Hartley, K. and Rubegni, E. and Underwood, L. and Finney, J. and Ball, T. and Hodges, S. and De Halleux, P. and Devine, J. and Anderson, E. and Moskal, M. (2024) Meet MicroCode : a Live and Portable Programming Tool for the BBC micro:bit. In: IDC '24: Proceedings of the 23rd Annual ACM Interaction Design and Children Conference :. ACM, NLD, pp. 355-370. ISBN 9798400704420
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Physical computing has emerged as an effective approach to introducing computing and coding to students. One of the most popular enabling tools is the BBC micro:bit, well-known for its positive impact on teaching programming and driving engagement in the classroom. We extend these benefits by developing a new approach to coding with micro:bit: MicroCode. Unlike other experiences, MicroCode couples the micro:bit with a low-cost handheld accessory to enable live and portable programming via an on-device visual programming language; no separate host computer is needed. We present the design of MicroCode and the findings of a study in which we interviewed five primary school teachers and 60 children aged 10-11 working with MicroCode. The outcomes of the study show that MicroCode raised children's engagement and stimulated the development of a strong sense of agency on coding activities, while teachers felt empowered to adopt situated and cross-curricular learning approaches.