BBC micro:bit - einfach und hands-on

Background

Motivation

• Better to play in the forest
• Games are here
• Show what is behind them

Requirements

• simple
• engaging
• physical

Landscape

Scratch

Scratch

• http://scratch.mit.edu
• Lego-like programming
• designed for education
• Teaching resources

Verdict

• Perfect for making simple games
• No interaction with the real world

Arduino

Arduino

• https://www.arduino.cc/
• open-source electronics platform
• aimed at students
  • with no background in electronics and programming
• fairly simple
  • for simple things
• program in C++

Arduino Coding

// Pin 13 has an LED connected on most Arduino boards.
int led = 13;

// the setup routine runs once when you press reset:
void setup() {
  // initialize the digital pin as an output.
  pinMode(led, OUTPUT);
}

// the loop routine runs over and over again forever:
void loop() {
  digitalWrite(led, HIGH);   // turn the LED on
  delay(1000);               // wait for a second
  digitalWrite(led, LOW);    // turn the LED off
  delay(1000);               // wait for a second
}

Verdict

• Plenty of physical interaction
• too advanced

A combination?

• Ease of programming
• Physical real world interaction

micro:bit

• Programming very similar to Scratch
• Interact with the world
  • Sensors
  • LED, Motors

History

• Developed by BBC
• encourage children
  • to get involved in writing software for computers
  • rather than being consumers of media
• given for free to each grade 7 kid (11-12 years)

Front

Back

Interact with the world

• LEDs
• Buttons
• Sensors
  • Light
  • Temperature
  • Motion (accelerometer and compass)
• Wireless Communication
  • via Radio and Bluetooth
• Physical connection pins
• USB interface

Coding

Coding

• In-Browser Editor
• Simulator
• Download

Resources

• Lesson plans
• Projects
• Quick Start Guide

Where to get it

• http://microbit.org/resellers/
  • https://educatec.ch
  • https://www.bischoff-ag.ch
• https://www.maker-shop.ch
• https://www.digitec.ch

Similar efforts

Calliope

Calliope

• German version of the micro:bit
• aimed at schools
• not as well known

Calliope vs micro:bit

• Calliope has more Accentuators
  • Speakers
  • Motors without an extra board
• In German
• fewer resources (?)
• 50.- vs 20.-

Chibitronics

Chibitronics

• programming with arts and crafts
• tools for paper circuits

GoPiGo

GoPiGo

• Robotics kit from Dexter Industries
• Based on Blockly (Scratch-like)
• SparkFun micro:bot kit

Workshop

Hello World

• Warm-up exercise
  • use editor
  • download
• 15 mins
• http://microbit.org/guide/quick/
• http://microbit.org/ideas/

Rock Paper Scissors

• Basic game
  • variable, random, if then else
• 30 mins
• http://microbit.org/en/2017-03-07-rock-paper-scissors/
• https://makecode.microbit.org/projects/rock-paper-scissors

Stop watch

• Basic stop watch with random animations
  • variable, random, if then else, time, strings
• 30 mins
• https://makecode.microbit.org/examples/stop-watch

Avalanche transceiver

• Communicate between micro:bits
  • radio transmission
  • work in teams
• 30 mins
• https://makecode.microbit.org/projects/hot-or-cold

Banana keyboard

• Basic input and sound
  • read input pins, generate sound
• Material
  • cables, crocodile clips, fruit, speaker
• 20 mins
• https://makecode.microbit.org/projects/banana-keyboard

Fireflies

• Communicate between micro:bits
  • swarm behavior
  • advanced concept
• 30 mins
• https://makecode.microbit.org/projects/fireflies

License

Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Source

The source of this presentation is available at https://github.com/egli/microbit-workshop