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BBC creates micro:bit pocket computer for British schoolchildren
The BBC collaborates with 29 partners to send thousands of miniature computers to every grade 7 child in the UK. This is the BBC you're thinking of - the news organization - and this is not the first time they've done such a project. Micro:bit is aimed at educating the public and setting a creative fire under the feet of the UK's youth. To do this, the micro:bit pocket-sized computer is being distributed for free to students, complete with programmable innards, Bluetooth, built-in compass, and motion detection.
One big "WTF" here is web-based IDE programming tools. There's no specifics about loading programs in the article, but there is a USB port on the micro:bit which will presumably be used to transfer programs into the device - so why send the code out to the web to be programmed instead of including a compiler that runs locally? (For this kind of tiny computer, with a minuscule display, I'm sure something that runs even an a relatively underpowered tablet could be written.)
BBC Finalizes Design For Their New Micro
The BBC has revealed the final design of the Micro Bit, a pocket-sized computer set to be given to about one million UK-based children in October. The device - which features a programmable array of red LED lights - includes two buttons and a built-in motion sensor that were not included in a prototype shown off in March.
The BBC's director general Tony Hall said the device should help tackle the fact children were leaving school knowing how to use computers but not how to program them. "We all know there's a critical and growing digital skills gap in this country and that's why it's so important that we come together and do something about it," he said at a launch event in London.
The Micro Bit is being given away to every 11- and 12-year-old child in Year 7 or equivalent at school.
More on the BBC website.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Tork on Wednesday July 08 2015, @06:18PM
Children will be encouraged to write simple code for the Micro Bit via a new website, which will be accessible on both PCs and mobile devices. ... They will be able to save and test their programs on the site before transferring them to the tiny computer via a USB cable or wireless Bluetooth connection.
But hey, just for fun, let's say that in a parallel universe where you were right and and you had to use Internet Explorer on a Windows 10 machine to program the Micro Bit. So what? If a student programs the computer to do something interesting how can you with a straight face claim that they learned nothing from it? Logic doesn't stop being logic just because Microsoft is involved.
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 09 2015, @06:01AM
If you really think that black boxes improve education you're special as in special olympics.
(Score: 2) by Tork on Friday July 10 2015, @05:11AM
...you're special as in special olympics.
You mean I fight hard to kick ass in life? I appreciate the compliment.
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 2) by mojo chan on Thursday July 09 2015, @09:41AM
It will be interesting to see how this works. Is it some kind of mass storage device that simply accepts a compiled firmware file and executes it, or something else?
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)