Are there free spaces in the parking lot? What is a 21st-century greenhouse like? How do you learn grammar? These are just some of the great projects that the Montenegrin elementary school pupils managed to realize using micro-bit devices.
The micro-bit computer actually allows the use of hardware parts through the software, and the British Council will provide around 4,000 micro-bit pocket computers over the next three years, which should encourage student's innovation.
In 20 schools the students are already designing projects, on 600 micro-bit computers, which are also a gift from the UK Government through the British Council and the Ministry of Education. Irena Selcanin from the Ulcinj Elementary School "Marko Nuculovic" is already familiar with the micro-bit device. She says it seemed interesting, but also complicated."In time, by getting to know this powerful device and its capabilities, it became easier, more interesting, and I was eager and thrilled to start working on them," she said.
The project she worked on is called "Smart Parking".
"We had more ideas. We decided on this project because we wanted to contribute to solving the problems that our local community has. The project involves detecting free spaces in the parking lot. By igniting the lights on one of the micro-bits, busy parking spaces are displayed, and on the second micro-bit, the number shows how many other free places there are. When the number of zero is displayed, the ramp is lowered" she explains.
Pupils of the elementary school "Risto Ratkovic" from Bijelo Polje Milica Markovic, Katarina Dragovic, and Marko Markovic tell us that at one of the workshops they were assigned the task of creating the code for the project that we would present at the competition. Ideas have been merged into one, applicable in language classes, regardless of the course.
How to learn grammar while playing a game – Pupils of the elementary school “Risto Ratkovic”(Photo: Mpin.gov.me)
"We begin with the game by pressing the start button after which a number between one and five displays on the micro-bit screen. The number is the indicator which key the player needs to press. After pressing a specific button on the micro-bit, a letter will appear that represents a specific task. (The player needs to say a particular type of word that begins with that letter). After the acoustic signal, the player has to solve the given word to continue the game. In case a player does not respond to a task at a specific time interval, he falls out of the game. The game continues until one player-winner remains. Depending on whether the player replied correctly or incorrectly on the screen of the micro-bit, a certain signal will appear which is given by the game manager via the radio connection.
Miro Marjanovic and Milo Sekularac from Berane Elementary School "Vuk Karadzic", with the help of micro-bits, made a model of a greenhouse for the 21st century. For "Vijesti" they point out that the idea came from the desire to help farmers to grow their plants more efficiently and in better quality.
"Due to the complexity and specificity of the work in the greenhouse that requires a constant presence of farmers, we wanted to allow the farmer to be able to deal with some other activities or rest, and that the cultivation of plants in the greenhouse is as good and quality as if the farmer himself is present. In other words, the micro-bit would allow the control of the temperature inside the greenhouse - if the temperature exceeds the allowed limits within the greenhouse, the micro-bit with the servo motor opens or closes the windows, and thus prevents the withering of plants due to high or low temperatures.
It would also allow light measurement - if the light intensity drops below a certain limit, the micro-bit includes the light source (light bulb), if the intensity of light meets the predicted level, it turns off the light source. In this way, an additional light source allows the growth of plants."
Micro-bit, it is emphasized, also measures the speed of wind outside the greenhouse, and if the wind has a speed above normal, the micro-bit closes the windows with the help of a servo motor, which protects the plant culture from possible damage.
Students from Berane third in Belgrade
"During the development of the project, we used the knowledge of biology, physics, technology, and informatics. At the national micro-bit computer program competition held in May last year, we won the first place, whereby we acquired the condition to attend the "New Technologies in Education" fair which was held in June 2018 in Belgrade. At the fair, we presented our project with which we won third place at the regional competition in coding micro-bit computers," said Marjanovic and Sekularac.
The digital age does not eliminate the chalkboard
Minister Damir Sehovic said that the assessment of the Ministry of Education that turning the head from the fact that our children live in the digital age is irresponsible because in this way we would get children who cannot even recognize the numerous possibilities, but also the dangers that lurk in this cyber world.
"That is why we will not turn our head, but we will work on education in which the chalkboard, but also a good book, will occupy the place that belongs to them. But, we will be aware at the same time that the modern age in which we live requires a new - modern way of thinking but also learning because it is the only way to create preconditions for using all the benefits of today, which are unlimited. "
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Text by Tina Popovic, on March 25th 2019, read more at Vijesti
