A programming platform for micro: bit, Arduino and Python cards

By Damien Vallot, Head of partnerships and education for Vittascience

Vittascience, a young French start-up, is developing an online platform dedicated to programming programmable cards (micro: bit, Arduino, etc.) and in Python. Available free of charge, it makes it easy to learn or teach coding.

To learn to program, you can use all kinds of robots (Thymio, Ozobot, Beebot, etc.) or programmable cards (kinds of mini-computers). Several boards exist on the market today, the easiest to use and the most widespread are the Arduino board and the BBC micro: bit board.

The interfaces are scalable according to the mastery of the user's programming. Three choices are possible:
- with blocks (like Scratch);
- in hybrid mode (with real-time translation of the blocks into the code);
- with code only (for the most seasoned).

Vittascience is available on all media: computers, tablets or smart phones and does not require installation. The projects created are saved on the Vittascience servers and remain accessible in the user's account (an email and a password are required to create an account). The interface is currently available in French or English.

With a user account, it is possible to integrate the programming interfaces into a personal site or a blog (example: Genially) and to send the program sharing link. Complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (RGPD), Vittascience interfaces have many accessibility options: themes (light or dark), fonts (dyslexic) or colors, to facilitate access to coding for all .

The Vittascience site also includes a resource center enriched by the community. These resources present projects carried out in class or allow you to learn about sensors and cards. Each user with an account can, if they wish, share their activities under free licenses (Creative Commons).

Currently, in beta test with a hundred teachers, Vittascience offers a class management module to create activities, assign them to learners and monitor their progress. The official release scheduled for May 10, 2021.

To facilitate the implementation of projects, Vittascience designs educational kits and offers programmable equipment in his shop. Vittascience is official distributor of micro: bit, Seeed (Grove modules) and QuickPi (map produced by France-IOI).

Vittascience, a science and digital learning platform developed in France, with the support of the local Ministry of National Education.