Surrey Schools receives 4,500 programming and robotics kits to enhance student learning
Students in Surrey Schools are about to have a lot more opportunities when it comes to learning what makes our everyday devices tick. A recent donation by Montreal-based charity Digital Moment of 4,500 micro:bit kits will enable just as many students to learn about coding, circuit building and robotics.
The donation, enough to supply around 150 classrooms, came about after Kwantlen Park Secondary electronics/robotics teacher Adam Drake, who is also the Head of ADST (Applied Design Skills and Technology) for the school, connected with Digital Moment at a recent professional development event.
“Digital Moment had a stall there and they were handing out micro:bits to interested teachers,” said Drake. “Having worked with micro:bits in the past, I knew that to really get the most out of them, you’d need to have a classroom’s worth for each of the students to learn on them.”
Drake reached out to Digital Moment directly and the organization agreed to donate 4,500 sets, worth nearly $160,000. The equipment, said Drake, will go a long way in introducing Surrey students to the ins and outs of coding, programming and even robotics engineering.
While subjects like coding and programming have typically been viewed as high level and complex, Drake said micro:bits offer a great introduction to these concepts.
"You literally just plug these into your computer, access a website, and do all of your basic block programming in the browser, some of it is as easy as dragging and dropping,” he explained. “They’re completely programmable and then all you do is hit download and it loads up your micro:bit and you can see your work in action.”
Some examples of micro:bit uses include programming two kits to act as message devices, similar to a cellphone, programming one to use a light sensor to react a certain way in low or bright light situations or even using one to power an autonomous robot that can patrol a predetermined route, avoiding objects using a special sensor.
According to Matthew Griffin, senior manager of educational programs and partnerships at Digital Moment, the goal of the charity is to empower students by making learning technology available to the masses.
“We work with educators to ensure they have the tools they need to prepare students for an increasingly complex digital landscape,” he said. “With micro:bits, there’s just endless possibility of things you can do, both in the more traditional STEM field, or in math and computer sciences.
“It’s really a wonderful tool for increasing equity across the education space.”
Drake said the micro:bits are currently set to be distributed to various secondary technology teachers throughout the district, as well as some elementary schools within the Kwantlen Park Secondary catchment area in North Surrey.
“These can be used at either the elementary or secondary level and they’re just lovely devices that act as a launchpad to getting into those higher-level disciplines,” he said. “It helps students build that confidence in these complex subjects early on and these will be put to good use here in Surrey.”
The district’s Advancement Department will now guide the final donation process and agreements. Anyone who wishes to make a donation to support Surrey Schools’ extra-curricular programs and services can find more information HERE.
