BBC MicroBit................Are they unicorns?

[maark]

our IT teacher is doing lessons with year 7 now they have arrived - if you have a 3d printer -https://www.myminifactory.com/object/micro-bit-egg-timer-18361

[kearton]

Still no sign of these Unicorns.

Getting really bored of the wait.

Is there any news on delays?

 

They have finally arrived

 

Did they just turn up? Or did you have to chase?

[RobWilson-BBR]

Hi, I received an email a few days before. They came from a company called, Philip Harris. They supply technical equipment to the education market. The MicroBits arrived about two days later. I do find it quite galling that the BBC are still drumming the drum and saying what a success it has been. When quite frankly, they've cocked up big time on the delivery of this project. Its built on good intensions and hearts, rather than a solid business case and a real need. They'd be better putting resources around scratch and raspberry pi. They have reinvented the wheel, but came back something that rather square.

 

Although, after playing around with one, they are rather good. :-)

[Trojan]

So are these still for this year's intake y7 or are they now for next years? Do we get another batch next year or was this a one time deal?

[RobWilson-BBR]

So are these still for this year's intake y7 or are they now for next years? Do we get another batch next year or was this a one time deal?

From what I understand (information from this forum and others) is that the MicroBits belong to this years 7. The schools were used to push out the devices. Next Years, year 7 will have to buy them £12. Hence, a few schools are not using them, as they cannot afford to purchase hundreds of these each year. I suspect teachers don't want to change there lesson plans to much to take into account the device.

 

 

Its a once in a life time deal, unfortunately.

[Trojan]

That's a bit naff then really

[localzuk]

From what I understand (information from this forum and others) is that the MicroBits belong to this years 7. The schools were used to push out the devices. Next Years, year 7 will have to buy them £12. Hence, a few schools are not using them, as they cannot afford to purchase hundreds of these each year. I suspect teachers don't want to change there lesson plans to much to take into account the device.

 

 

Its a once in a life time deal, unfortunately.

 

Seems completely pointless then really. It'd've been more effective to give schools a class set of Raspberry Pi 3s, and a few extra to loan to the gifted and talented.

[RobWilson-BBR]

That's a bit naff then really

 

Yep. All those millions of BBC TV License money used for a one off project, that was not delivered on time. Very poor.

[Trojan]

I mean it's a neat device, I like the accessibility but the year is almost over, they are not getting into lessons and lesson plans now are they!

[RobWilson-BBR]

Seems completely pointless then really. It'd've been more effective to give schools a class set of Raspberry Pi 3s, and a few extra to loan to the gifted and talented.

 

I cannot agree more. A real shame. I suspect the marketing people ran the project and then they rang the developers as a last resort. When they found it did not work quite as they expected. (Hint: Battery issue!)

 

Why did they not back the Raspberry Pi, I have no idea.

[mavhc]

Because it's an embedded device, takes 2 lines of code to run a program, no OS to go wrong. Works with new types of inputs like tilt and compass. The idea is to have a different kind of device, not yet another PC.

 

Also didn't use licence fees, corporate sponsors.

[theeggmaster]

I agree with using the Raspberry Pi. They could have even used the Pi Zero. I'm looking at the Micro:Bit on my desk, trying to think of what to do with it. In the meantime I've got a Raspberry Pi timelapse camera, NagiosPi monitoring and 15 Raspberry Pis used for Python coding through PiNet.

[RobWilson-BBR]

Because it's an embedded device, takes 2 lines of code to run a program, no OS to go wrong. Works with new types of inputs like tilt and compass. The idea is to have a different kind of device, not yet another PC.

 

Also didn't use licence fees, corporate sponsors.

 

There is nothing wrong with the device, its good. Just poorly executed.

 

Not sure about the costs though, BBC has not actually said how much they had to invest in the device and everything that went with it. see here Micro Bit - questions and answers - BBC News

 

It would have been great if they had said they would push these out on time, and for the next 5 years. That would have a been a long term strategy, and be better for school and expanding skills. I suspect this time next year, they'd be forgotten.

 

These are my thoughts. I am relatively knew to education, but I have worked within the "public" sector before and seen projects start and then never implemented correctly. I am an old cynical IT Manager, after all.

[mavhc]

Just give them to next year's Year 7s and start lessons then. Not sure if there's anything anyone signed to say they'd be handed out to specific people

 

From the email I got:

What's in the box?

 

Your Year 7 student allocation - the number of BBC micro:bits you've requested from us.

An additional BBC micro:bit provided by Kitronik, one of our partners. This one is especially for your Design and Technology teacher so please pass it on.

An additional five micro:bits to use as a classroom resource.

And yet more micro:bits – these are to replace any devices that arrive damaged or do not work on first use.

Each student micro:bit will also come with a mini usb cable and a battery pack. We have also included enough batteries (2 x AAA) for every student micro:bit.

