2. Week 02

This week I worked on connecting a micro-controller to another device or the internet (IoT).

Project Description

I have had kids code the Finch robots before to run a maze, but I have never had them use one microbit as a remote control for the Finch before. I thought this was a good time to try out how that would work. It was easier than I thought and I am excited to give it a try with students in the future.

Code Example

Using Microbit, I needed two sets of code. One as the SENDER and the other as the RECEIVER.
This is the send code:

This is the receiving code:

Video

Reflection

What are some opportunities in your context to work within your local community? Who you could collaborate with? How? What should happen to succeed in the collaboration?

We collaborate with local business partners in most of our multidisciplinary PBLs. Business partners are asked to help define the Design Challenge question and are asked to provide feedback to tstudents throughout the design process at least twice. The first feedback is after their initial prototype and then again at the end of the challenge.
We collaborate with local a transportation company , a children’s museum, a public nature preserve and non-profit nature center, a local history museum and art museum, just to name a few. I think one of the best ways to ensure success is to not ask partners for money and just a little bit of time. We work hard to be specific about when/hjow students will contact them and exactly how much time is actually required up front before they decide to be part of our PBLs. We have established a strong network of business partners over the last few years.

What are the next steps in development further a makerspace in your school? How do you envision the maker space?

The GCDI (Global Center for Digital Innovation) where I work as the lead teacher has a successful connection to both our specific high school and the local school district. To improve as a Fab Lab, I’d like to see more collaboration with the Community College who houses our lab. The College, specifically the Dean of Engineering, is committed (through an MUO) to our success, however, if more of their students were provided access to use the space I think the college could see the value of the space in a more concrete way. I have specifically collaborated with 3 teacher from the community college and hosted their classes in our space, however, I would like to increase that number. The projects we do together are terrific and I’d like to figure out a way to show the rest of the community what is possible. I will continue to work with the Dean to invite teachers to tour the space and brainstorm potential projects they could run through the lab.

What is the potential of physical computing and IoT for your teaching? Do you have any ideas on how you are planning to integrate those techniques in your context?

I plan to expand on the work I did this week in learning how to connect the Finch robot to a remote control. In 2 weeks, I have students in the lab for what we call “Dig Fab Week”. All the students who have demonstrated proficiency or mastery in their content class standards are given the opportunity to be in our Fab Lab doing extension activities and a mini-PBL we are calling “Make it Move”. One of the opening activities I plan to use with students to introduce them to this PBL will be Finch Jousting (plan here: https://learn.birdbraintechnologies.com/finch/activities/finch-jousting/). Then we will set them loose to go through the engineering design process and make anything that “moves”. Some may use simple machines and others may incorporate microcontrollers and motors. I can’t wait to see where their imagination takes us.

Here is a picture from the internet as inspiration for our Finch Jousting activity.