Source: Author
Since Microsoft MakeCode provides a progression path into real-world programming, it can be effectively incorporated into the classroom environment.
Computer Science, being one of the most sought-after disciplines, deals with computers and computational schemes to program devices, develop web applications, train intelligent models, build automatic robots and do a lot more than we can imagine. Computer scientists smartly incorporates technology to solve problems — whether abstract or tangible, and presents us the ways to be future-proof.
Introduction to Computer Science is the free-of-cost curriculum for Educators to teach students Computer Science through game programming and embedded systems.
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Source: Online Learning with MakeCode
There are three compelling mediums available to get learners engaged with the curriculum:
- Intro to CS with MakeCode Arcade : A three part series that teaches newcomers how to code from the ground up using Blocks and JavaScript. Along the way, students get familiarized with essential software development concepts and turn their ideas into implementations.
- Intro to CS with MakeCode for Minecraft : A semester-long course specially for middle-school students, that teaches core concepts of CS via the interactive gaming environment of Minecraft. It is specially curated for teachers fairly new in CS domain.
- Intro to CS with MakeCode for micro:bit : Micro:bit is a mini pocket-sized computer packed with inputs, outputs, sensors and wireless transceiver features. The curriculum with this circuit board has the characteristics considerably similar to the previous one.
📝 Grab free resources and bring CS education into your classroom 👉 MakeCode Resources 👈.
Lately, web-based classroom management platforms have been widely adopted for the management and evaluation of students' classworks and assignments. When it comes to a MakeCode-driven curriculum, these platforms needs to streamline a workflow for submission and evaluation of MakeCode project files.
To make this simple and smooth, MakeCode has been integrated and embedded right into Microsoft Teams.
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Source: PXT-Microbit GitHub
The Assignment and Grades features of Teams natively supports Microsoft MakeCode, giving the educators a hassle-free experience to create, assign, naviagate and evaluate such project files seamlessly.
Moreover, MakeCode can be coupled with most Learning Management Systems to create and manage coding assignments. Platforms like Google Classroom, Canvas and Seesaw are also compatible with makecode via shared URLs and shared files.
📝 Find out more about 👉 LMS tutorials by micro:bit foundation.
Last but certainly not the least, micro:bit classroom allows teachers to manage and leverage an easy to use virtual classroom environment for guided template sharing, monitoring and assisting the students as they work on their tasks.