 

We have 8 year 7s and were sent 23 microbits. 3 initially and 2 boxes of 10

[mavhc]

I agree with using the Raspberry Pi. They could have even used the Pi Zero. I'm looking at the Micro:Bit on my desk, trying to think of what to do with it. In the meantime I've got a Raspberry Pi timelapse camera, NagiosPi monitoring and 15 Raspberry Pis used for Python coding through PiNet.

 

They're for 12 year olds, if you have 12 year olds who can install linux, fair enough. But most of them seem to really like being able to run a program they just created on hardware with buttons and tilt sensors etc, and have it battery powered so they can walk around with their compass, or put it in a rocket car to measure g forces

[localzuk]

They're for 12 year olds, if you have 12 year olds who can install linux, fair enough. But most of them seem to really like being able to run a program they just created on hardware with buttons and tilt sensors etc, and have it battery powered so they can walk around with their compass, or put it in a rocket car to measure g forces

 

They wouldn't need to install Linux - this would be provided with the device, pre-installed and ready to go. So all they'd need to do is create their program and run it. You can battery operate Raspberry Pi computers of all sizes also. Not to mention all those accessories can be used with them also.

 

Similarly, they could've used Arduino devices - they're simple to program and have no OS to worry about either. Plus there's a *massive* amount of accesories for them already (I have a DMX screen for mine, for example, RFID reader, GPS, wifi etc...).

[mavhc]

Which Arduino would compare, I'm looking at the Zero, as it's also a Cortex M0, but you'd still need another board to add leds, buttons, tilt and compass. And needs drivers, a program to upload code.

 

Still not seeing the problem, it's not a copy of anything that exists, it's easier to use, and cheaper

[localzuk]

Which Arduino would compare, I'm looking at the Zero, as it's also a Cortex M0, but you'd still need another board to add leds, buttons, tilt and compass. And needs drivers, a program to upload code.

 

Still not seeing the problem, it's not a copy of anything that exists, it's easier to use, and cheaper

 

The Arduino Uno (there are many clones, which are cheap as chips), would be a good choice. Installing software is as simple as putting it into the IDE and uploading it. You can add shields and the like for led's and whatever you want, and it'd still come in cheaper than the Micro Bit.

[mavhc]

Hmm, not seeing any similar LED shields, wonder if someone will make a micro:bit IO clone shield for arduino. 25 LEDs, 2 buttons, compass, tilt.

 

Should cost exactly the same as the micro:bit in the end, if it's a single board.

 

I downloaded the software for Arduino, pity there's no MSI, but there's a zip. However it uses java. The zip has an old version of java bundled, fun.

 

Is there any visual programming language like Blocks for Arduino?

 

For younger kids I think micro:bit is better, simple, visual programming, drag downloaded file to usb drive to upload.

 

For GCSE you could stick with a micro:bit and move to micropython, gives you the REPL/serial monitor.

 

Python on Arduino seems kinda dead, pity. Obviously if you want your project to interface with other stuff more likely an Arduino interface will exist.

[localzuk]

Hmm, not seeing any similar LED shields, wonder if someone will make a micro:bit IO clone shield for arduino. 25 LEDs, 2 buttons, compass, tilt.

 

There's loads of them. 1PCS MAX7219 Dot led matrix module MCU control LED Display module for Arduino | eBay is an example.

 

Compass - HMC5883L Triple Electronic Compass Magnetometer Sensor Module Arduino | eBay

 

Buttons - 4x4 Matrix 16 Keypad Keyboard Module 16 Button MCU TACT Tactile Switch Arduino | eBay

 

Tilt - MMA8451 (MMA7455) digital triaxial accelerometer precision tilt arduino 3-Axis | eBay

 

Sure, they're all individual boards, but there's no reason why the BBC couldn't have teamed up with the Arduino community and crafted an Ardunio with all these things included, as the board design is open source...

 

Should cost exactly the same as the micro:bit in the end, if it's a single board.

 

I downloaded the software for Arduino, pity there's no MSI, but there's a zip. However it uses java. The zip has an old version of java bundled, fun.

 

Is there any visual programming language like Blocks for Arduino?

 

S4A

 

For younger kids I think micro:bit is better, simple, visual programming, drag downloaded file to usb drive to upload.

 

For GCSE you could stick with a micro:bit and move to micropython, gives you the REPL/serial monitor.

 

Python on Arduino seems kinda dead, pity. Obviously if you want your project to interface with other stuff more likely an Arduino interface will exist.

 

Why Python?

[mavhc]

I assume all the boards can be plugged in at once.

 

S4A looks decent, no msi again though, sigh.

 

Because everybody loves python. Well, except web programmers for some reason, silly people.

 

I really do like the 0 software install USB mass storage method for beginners, they can take the device to any computer and code for it. Don't think any of my pupils ended up installing a programming language on their home computers.