Digit(all), micro:bits and the climate: Making physical computing meaningful
)
I’ve been attending Bett for over 10 years, both as a computing teacher and more recently as the Community and Education Lead for Digit<all>, a charity that provides training for teachers, and workshops and enrichment camps for young people, both in school and in the community. These opportunities are linked to the context of digital roles such as in space, sport and cyber security.
For someone operating in the classroom, there’s always been something to keep me coming back to Bett, whether it’s a must see talk or exhibitor, having a rare catch-up with colleagues from other schools, or finding the best coffee.
But it’s the addition of Tech User Labs that has, to my mind, been the most impactful addition in recent years. These training sessions and workshops that take place over the course of Bett are the best way to see new developments in action, upskill yourself and see what sort of creative computing projects are on the horizon. This year Digit<all> was lucky enough to contribute to the Tech User Labs and we had a great time.
As a charity that provides free computing-related training, resources and workshops to schools, we enjoyed demonstrating aspects of our new unit of work: Coding for Climate Action.
A new Key Stage 2 and 3 Computing-Science unit, it encourages students to code micro:bits for early warning systems, addressing natural hazards and exploring climate change through project-based learning. The aim is to empower students to use technology and coding to tackle environmental challenges.
We also demonstrated how we will be using the machine learning tool from micro:bits in some of the new Coding for Climate Action units of work that will be released in April.
The session was well attended with over 70 people waving and spinning micro:bits around in the pursuit of academic excellence. Teachers who attended the session were from as far afield as Indonesia and as local as Hackney. It was great to be able to introduce so many people to new initiatives and hopefully help inject some creativity and purpose into their teaching.
To learn more about Digit<all> and the new Coding for Climate Action units, subscribe to the mailing list and newsletter here.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=logo}
){kind=logo}
)
)
)
)
){kind=logo}
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=logo}
)
)
){kind=logo}
)
)
.jpg/fit-in/500x500/filters:no_upscale()){kind=logo}
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=logo}
)
)
)
){kind=logo}
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=logo}
)
)
){kind=logo}
){kind=logo}
)
)
){kind=logo}
)