Development of Measurement Systems with the BBC Micro:bit

In today's world, most of measurement equipment in teaching physics are digital and more computer like then their analogue counterpart. The process of measurement becomes as closed black box and students lack the real feel of experimentation. Often students just connect sensors, press start button and get the results. If something is not right, they do not understand the underlying physics and cannot explain the results nor find the errors in the process. In such cases, they often blame the “faulty” equipment. After years of observation and communication with the primary school students and teachers, we conclude that students need to be involved into the experiment's equipment development. This not just enhance their physics knowledge and natural science competences but digital competences too. We used BBC Micro:bit and its sensors to develop experiment equipment. Students need to learn how to connect sensors and write the code to acquire data from the sensors. Later they use their sensors in measurements and try to explain the underlying physics phenomena they measure. We designed the blueprint for gradual building of complexity in measuring equipment. The case study was carefully prepared and conducted in a small group of primary school students.