News BBC to launch the micro:bit on the 22nd of March

Giving them to Year 7s will instantly make them uncool to everyone older than that and kill the project. They should give them to Year 11s first then work down the year groups.

 

It isn't a fashion trend, it's about adding more practical computing to the high school curriculum - there's little point of waiting until the final years to introduce it.

 

My daughter is in year 7, and I'm looking forward to spending some time with her and the Micro Bit.
I borrowed a Raspberry Pi a couple of years back, and I just didn't click with it. I'm hoping that this will drive the inner maker/hacker and get some small experiments and projects going with my daughter.
Appreciation of hardware and coding is important, even if you never use it; much better than only learning to use software packages.
Hoping that the MB takes off in the same way as the RP, and gets a huge following.
Son in Y10 isn't that interested, but says that the MB needs to be introduced in Y7; as by the time you get to Y10, it's heads down for GCSEs and your options have already been chosen.
Roll on the summer term and our new Micro Bit overlords arriving

 

As I work in a school, I'll get to "play" with at least one of them, only problem is its end of term 2 days later