iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Also if you know anyone with V1s sitting idle you can encourage them to update the firmware for web USB support and then checkout the teaching resources (microbit.org/teach) to help them get started - we still see lots of great V1 usage and it’s still supported! microbit.org/get-started/...

microbit.org

micro:bit teach

Everything teachers need to inspire their students

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Sadly not zero (yet!), but check out some of the usage stats & teacher confidence numbers from rollouts/programmes: 90% or more teachers said they were confident or very confident to use their learning and the materials provided with their students. (Consolidated research from several projects)

microbit.org

micro:bit teach

Everything teachers need to inspire their students

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

10 million micro:bits is a nice number of micro:bits 🎉🌏 🔗 microbit.org/news/2024-12... has great stats on impact and goals for @microbit.org Cheers to the awesome people and partners who have got us off to this excellent start. 🚀

microbit.org

Celebrating 10 million micro:bits around the world

Micro:bit Educational Foundation's 2024 highlights

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

I missed these when JLCPCB announced it - so as I'm late to the party, would love to see creative and beautiful PCBs people have made with it (or similar services) jlcpcb.com/blog/multi-c...

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RPCERC - Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre @rpcerc.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Primary teachers - we're investigating physical computing in schools. Do you have 10 minutes to help us by completing a quick survey? More details and the link are here: computingeducationresearch.org/blog-primary.... Please do share with colleagues in your school and networks too!

computingeducationresearch.org

Primary teachers: tell us about your experience of teaching physical computing - Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre

Calling all UK upper primary school teachers! Share your experience of teaching with the BBC micro:bit in our quick survey and help shape future research. Complete by the end of the term for a chance ...

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Hello! I am Jonny and I try to learn stuff and make things that other people can use to make things and learn stuff. Recently: micro:bit, past: MakeSpace Cambridge. Love creative tech and problem solving. Have a physical keyboard on my phone. I “skipped” Twitter/X so I’m a social media newbie.

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Ah, shame - I am here for edu track day only but I’ll give you a shout if I end up in the “conference fringes” on Monday.

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Neeve Hyland @neevehyland.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

💫Excited to see the Micro:bit Educational Foundation launch CreateAI today on #WorldChildrensDay! 🎉 Use movement data with micro:bit to train a machine learning model and bring AI to life in code. Find out more: microbit.org/news/2024-11... #Microbit #CreateAI #EdChatIE

microbit.org

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

@carlosperate.bsky.social just joined and would make a great addition!

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Carlos @carlosperate.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

My first day here on BlueSky & I’m thrilled to share something really exciting we’ve been working on! ✨ CreateAI ✨ A hands-on tool to explore and create AI with #microbit. Train ML models with movement data & bring them to life with code! 👉 Learn more: microbit.org/news/2024-11... #AI #ML #EdTech

An illustration for CreateAI.
Shows a pair of hands with data waves in the background to represent with motion data, and a micro:bit and MakeCode blocks to represent the AI/ML model running on the micro:bit with a MakeCode programme.
It includes the text: micro:bit Create AI, try our new machine learning tool
And the URL: createai.microbit.org

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

The Micro:bit Educational Foundation just launched micro:bit #CreateAI 🎉! microbit.org/ai/. I love it for playful, physical & creative learning about ML. Use movement data to train/test a model, then use that model in #MakeCode to make an AI thing! Mad excited to see what people make! #microbit

microbit.org

micro:bit and AI

Dive deeper into micro:bit CreateAI

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Tonya Coats @teachercoats.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

go.bsky.app/93bgdee

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

I’m going to be at PyCon AU this Friday for the education track. Give me a shout if you’re going to be there and want to talk #microbit or #python. Looking forward to a fantastic track of talks. #pyconau

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

www.youtube.com/watch?v=asji... This is such a beautiful and clever solution by @loretod.bsky.social, Bill Siever and PrintLab. I love that the micro:bit gets to go inside and play a part. For others that still love text see Loreto's blog www.zeroday.camp/empowering-a... #accessibility #microbit

youtube.com

Micro:bit Assistive Technology Dual Switch | Tap

YouTube video by PrintLab

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 31/10/2024

There are fun days at work, then there are "building a magic-wand controlled pumpkin" days at work :D

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 16/10/2024

That sounds excellent, we'd be really eager to learn about whether there are ways the product could change to help with this too. I'll DM you so we can have a chat :)

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 26/09/2024

The 'images' section in 'advanced' has a neat `show image` block. #MakeCode has a built-in 400ms delay in `basic➡️show leds` and `show icon`, but it's configurable with `images➡️show image`. Plus images can be in arrays... enough to make your heart beat faster. #microbit #faveblocks #TeamCompSci

