A micro:bit is a micro-controller designed by BBC for the use of computer education. It’s basically a mini-computer! The micro:bit can be programmed and makes use of multiple sensors including an accelerometer, a magnetometer, Bluetooth, a 25 LED display and two mechanical push-buttons (the V2 MBit also has a microphone, speaker and touch sensor). The function of the micro:bit is in the open hands of the user’s creativity which can include: games, tools, toys, science experiments, etc.
The micro:bit can be programmed using the ‘official’ code editor which supports block coding (by Microsoft MakeCode), Python and JavaScript. The Micro:bit can also be programmed using a Scratch block coding plugin.
Coding has become a very valuable skill and is recognized as part of the ADST (applied design skills and technologies) curriculum. Outside of teaching your students job-marketable skills, the act of coding helps to teach your students mathematical logic, creative exploration, how to understand systems, and a systemic procedure that exists in common computer programs (automator, video editing, animation, web design.)
By coding a micro:controller, you are also providing students with a more kinesthetic experience. They are coding to ‘make something do something’!
The micro:bit can be used as an entry point for beginners but can also level up to allow more intermediate users (including secondary students and beyond) to code and make. One of the biggest barriers to teaching coding to a new audience is how complicated and detailed text-based programming languages can seem off first glance. The official micro:bit block code editor attempts to circumvent this barrier by representing functional code bits in terms of visual blocks. This makes coding seem more like joining puzzle pieces together rather than typing out complex functions. To further allow the ‘levelling up’, you can toggle in the make code editor between the visual programming blocks and the javascript editor!
- Go to microbit.org
- Click Let’s Code
- Select between the JavaScript Visual Blocks Editor (more guidance, comes with the block editor, tutorials, and projects) or the Python Editor (less guidance) and click Let’s Code under your respective choice. You can also select Micro:bit Classroom to share and manage coding sessions for your classroom.
- Start building your code!
- Once you are finished building your code, download your code into the form of a .hex file, connect your micro:bit to your computer and upload the .hex file into the micro:bit’s drive
- Test it out, revise your code, and have fun!
micro:bit extras
Click above to view a sample of micro:bits’ tutorials and games section.
micro:bit step-by-step tutorials and games
If you are new to coding, and you would like a smooth introduction into how to use your micro:bit, I would suggest starting with micro:bit’s tutorials and sample games. In the official micro:bit MakeCode code editor, you can find micro:bit’s tutorials as well as pre-made sample games in the MakeCode dashboard. The sample games and tutorials will guide you through building a project step-by-step with an explanation of how the code is working.
Block coding to text coding
While block coding is a very effective way to expose students to coding, block coding is not typically used outside of educational contexts. We might see block coding as providing some foundational skills, including computational thinking, as a stepping stone towards learning text coding such as Java, JavaScript, Python etc.
The official micro:bit MakeCode block editor provides a button that allows you to swap between JavaScript and block code. In conjunction with building a program with blocks, a student can flip back and forth between JavaScript and block code to see how the two translate into one another. Furthermore, once a student feels comfortable building with block code, introducing text coding to a student would seem much less daunting. The structural component of block coding remains in text code; the student would only need to learn the syntax of a text coding language to get a fair grasp of the language.
More resources
Check out our blog post about coding in classrooms!
BBC Microbits has a Lesson bank for Micro:bit that is searchable by theme and subject area.
Canada Learning Code MicroBit Challenge connected to UN Global goals.
Pinnguaq is a Canadian NGO working with and within northern, Indigenous and other communities on STEAM, ADST and digital tech competencies and has developed many resources related to MBits and more.
*post updated July, 2023
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