access Log (VMA202)
Allow listed cards to unlock a solenoid while every scan is logged to the Velleman VMA202 SD card.
5-6 hours30Unit F - Assessment & ReferenceCollege Practical Assessments
Demonstrate planning, construction, coding, testing and fault-finding.
8-12 hours31Unit F - Assessment & ReferenceTheory Reference
Full language, I/O and circuit theory reference for this course. Read the matching sections before practical lessons.
Reference - use as needed32Unit F - Assessment & ReferenceBuild Your Own Library
Full SimpleThermistor walkthrough: library folder layout, .h/.cpp class, test sketch and thermistor divider wiring.
2-3 hours33Unit G - ESP32Introducing the ESP32 Family
Meet ESP32, ESP32-C3, ESP32-C5, ESP32-C6 and ESP32-P4, compare them with the Uno, and install Espressif support in Arduino IDE 2.
2-3 hours