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 17/09/2024

I think my favourite change in the 2024 #MakeCode release for #microbit is one of the tiniest: make the border colour lighter/stand-out when blocks of the same colour are nested. Makes reading complex block maths so much easier 😃. All the changes at makecode.com/blog/microbi... #TeamCompSci

New MakeCode blocks with clearer highlighting on the blocks for compound expressions

Old MakeCode blocks, harder to read and see order of operations

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 29/08/2024

Any folks in #TeamCompSci tried using the #microbit Python Editor for more general #Python teaching, rather than "micro:bit first" stuff? With the simulator and the REPL you've got a browser-based REPL and some interesting possible inputs. Works with micro:bit Classroom too.

A picture of the microbit Python Editor showing the following code, as well as a REPL that's been used to interact with the code.

# Imports go at the top
from microbit import *

name = input('What is your name? ')
print('Hello', name)

if temperature() > 25:
temp = "hot"
else:
temp = "cold"

temp_response = input(name + " are you " + temp + "? ")

while True:
display.scroll(temp_response)

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 29/08/2024

This week, a more playful one for the #microbit #faveblocks: I love the "free fall" gesture (click on 'shake' dropdown). This micro:bit is deploying an umbrella as a parachute when it is falling ☂️🪂. (Under the hood this just checks the magnitude of acceleration is below a threshold.) #TeamCompSci

An image showing how to get to the 'Freefall' gesture in MakeCode and a sample showing the micro:bit showing an umbrella when free fall is detected.

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 27/08/2024

Don't suppose you're able to make the files for this lovely #microbit case available? I'm sure there are plenty of folks out there who would like to print a few for themselves #TeamCompSci

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 27/08/2024

My family stumbled across this activity on a recent visit and absolutely loved it. Awesome to hear the micro:bit sounds put to playful use! Thanks for sharing the amazing detail behind it.

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Ross Atkin @rossatkin.bsky.social · 22/08/2024

The lovely folks at the V&A Museum asked me to design an activity for kids (and their parents) that tied in with their 'Tropical Modernism' exhibition and had a digital component. It's running every Wed/Thur/Fri in the main museum. I went to do it yesterday with the 6yo and 3yo 🧵

Side elevation drawing of a simple modernist building with walls with various geometric patterns of holes, and also large openings between the walls. A stylised sun shines on the building from the top left and a fan blows from the bottom right. There are two blocky figures with BBC micro:bits (tiny computers) for torsos. One figure is inside the building in the shad and blown by the fan and one is on the roof in the sunshine. The illustration is labelled 'Cool Buildings'

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 22/08/2024

This week, `map`: Great for scaling physical input into the right ranges for micro:bit output - here's a super simple spirit level. Ideal if the maths/scaling part might be a distraction from the lesson and you want to focus more on the making or the output. #microbit #faveblocks.

The map block in Microsoft MkeCode, with a picture of the MakeCode simulator displaying a simple spirit level program. Code is: basic.forever(function () {
basic.clearScreen()
led.plot(Math.map(input.acceleration(Dimension.X), -900, 900, 0, 4), 2)
})

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 22/08/2024

I'm going to try and champion a few of my favourite #MakeCode for #microbit blocks that don't seem to get as much love as (I think 😅) they deserve! Hopefully others doing #computing in #TeamCompSci will have their own #faveblocks

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 20/08/2024

No idea if a Bluesky hashtag will reach some of the #emfcamp shanty singers (from the auntieshanty.org song book) but this looks way up their street!

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 19/08/2024

Awesome thanks! And congrats on the milestone - hope the feeling of loss being joined more strongly with relief, even joy :)

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 19/08/2024

Do you plan to publish it?! Sounds really interesting.

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 19/08/2024

@stockers.bsky.social plenty of great computing folks on this list, probably a bunch of #microbit interest there :D

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Andy Colley @mracolley.bsky.social · 15/08/2024

OK #TeamCompSci. It looks like #EduSky is becoming the place of choice, so here's a starter pack of #Computing folks. Have I missed anyone? go.bsky.app/F7s6AyK #CASChat #CSEd Please share @mraharrison.bsky.social @csteachian.bsky.social @crossbynameonly.bsky.social @compscitsui.bsky.social

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Chris Lovell @mrlovellcomp.bsky.social · 15/08/2024

Join me for a free micro:bit Frogger 🐸 game-making online workshop on Wednesday 28th August 🕹️🎮😃 Workshop aimed at teachers and code club leaders. Click here to access a form to share your email address with me and I will send you a link to join👉 tinyurl.com/2afeyazw

