Coding the Future

A set of printable resources and guidance notes giving teachers and technicians the basic ingredients to run their very own IET Faraday® DIY Challenge Day. This cross-curricular activity day brings science, design and technology, engineering and maths together in an engaging way.

The context of the challenge

Coding is part of the world for all of us; from gaming to working our mobile phones, our computers, even our washing machines. Coding enables us to provide instructions in a form which computers can understand. This means that computers can help us to do things which otherwise may be much more difficult. 

As computers become more common in our everyday lives engineers are using coding more frequently to solve everyday problems. Today the challenge for your students is to code the BBC micro:bit for a real-life application. Students will work in teams of engineers to solve a problem or to change or improve people’s experience in an area of their everyday lives. Students will experience what engineers do as they work together to develop a new product. They will need to use all of their STEM skills as well as skills in teamwork, perseverance, creativity and innovation. Students will need to be brave – engineering is not for the faint hearted!

Can your students help make a difference and become our engineer?

Activity info and teachers’ notes

The Coding the Future challenge is based on the IET Faraday® Challenge Day of the same name from our 2015/16 IET Faraday® Challenge Day season.

Students are given a brief where they will choose from one of four themes: Health; Sport; Travel; Home and Leisure. They will then need to develop two products for the real-world within their chosen theme. Finally, they will pitch their product to the Coding the Future judges.

Designed for six teams of six students (36 students in total) aged 12-13 years (year 8 England, and equivalent), the challenge encourages the development of students’ problem solving, team working and communication skills.

This activity day can be tailored to the needs of your school and your students by adapting the PowerPoint presentation and the editable student booklet.

What’s included?

The complete set of downloadable materials includes:

• Teachers' pack
  A list of the practical materials needed, presenters’ notes highlighting key areas and reinforcing key themes throughout the day, some handy hints on how to deliver the day . . . plus printable Faradays currency and student certificates.
• Student booklet
  Available as an editable MSWord document to allow the booklet to be adapted to meets the needs of your students and your school.
• PowerPoint presentation
  A step-by-step guide for your students throughout the day, with supporting notes for the delivery of the presentation.
• Film clip
  Full briefing video introducing the challenge to your students.

Remember, all the activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download below!

All online resources (including film clips!) are free to download, and the student booklet and PowerPoint presentation are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students' and your schools' needs.

And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

You can stream and download the related film for free by clicking on the appropriate link in the Related resources section below.