Teaching platform for network communication and protocols using a micro:bit based wheeled robot

Abstract

In this study, we presented a lightweight inverted curriculum[2] for teaching the essential details of network communication and protocols to undergraduate students major in computer science. Students are instructed to construct a wireless communication and control system connecting a computer to a wheeled robot using the Micro:bit platform. This platform consists of a micro-controller loaded with a Python interpreter and an additional extension board integrated with motors and sensors. In this study, we describe how the students were instructed to build the system step by step, from establishing a wired connection to implementing a TCP server on the PC-side for wireless control. Students can learn these knowledge through practice, which improves classroom engagement as a consequence.