The microbit is a great piece of kit, not least of which because of the range of programming languages and tools that can be used with it - officially JavaScript and Python and but there is also a range of third-party ones. A useful place to look for what languages/tools are available is http://microbit.org/code-alternative-editors/; listing both official and third-party tools (there was a few I wasn't aware of ). One I was aware and meaning to play with, is the brilliant Edublocks by Josh Lowe (@all_about_code) or more specifically in this post Edublocks for BBC Micro:bit (https://microbit.edublocks.org/).
Edublocks for the microbit (and Edublocks in general) allows graphical blocks of code, in a similar way to languages such as Scratch, to be dragged and dropped into places. That in itself would be great, but the really useful thing here is though, whilst doing it you are actually producing a Python program (technically in the microbit case micropython)- a good way (as others have said before e.g https://www.electromaker.io/blog/article/coding-the-bbc-microbit-with-edublocks ) of bridging the gap between block based programming tand text-based programming language (ie. Python). Added to this is the support for Python on the microbit and the things like speech, access the pins and neopixels you have a really useful and fun tool.
Talk is cheap (sort of!)
The project shown here is getting the microbit to 'talk' using speech. I have attached a microbit to Pimoroni's noise bit for convenience (https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/noise-bit) but equally, alligator wires and headphones could be used (https://www.microbit.co.uk/blocks/lessons/hack-your-headphones/activity ). The routine below allows when button A on the microbit is pressed the Microbit (through a speaker) to say Hello, B say Good bye and when both pressed Now what ? Simple but fun.
The equivalent Python code
They are essentially the same.
Here is a video of it in action:
Thoughts.
As you might have gathered I think this Edublocks for the microbit is a fantastic tool. I am planning my new experiments with it now- coming soon to this blog. Edublocks for the microbit is not all Edublocks can do, the project itself can be found at https://edublocks.org/ is well worth a look. For playing with the microbit for the first time with Python I would recommend Edublocks for the microbit https://microbit.edublocks.org/
All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with. Twitter @scottturneruon
Edublocks for the microbit (and Edublocks in general) allows graphical blocks of code, in a similar way to languages such as Scratch, to be dragged and dropped into places. That in itself would be great, but the really useful thing here is though, whilst doing it you are actually producing a Python program (technically in the microbit case micropython)- a good way (as others have said before e.g https://www.electromaker.io/blog/article/coding-the-bbc-microbit-with-edublocks ) of bridging the gap between block based programming tand text-based programming language (ie. Python). Added to this is the support for Python on the microbit and the things like speech, access the pins and neopixels you have a really useful and fun tool.
Talk is cheap (sort of!)
The project shown here is getting the microbit to 'talk' using speech. I have attached a microbit to Pimoroni's noise bit for convenience (https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/noise-bit) but equally, alligator wires and headphones could be used (https://www.microbit.co.uk/blocks/lessons/hack-your-headphones/activity ). The routine below allows when button A on the microbit is pressed the Microbit (through a speaker) to say Hello, B say Good bye and when both pressed Now what ? Simple but fun.
Here is a video of it in action:
Thoughts.
As you might have gathered I think this Edublocks for the microbit is a fantastic tool. I am planning my new experiments with it now- coming soon to this blog. Edublocks for the microbit is not all Edublocks can do, the project itself can be found at https://edublocks.org/ is well worth a look. For playing with the microbit for the first time with Python I would recommend Edublocks for the microbit https://microbit.edublocks.org/
All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with. Twitter @scottturneruon
In my code I alway use the "if button_a.was_pressed() and button_b.was pressed():" condition at the top of the decision tree under the superstition that the computer will execute "if button_a.was_pressed()" block of code first w/o considering button_b at all the way you have it. Have you had good luck with your way? Or does it seem to sometimes miss the situation where both buttons are being pressed?
ReplyDeleteGood point.
DeleteAlso, regarding EduBlocks, there is still a bug with the "[0] == v[0]" block used ti create relational expressions for if statements, etc. The "v" is a down arrow which brings up a list of relational operators. The "=>" operator is incorrect, and should be ">=". It will cause a syntax error when ever you forget to modify your code generated by EduBlocks. There are also some other shortcomings, but in general, it's a great tool for getting students to migrate from Scratch programing to text based programing like MicroPython.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete