Week 7 - Constructionism & the MicroBit

In the present day, technology is ever changing and the ability to teach with it in the classroom is becoming more achievable each year. The production of technology that makes human interaction unnecessary for simple tasks is a highly sought after field of work, so the ability to teach this to our students whilst enhancing their ability to be creative is a promising thought.

Donaldson (2014) tells us that when students are encouraged to create information to inform, rather than to be judges, they are able to improve their ability and quality of their content and improve authenticity. Donaldson (2014) goes on to talk about how giving his students the ability to create using things such as blogs, websites and wikis, allowed them to improve their authenticity when it came to writing.

This ability to create helps to drive focus and passion with students, Walter-Hermann & Büching (2013) tell us that when the students were given an opportunity to create something, their drive towards the task became more personal than scientific, and that the course that their students were being taught, was driven by a demand for something new rather than the knowledge that would be gained.

There are plenty of ways students can focus on creating things in class, one of which is by using the MicroBit. The MicroBit is a small computer that students can use to learn how software and hardware work together. Students are able to go on to the internet and write code using blocks or JavaScript. This code can then be uploaded to the MicroBit to make it move.

From here students are able to create physical designs that have real world applications, such as this watering system I made using the code above. Students are encouraged to use their creativity to design something practical or impractical that they can then take the time to build and program, allowing for them to use their creativity to propel motivation within the classroom.

The MicroBit does take a bit to learn how to use so teachers will have to make an effort to incorporate it into the classroom, however it is well worth the effort to see the results it has with the students.

Reference List:

Donaldson, J. (2014). The Maker Movement and the rebirth of Constructionism. Hybrid Pedagogy. https://hybridpedagogy.org/constructionism-reborn/

Walter-Herrmann, J., & Büching, C. (2013). FabLab : of machines, makers and inventors . Transcript.