[domwood]

It's a good way of putting it. Arduinos are probably more directly rewarding and usable (if you're an Engadget reporter anyway), but if I was setting up an under 16's Comp Sci class, It'd have to be the Pi, just 'cause it's more.. educational?

[catch23]

The GPIO pins of the RPi can act as the same digital/analog pins that your arduino has, but if you use the arduino, you're confined to using their processing language to write code.

A typical project for the arduino might be to control a few simple servo motors to drive a small vehicle. Your comp sci class can now teach in python, and have python control the GPIO pins to drive the vehicle.

I think kids would be a lot more excited to learn how to program after seeing how a small $35 device can be used to control a car remotely.

[domwood]

Well put. I'm no kid, and it excites me! I think it's important we don't overlook the levelling effect stuff like this has, the same way Gutenberg took books to the masses, things like this take the ability to create with technology to the masses. It's not quite the same level of revolutionary, but it's still remarkable.