A TEAM of four pupils from Morrison’s Academy in Crieff has won a competition to create technology that can be worn.
The OpenUK Kids’ Competition and ten-week coding project involved pupils creating wearable technology and learning software and development skills using MiMU gloves.
Nine judges chose four regional winners, with Morrison’s Academy then being selected as the national winner by a panel that included singer Imogen Heap and the glove’s creator, Helen Leigh.
Morrison’s Academy’s winning team consisted of S2 pupils Alice, Ben, Guy, and Megan.
Alice said: “The Mini.MU project has been really fun and interesting – I have learnt a lot.”
The team programmed a glove to help people with memory issues such as dementia or organisational issues such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism.
The user wears the glove, which has the “micro:bit” pocket-sized computer attached; they can then press a button for the glove to tell them what they should be doing at a certain time, such as taking medication time or eating their breakfast.
Pamela Boal, computing science teacher and digital strategy coordinator at Morrison’s Academy, said: “The challenge of integrating code with the glove has been one that the pupils have really enjoyed.
“The course brought the curriculum content in coding and open source to life in a way that has both inspired the pupils and furthered their learning outside the boundaries of the classroom.
“This is something that I am particularly passionate about.
“I want my pupils to develop practical skill sets and gain experience that improves their future employability.
“If along the way I can inspire any of them to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or computer science then that would be an even greater success.”
Read more stories from Scotland’s schools on Scottish Field’s education pages.
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