A new Micro:Hub facility, located within Preston’s College’s £13 iSTEM Centre, is hosting training sessions to learn more about the BBC’s micro:bit coding device which has been given to every year 7 pupil in the UK.
The unique programme launched by the college will benefit secondary school children and teachers looking to develop new digital skills.
The Micro:Hub, which is still in its pilot stage, has already assisted numerous schools, including Fulwood Acadamy and Penwortham Priory Acadamy, in boosting their digital skills and embedding computing, programming, software and hardware within the curriculum.
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The CPD sessions will introduce teachers to the pocket sized codeable computer and teach them how to help students get the most out of the technology.
The result will be a portfolio of teaching and project materials that can be easily integrated into a school’s STEM education system and help students gain a wider understanding and appreciation of digital technology.
Kevin Burke, head of Division – iSTEM at Preston’s College, said: “Every young person in the country aged 11-12 has a BBC microbit and we want to help teachers maximise the benefits that their pupils can get from this resource.
“The sessions enable them to learn from our digital experts, and take back with them some great ideas and skills to use in their schools.
“We believe that education is at the heart of ensuring that the UK remains a digital powerhouse and we need to develop the right skills to support the future digital economy.
“Creative and digital is one of the seven sectors identified by Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) as a future driver of job and wealth in the country and we need to start investing in young people in the early stages of their digital journey.”
Micro:Hub aims to become a centre for real digital innovation and features state-of-the-art IT equipment worth around £10,000 that has been donated to the College by CPC in Preston.
Chris Haworth, managing director at CPC, added: “CPC has been supplying electronics and computing equipment to the education sector for more than 40 years and I can honestly say that things have never been so exciting!”
Schools can register their interest for Micro:Hub by contacting Becky Kay on 01772 225000.