Digital Leaders’ Year 7 #BBC Micro:bit Project

From the beginning, I never wanted to just give out 150 Micro:bits to Year 7s and hope good things would happen.  Whether it’s staff or students, there has to be a strategy to engage people and build capacity.  This is ours…

There were no Micro:bits after the official training.  We bought 6 code bugs and Y8 Digital Leaders had their first taste of online coding and downloading hex files onto devices.

They did a tremendous job of showing Year 6s at the Opening Evening too.

We then brought in keen Year 7s through the Code Club, with peer training:

With thanks to @clcsimon.

We then set up the following structures to support the arrival of the Micro:bits and a cascade peer -training programme:

1. a central page with links to equipment, documents and tasks.

2. Dls chose two essentials tasks and a third free choice for ‘qualification’
Answering machine / Rock paper scissors / one from Other Block Editor Lessons to try.

3. A Google doc to show qualification of each ‘trainer’ and then Y7 trainees:

4. A method of labelling the Micro:bits and storing them:

5. and the reward of a Micro:bit, for every Y8 Digital Leader for their hard work:

Now the Micro:bits have arrived (27/04/16) the DLs are inviting a few Year 7s in at lunchtimes next week.  There will be a reward of a case for best Year 7 trainee each month and a Kiktronic coin battery add-on for best original programme each month – Kiktronics BBC micro:bit accessories.