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 15/08/2024

You can swap in the function used to play 'tones' in #MakeCode for #microbit! Replace those robotic tones - your ears will thank you. The API is in Javascript, so I've exposed it in my (personal) pxt-musichelpers extension: github.com/jaustin/pxt-... eg makecode.microbit.org/_RMjhmMh2zTyq

MakeCode screenshot showing modifying the PlayTone function and playing 'happy birthday' with a better tone

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 30/07/2024

Had a couple of questions since #emfcamp about the kickass shanties we all sang together. I've added a list of the more explicitly feminist sea shanties in the Auntie Shanty songbook - www.auntieshanty.org/posts/femini... to save people trawling through the (currently) 106 different songs.

auntieshanty.org

Feminist Shanties

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 17/06/2024

Also if you can mangle your fingers to also hold shift for these operations it allows you to highlight.

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 17/06/2024

The #clickskeyboard superpower I haven't heard mentioned yet is that if you swap "Globe" for "Control" you can use Ctrl+f/b/n/p for moving the cursor forward, backwards, down and up. Also a whole range of other useful shortcuts support.apple.com/en-gb/102650... - Ctrl+D for delete (not backspace)

Screenshot showing "Modifier Keys" settings in iOS with the Globe Key mapped to Control key

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 11/06/2024

I haven't refreshed the tracking status page for anything as much as I am doing for my #clickskeyboard. Customs. Release my thing! (I am still expecting the whole thing to be too long, but my aging Key2 needs a rest)

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 10/06/2024

You get 3.5mm jacks for button A, B, P0, P1, P2 so you can use unmodified MakeCode or Python programs but with assistive switches. Also Jacdac (aka.ms/jacdac) for other accessibility add-ons

aka.ms

Jacdac

Jacdac is a plug-and-play hardware and software stack for microcontrollers and their peripherals such as sensors and actuators. Jacdac is primarily designed for “modular electronics” scenarios that su...

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 10/06/2024

Here's an awesome thing from the desk of fediscience.org/@johnvidler - we've been working on improving accessibility of micro:bit in both hw and sw. This prototype add-on is one avenue. Please shout if you'd like to test it or know people who will be able to - johnvidler.co.uk/blog/the-acc...

A BBC micro:bit and a new 'access:bit' add on that allows plugging assistive switches in

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 28/05/2024

Today I'm prepping for our #emfcamp workshop - trying to decide which messages birds might send to each other ("cat!", "hawk!") and how many pipe cleaners 30 children need to make birds! www.emfcamp.org/schedule/202... for the curious :D

A BBC micro:bit and some pipe cleaner birds for the activity

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 29/04/2024

My workshop proposal for #emfcamp to make pipe cleaner singing birds got accepted 🦜🐥🎉 - based on microbit-carlos.github.io/microbit-bir... but tuned more for kids and families. Anyone got cool #microbit bird ideas to add to it?

microbit-carlos.github.io

BBC micro:bit Bird Activity

Play with micro:bit and join the flock!

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 17/11/2023

🚀🔭One of these boxes on SpaceX-29 contained a micro:bit! It's going to spend some time on the ISS with Andreas Mogensens www.dr.dk/skole/ultrab... as part of the DR ultra:bit project!

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 13/11/2023

Also had these things we called "ears" next to the buttons that let you connect jumper wires directly to the micro:bit. Super useful for prototyping. Also nice for connecting boards together!

micro:bit V2 prototype connected to an external board.

two micro:bit V2s connected together with a 2x2 2.45" header pin

a 2x2 2.54" pin header with jumpers, lined up next to some holes in a micro:bit V2 PCB

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 13/11/2023

Dug out the old micro:bit V2 prototypes that had been buried since we packed the office up for COVID. I think my favourite thing about this particular board is the experiment to use the piezo speaker 'in reverse' as a cheaper alternative to a MEMS microphone.

a prototype micro:bit V2 with flywires connected

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 13/11/2023

Here's how those "ears" (little holes by the buttons) 'worked'. It was a fun experiment - would like to try on future boards!

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Jonny Austin @jonnya.bsky.social · 13/11/2023

Here's the very first micro:bit V2 prototype. It's from Jan 2017 (!) and had loads of things we chose not to ship in the end, like R/G LEDs, "ears" next to the buttons for connecting other boards or cheaply connecting jumper cables. It also had an attempt to use the piezo speaker as a microphone.

prototype BBC micro:bit with flywires connected for bring-up

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