Teaching tools

Either choose 'New blank session' from the micro:bit classroom home page or start a session by selecting the 'Open in classroom' button in projects or lessons on the micro:bit website.

As part of the set up process you can:

• Name your session
• Choose whether students will be working with MakeCode or the micro:bit Python editor
• Edit the starter code that students see when they join the session

Students join easily via a link or by entering a classroom name and password. Access these from the 'Invite' menu once you have started the session (or in the left hand column if no students have joined yet).

Note that the link and classroom name and password are likely to change if you continue a session at a later time.

You can edit the code students see when they join as part of setting up a new session.

You can also send code (from your coding space or any of the students') to one or more students at any time. Although, beware, this will overwrite the code they already have.

Select individual students and see their code as they write it. If they get stuck, you can edit their code, try it in the simulator or download it to your micro:bit. You can even share any changes you make back to the student.

Note that any code you share with the student will overwrite the code they already have.

Download a copy of the students' code as a word document by choosing 'Save session report' from the Save menu. This contains images (MakeCode) or text (Python) of each student's code in a single report.

Your most recent classroom session will be automatically saved in your browser's temporary storage. Simply continue the session by selecting it from the home page. When you continue a saved session, students can rejoin and continue coding from where they left off.

To keep a permanent copy, choose 'Save session as a file' from the save menu or when you choose 'End session' choose 'Save and end'. This will save a file to your local computer. To continue with the session later, select 'Continue a saved session' link on the micro:bit classroom home page and choose the downloaded file. This is particularly useful if you run sessions with different classes or on different computers or browsers.

Students are also encouraged to download their own project to their local computer at the end of the session. This is useful if they would like to continue coding between sessions.

If they download their project to their local computer they can move the file to their preferred location (such as into cloud storage if they have access to it). They can then open it in MakeCode or the micro:bit Python editor outside classroom to continue working on it between classes. Similarly they can open it within micro:bit classroom again at the start of the next session by dragging and dropping the downloaded hex file onto the coding area inside micro:bit classroom once they have joined.

Create a public link to share a MakeCode project. Use this to share code with your students or get your students to share their code with you.

Attach a MakeCode project to a Teams assignment if you have Microsoft Teams accounts.

MakeCode projects are stored in temporary storage on your local computer as you create them, however these are lost if your temporary storage is cleared and can only be accessed on the same computer / account.

To save a MakeCode project permanently, download it to your local computer using the link highlighted in the image below (and move it to a folder of your choice, if desired).

Your most recent python project is stored in temporary storage on your local computer as you create it. However, this will be lost if temporary storage is cleared and cannot be accessed from another computer or account.

To permanently save your Python project, use the Save button to download the project to your local computer. You can also save the code as a .py text file, this is small file that is easy to share.