Teaching tools

Either choose 'New blank session' from the micro:bit classroom home page or start a session by selecting the 'Open in classroom' button in projects or lessons on the micro:bit website.

As part of the set up process you can:

• Name your session
• Choose whether students will be working with MakeCode or the micro:bit Python editor
• Edit the starter code that students see when they join the session

Students join easily via a link or by entering a classroom name and password. Access these from the 'Invite' menu once you have started the session (or in the left hand column if no students have joined yet).

Note that the link and classroom name and password are likely to change if you continue a session at a later time.

You can edit the code students see when they join as part of setting up a new session.

You can also send code (from your coding space or any of the students') to one or more students at any time. Although, beware, this will overwrite the code they already have.

Select individual students and see their code as they write it. If they get stuck, you can edit their code, try it in the simulator or download it to your micro:bit. You can even share any changes you make back to the student.

Note that any code you share with the student will overwrite the code they already have.

Download a copy of the students' code as a word document by choosing 'Save session report' from the Save menu. This contains images (MakeCode) or text (Python) of each student's code in a single report.

Your most recent classroom session will be automatically saved in your browser's temporary storage. Simply continue the session by selecting it from the home page. When you continue a saved session, students can rejoin and continue coding from where they left off.

To keep a permanent copy, choose 'Save session as a file' from the save menu or when you choose 'End session' choose 'Save and end'. This will save a file to your local computer. To continue with the session later, select 'Continue a saved session' link on the micro:bit classroom home page and choose the downloaded file. This is particularly useful if you run sessions with different classes or on different computers or browsers.

Students are also encouraged to download their own project to their local computer at the end of the session. This is useful if they would like to continue coding between sessions.

If they download their project to their local computer they can move the file to their preferred location (such as into cloud storage if they have access to it). They can then open it in MakeCode or the micro:bit Python editor outside classroom to continue working on it between classes. Similarly they can open it within micro:bit classroom again at the start of the next session by dragging and dropping the downloaded hex file onto the coding area inside micro:bit classroom once they have joined.

We recommend you try CreateAI out for yourself before using it in class. You just need one or two micro:bits with a USB data lead, a battery pack, and a computer with the Chrome or Edge web browsers that can access the CreateAI web page.

The video above walks you through how micro:bit CreateAI works, from collecting data, through training, testing and improving machine learning (ML) models, to using them in MakeCode programs.

You can find more details about what you need and technical requirements in the micro:bit CreateAI user guide.

We’ve created a micro:bit CreateAI glossary and two Make it: code it projects to help you explore AI with your students. Each project will take between 60 and 90 minutes.

micro:bit CreateAI glossary

Key terms for AI and machine learning

Make it: code it

Simple AI exercise timer

Make a smart exercise timer using AI

Make it: code it

AI activity timer

Use AI to detect and time specific activities

• Student preparation: we recommend your students have some experience of using the micro:bit before using CreateAI. This could be as simple as completing the Step counter project which gets your students confident with putting code on the micro:bit, using battery packs and familiarises them with the micro:bit's accelerometer, its built-in movement sensor. This project also makes a good comparison with the Simple AI exercise timer and AI activity timer projects.
• Paired work is particularly powerful when working on AI projects. Students can take turns to wear the micro:bit and collect and analyse training data.
• Plan how much equipment you need: one computer (desktop, laptop or Chromebook) per pair of students, plus a micro:bit V2, battery pack, USB lead and some way to attach a micro:bit to arms, legs or other things that move!
  • If your student computers don’t have Bluetooth enabled, you’ll need one extra micro:bit V2 per pair of students. Read more about what you need in the CreateAI user guide.
  • If you need to use an extra micro:bit this way, hand out the data collection micro:bit first (this is the micro:bit your students will move or wear). This will save any confusion about which micro:bit to plug in and set up first.
• Plan your lesson time: we recommend allowing between 60 and 90 minutes of classroom time to complete the Simple AI exercise timer and AI activity timer projects. It can work well to test and improve the ML in one lesson, before moving into MakeCode in the next lesson.

If you want to work on your CreateAI project at a later time, save it as a single HEX file which contains:

• all your recorded data
• your ML model
• the code blocks in your MakeCode program

You can resume your CreateAI session by dragging the HEX file on to the CreateAI page or use the ‘Continue a saved session’ button when you open CreateAI.

Find out more about saving and resuming projects in the CreateAI user guide.

You can read more about the learning opportunities micro:bit CreateAI brings in our article 'Teaching and learning about AI with the micro:bit'.

As well as helping students learn about how AI works, micro:bit CreateAI can be used to consolidate skills and knowledge in other familiar subject areas:

Computer science and ICT

Because CreateAI includes a coding element, it supports learning about:

• Computational thinking skills: algorithms, abstraction, decomposition and pattern recognition
• Coding and related skills like debugging, resilience, collaboration
• eSafety, awareness of personal data

Mathematics and science: data literacy

• Collecting data
• Visualising and interpreting data in graphs to aid understanding and help make decisions
• The importance of accuracy and risks of bias in data

Design and technology

• Iterative design when training an ML model, testing it, and improving it
• Designing and testing wearable tech from scratch

Create a public link to share a MakeCode project. Use this to share code with your students or get your students to share their code with you.

Attach a MakeCode project to a Teams assignment if you have Microsoft Teams accounts.

MakeCode projects are stored in temporary storage on your local computer as you create them, however these are lost if your temporary storage is cleared and can only be accessed on the same computer / account.

To save a MakeCode project permanently, download it to your local computer using the link highlighted in the image below (and move it to a folder of your choice, if desired).

Your most recent python project is stored in temporary storage on your local computer as you create it. However, this will be lost if temporary storage is cleared and cannot be accessed from another computer or account.

To permanently save your Python project, use the Save button to download the project to your local computer. You can also save the code as a .py text file, this is small file that is easy to share.