Middle school students are often on the cutting edge when it comes to using new digital technology, probably because there is nothing “new” about the technology they have literally grown up with.
Many of these young people will build on the skills they acquire as tech users in middle school and pick up the knowledge they need to become tech developers and creators in college, but a Bayfield 7th-grader made that leap a few years early by “coding” his own computer program to create a calculator that can add, subtract, multiply, divide and figure exponents.
Hayden Upson’s exceptional academic capability and coding prowess were on full display when he undertook the remarkable task of creating a “micro:bit” program that emulates a calculator with basic functions, according to Bayfield Middle School CTE/STEM teacher Paul Pyatt.
The micro:bit was developed almost a decade ago by the British Broadcasting Corporation for use in computer education in the United Kingdom. A micro:bit is described on the company’s website as “a pocket-sized codeable computer with motion detection, a built-in compass and Bluetooth technology.”
“The micro:bit is intended to transform young people from passive consumers of technology into digital innovators,” according to microbit.org. Upson embraced the opportunity to do just that, and greatly impressed his teacher with how quickly he grasped the basics of computer coding and how readily he applied those lessons to create something useful.
“The intricacy and efficiency of the code he developed not only showcased his understanding of programming but also demonstrated a level of skill that goes well beyond his grade level. Hayden's ability to translate mathematical operations into a functional and user-friendly micro:bit program is a testament to his dedication, ingenuity, and advanced coding proficiency,” Pyatt said.
A micro:bit is half the size of a credit card, and includes a processor, accelerometer and magnetometer sensors. It offers both Bluetooth and USB connectivity, and can be powered either by USB or an external battery pack. It only has two programmable buttons, and the display consists of 25 LEDs.
“The complexity and problem solving in coding this with only two buttons and a shake was quite a challenge. What he has completed here as 7th-grader with little prior experience is exceptional,” Pyatt boasted, noting that he believes this type of work would normally be expected from a high school junior who had already completed a coding course.
The teacher said he plans to share Upson’s work with associates in the Science Discovery Program at the University of Colorado in Boulder. That organization is currently promoting the use of micro:bit and coding throughout Colorado, and Pyatt is eager to reveal Upson’s achievement to them.
View this 5-minute video to watch Hayden demonstrate how his micro:bit calculator works.