It’s an educational pocket-sized codable computer with a motion detector, compass, and other sensors. Wikipedia describes the micro:bit as “half the size of a credit card” — (43 mm x 52 mm or 1.7 inches by 2.0 inches). <\/p>\n
Now long-time Slashdot reader theodp writes: If British schoolchildren aren’t inspired to code by the tiny 5×5 grid of LED lights on the micro:bit single-board computer, well it’s not for lack of trying. The BBC on Monday announced a partnership with Microsoft, Arm, and others that will offer a classroom set of 30 free handheld BBC micro:bits (about 700,000 total devices) and brand-new teaching resources to every primary school across the UK “to support all schoolchildren and teachers…” <\/p>\n
The news follows January’s announcement of the Micro:bit Educational Foundation’s newest partnership. They teamed with US-based\/tech giant-backed nonprofit Code.org to offer teachers computing resources to incorporate the micro:bit in Code.org’s CS Fundamentals curriculum (aimed at children in Kindergarten-5th Grade). <\/p>\n
Microsoft is a Founding Partner of both the Micro:bit Educational Foundation and Code.org, and back in 2015 Microsoft also partnered with the BBC to provide an estimated 1 million free micro:bits to every 11- and 12-year old in the UK. A 2017 research paper reported that after testing with 15 teachers, “primarily comments around engagement were positive.” But one skeptical teacher offered some doubts about the appeal of a small relatively low-tech device to younger children.
\n “I mean I think it’s cute but I could easily see why you know a 4K mobile phone screen is going to hold more appeal than regular LEDs … I think there is merit in that but I could see how people would understandably go where’s the screen?”<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\nRead more of this story<\/a> at Slashdot.<\/p>\n
It’s an educational pocket-sized codable computer with a motion detector, compass, and other sensors. Wikipedia describes the micro:bit as “half the size of a credit card” — (43 mm x 52 mm or 1.7 inches by 2.0 inches). Now long-time … Continue reading
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\nSource: Slashdot – 700,000 Free Programmable ‘Micro Bits’ with LEDs Given to UK Schools<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"