Henk Kerssies

Mondial College Nijmegen (the Netherlands)

Microbit is a mini computer which can be used by anyone in a matter of minutes. Even with a minimal knowledge of programing, you can design and play a digital game rapidly. The Microbit is very suitable when it comes to introducing young children to the  wonderful world of programing. At Mondial College, the students who go to our Tech department have had an opportunity to work with the Microbit. Other students have an opportunity to follow a course which will introduce them to the Microbit.

Learning how to work with it, is a ‘learn as you go along’ process. The students get a number of assignments which they can do at their own pace. Some learn faster than the others. Some students have certain advantages because they are already familiar with the programing, because they have been introduced to it at primary school, or at home. Some children have to learn from ‘scratch’, the others are already able to program an Arduino or Raspberry Pi. We, as teachers, distinguish three different levels: start, advanced and expert level. As already stated, the students are able to follow the course at their own pace. It is also possible for students to complete the process in a way which fits their own needs and interests.

Because our students are able to choose their own learning route we have decided to put a number of basic skills in ‘map form’, so the students can learn these at the required moment. Below you can see the example of a basic skill ‘Measuring the magnetic field by using the Microbit’.

In this map the students can find certain requirements, the programing section and the test section. We are still working on developing multiple ‘maps’ at full speed.

We have been working on this for two years and our students, as well as our teachers, are very enthusiastic.