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Germans React to UK’s micro:bit

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Re: Germans React to UK’s micro:bit

#2

Post by msravi »

It's somewhat surprising to me that the "block editor" thing is so popular in these beginner kits. My son (almost 11) was introduced to it at school[1] and did not find it intuitive at all. We then got an Arduino and started to write some simple programs, and he took to it right off the bat. The Arduino programming platform is simple enough to get a 10-year old started off and scales so well to "professional" projects. IMHO, schools should probably just use the Arduino platform. But I guess different kids think differently, learn differently, and what's intuitive for one might not be so for another.

[1] http://biboxlabs.in/

Re: Germans React to UK’s micro:bit

#5

Post by scoot »

msravi wrote: post #2

It's somewhat surprising to me that the "block editor" thing is so popular in these beginner kits. My son (almost 11) was introduced to it at school[1] and did not find it intuitive at all. We then got an Arduino and started to write some simple programs, and he took to it right off the bat. The Arduino programming platform is simple enough to get a 10-year old started off and scales so well to "professional" project…

The Scratch-like drag -and-drop programming environment is only one of several. Code Kingdoms Javascript supports both block and text, and transitioning from one to the other, MS Touch Develop is text based, and then there's Python:

https://www.microbit.co.uk/create-code#

You can also program the hardware directly.

Re: Germans React to UK’s micro:bit

#6

Post by pyb »

msravi wrote: post #2

It's somewhat surprising to me that the "block editor" thing is so popular in these beginner kits. My son (almost 11) was introduced to it at school[1] and did not find it intuitive at all. We then got an Arduino and started to write some simple programs, and he took to it right off the bat. The Arduino programming platform is simple enough to get a 10-year old started off and scales so well to "professional" project…

I find block editors, and more generally visual languages great, or awful, depending on the application domain. Scratch is an example of a great fit. The Lego Mindstorms environment is an example of a bad fit IMO. I'm not too sure what they should have proposed instead though.

Re: Germans React to UK’s micro:bit

#8

Post by linker3000 »

msravi wrote: post #2

It's somewhat surprising to me that the "block editor" thing is so popular in these beginner kits. My son (almost 11) was introduced to it at school[1] and did not find it intuitive at all. We then got an Arduino and started to write some simple programs, and he took to it right off the bat. The Arduino programming platform is simple enough to get a 10-year old started off and scales so well to "professional" project…

Yeah, the block editor is a quick win for younger children, but it's not good for teaching more realistic approaches to 'proper' coding; heading the Java or MicroPython route seems to be more suitable and engaging for older pupils.

The guys who ported MicroPython to the micro:bit have done a great job but, regrettably, by the time the MicroPython framework has been loaded on the micro:bit, the amount of room left for more complex programs is a bit tight.

Arduino is used in UK schools, but the one I hear a lot about is Crumble as it's designed to build motorised things very easily: http://redfernelectronics.co.uk/crumble/

(Disclaimer: I am a volunteer STEM Ambassador working with UK schools and educators in the fields of electronics and computing. I have no business relationship with Crumble)

Re: Germans React to UK’s micro:bit

#9

Post by linker3000 »

scoot wrote: post #5
msravi wrote: post #2

It's somewhat surprising to me that the "block editor" thing is so popular in these beginner kits. My son (almost 11) was introduced to it at school[1] and did not find it intuitive at all. We then got an Arduino and started to write some simple programs, and he took to it right off the bat. The Arduino programming platform is simple enough to get a 10-year old started off and scales so well to "professional" project…

The Scratch-like drag -and-drop programming environment is only one of several. Code Kingdoms Javascript supports both block and text, and transitioning from one to the other, MS Touch Develop is text based, and then there's Python: https://www.microbit.co.uk/create-code# You can also program the hardware directly.

Yes, the PlatformIO IDE (C/C++) also supports the micro:bit.
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