By David Whale
I’ve been a STEM Ambassador since 2013, running workshops, writing content, delivering teacher CPD, supporting teachers in their classrooms and helping solve tech issues online. Last year, BBC Education asked me to help design and deliver a range of projects around the micro:bit device. I recently helped to design two new micro:bit projects for the Gladiators micro:bit Live Lesson. This lesson launched a new design competition. 7- 11 year olds are asked to design a gadget that will help the Gladiators improve their performance and the school gets to win some amazing prizes too. It also signposted the wonder of technology, design and BBC micro:bit to a national audience.
The competition is about design. I think it is a brilliant focus as it can engage a wide range of children – even those that might not necessarily identify with the technology aspects of the device. The Gladiators is also a mammoth motivation — with its family-friendly format and superhero-like figures, it’s a huge hit with the primary pupils I’ve worked with.
The micro:bit is a great example of good design. Many hundreds of hours of thought and care have gone into the micro:bit design to create a fun and cheeky little device that is a joy to use. Crucially, we have ensured that the classroom teacher and the children who use it are at the centre of the whole design effort.
It’s super quick to get going with the micro:bit. There’s no software to install, and from first unboxing, your children will have code written and running on the device in just about one minute. I often call this ‘the micro:bit moment’ as it brings a big beaming smile to the children’s faces. They suddenly realise that they can make the micro:bit do what they want it to do – not what someone else wanted. The immediacy of the device gives fast feedback to children and the teacher, inspiring them to be more curious about how technology works, and what else they could make it do.
The micro:bit is great for bringing ideas to life by building little prototypes. It allows children to quickly experiment with concepts, join some code blocks together, add some icons and sounds, and then share their prototype with others. The icons and cute sounds give the micro:bit a unique personality. It engages children, making the experience fun while they are simultaneously learning all about technology and product design.
Many aspects of the micro:bit pare back computers to their simplest form, making them obvious and easy to use. For example, in this world of pictures with millions of pixels, the micro:bit has just 25 (pixels, that is). And yet, children can communicate emotions, design on-screen games or even create a night light to keep them comforted when they sleep.
Ideas are key, but it is the design process that brings those ideas to life. On the micro:bit website, there are a wealth of resources to support teachers and inspire children. Enabling children to understand how design shapes the technology we use, encouraging them to work together, and helping them to develop and communicate their ideas are valuable life skills.
David Whale is a BBC micro:bit Expert and STEM Ambassador.
For more information about the Gladiators micro:bit competition, to watch the Live Lesson or to download the accompanying resources, please visit: www.bbc.co.uk/microbit
