Computational Making With Context: Learning About Mars and Microdevices

Purpose & objective

By attending this session, teachers will gain a basic understanding of Mars exploration operations and learn how to use Microbits to meet challenges that simulate aspects of actual Mars missions. This will include coding a Microbit to act as a landing sensor, important for delivering spacecraft to the surface of Mars; coding a Microbit to measure environmental temperature, a key spacecraft health measurement and required information for future human exploration; and coding a Microbit to send and receive radio signals, the vital link between Earth and spacecraft across our solar system.

Microbits are programmable microcontrollers with built-in input and output devices. They also have input/output pins that allow students to attach additional input and output devices. It can be coded using the popular block-based coding languages Scratch and MakeCode, as well as the text-based languages python and java. The design and compatibility with multiple programming languages provide students with an accessible entry point – making it great for beginning programmers – and a high ceiling that allows for program complexity to grow as student ability increases. Knowing how to develop computer programs is an important element in computer literacy and helps development of computational thinking vital to meeting ISTE standards and NGSS expectations.

Outline

Outline
• Personal introduction and welcome – 2 minutes
 o Contact information, slides and resource links
 o Presenter speaking

• Audience poll: grade level(s), subject(s), geographic location, programming or coding experience, micro:bit experience, familiarity with Mars exploration - 3 minutes
 o Attendees responding visually and verbally 

• Mars exploration overview: discuss current Mars exploration missions and future missions in planning and development – 5 minutes
 o Presenter speaking, displaying visuals
 o Attendees listening/watching, handling artifacts, asking clarifying questions

• Discussing connections between Mars exploration, NGSS, common-core math, ISTE standards, and programming with microbits. – 5 minutes
 o Presenter speaking, sharing connections, asking for input from attendees
 o Attendees making connections, providing input

• Microbit overview: physical features (buttons, LED, USB port), inputs and outputs (accelerometer, thermometer, speaker, LED, radio transceiver), web interface (https://makecode.microbit.org/), coding with blocks or text – 5 minutes
 o Presenter speaking, displaying and describing microbit, displaying website and identifying key elements

• Microbit exploration: browsing makecode blocks (no expectation of developing code yet), checking out microbits – 5 minutes
 o Participants exploring coding sections of website, inspecting microbits at tables, asking questions
 o Presenter observing participants, answering questions

• Challenge 1 – landing on Mars – 20 minutes
 o Overview of landing on Mars: hazards, rapid deceleration, importance of landing softly. (2 minutes)
  o Presenter speaking, sharing visuals, providing starting point suggestions
 o Challenge: Code and test a microbit to measure the impact of landing and output a success or failure message. (15 minutes)
  o Participants working in small groups to develop block or text-based code to accomplish challenge
  o Participants testing and revising code to accomplish challenge
  o Presenter observing individuals and groups, supporting code development, troubleshooting, providing extensions for early completion.
 o Share out: (3 minutes)

• Challenge 2 – measuring temperature – 20 minutes
 o Overview of collecting data on Mars (types: scientific, telemetric; imaging, measurements). (2 minutes)
 o Challenge: code and a test a microbit to measure the environmental temperature and output a report. (15 minutes)
  o Participants working in small groups to develop block or text-based code to accomplish challenge
  o Participants testing and revising code to accomplish challenge
  o Presenter observing individuals and groups, supporting code development, troubleshooting, providing extensions for early completion.
 o Share out: (3 minutes)

• Challenge 3 – sending and receiving radio signals – 20 minutes
 o Overview of radio communications for sending and receiving data between Earth and Mars. (2 minutes)
 o Challenge: code and test a microbit to send and/or receive a radio signal to or from another device in the room and output a signal sent or received report. (15 minutes)
  o Participants working in small groups to develop block or text-based code to accomplish challenge
  o Participants testing and revising code to accomplish challenge
  o Presenter observing individuals and groups, supporting code development, troubleshooting, providing extensions for early completion.
 o Share out (3 minutes)

• Closing – 5 minutes
 o Participant poll: what will you take away, what surprised you?
 o Final comments and questions from attendees

Supporting research

Cederqvist, A. (2022). An exploratory study of technological knowledge when pupils are designing a programmed technological solution using BBC Micro:bit. International Journal of Technology & Design Education, 32(1), 355-381.

Cederqvist, A. (2022). Designing and coding with BBC micro:bit to solve a real-world task – a challenging movement between contexts. Education & Information Technologies, 27(5), 5917-5951.