| CODE | TET1014 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Introduction to Iconic Programming | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Technology and Entrepreneurship Education | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit introduces students to programming using an iconic programming language. The unit develops core mechanical and programming knowledge necessary to build and program physical devices, using a micro-controller such as the micro-bit. Students will develop programs to interface with robotic kits and control them using a simple icon-based high-level programming language and IDE. Topics covered include basic control theory, mechanical concepts, actuators, sensors, flow charts, the software design process, and core programming constructs. Study-Unit Aims: This study-unit aims to: 鈥� Explore the various forms robots can take in our everyday life, including robotic toys and home robots 鈥� introduce students to the basic off-the-shelf components that can be used to build robots 鈥� introduce students to the makecode environment, an online block based editor used to program the micro:bit 鈥� introduce students to basic software design principles and core programming constructs using makecode; 鈥� introduce students to event-driven programming and data-logging; 鈥� introduce the inbuilt sensors found in the micro:bit including the ambient light sensor, the temperature sensor, the accelerometer and the compass 鈥� introduce students to the construction of simple robots using the micro:bit; 鈥� introduce students to ethical and social issues arising from the everyday use of robotics. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 鈥� Describe the ubiquitous role robot technologies play in modern life; 鈥� Debate the social and ethical issues arising from the everyday use of robot technologies; 鈥� Illustrate the basic architecture of a typical motion robot; 鈥� Apply basic software engineering best-practice to design simple programs in a non-textual high-levelprogramming language. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 鈥� use a variety of sensor and actuator blocks to build simple robots using the micro:bit; 鈥� design, write and debug simple programs in an iconic high-level programming language to control a robot; 鈥� design, write and debug simple event-driven programs in non-textual high-level programming language to read sensors, process the input, and in response trigger activators. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: Halfacree, G. (2017). The official BBC Micro: bit user guide. John Wiley & Sons. [not in library] Supplementary Readings: Tooley, M. (2017). Getting started with the BBC micro:Bit. London, England: Bernard Babani Publishing. [not in library] |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Leonard Busuttil |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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