Obeleži sve kategorije koje odgovaraju problemu

Akhtar Mughal and Paul House are Microsoft engineers from the United Kingdom and fathers of children with neurodiverse conditions. They believed that their children were capable of learning and achieving much more than what the educational system had anticipated for them. From an early age, they introduced them to simple algorithmic tasks, logic puzzles, and small programmable devices like the micro:bit. Encouraged by the results and aware of both the obstacles they had to overcome and the personal circumstances that made it easier for them to do so, they decided to share their discoveries with the wider community. This led to an initiative in the United Kingdom that, years later, has resulted in the ongoing implementation of micro:bit workshops for neurodiverse students and their teachers.

Inspired by the positive change Aktar and Paul brought about in the UK, Polina Slovenko, Customer Success Account Manager in Microsoft Serbia, initiated a similar effort locally in Belgrade.

In collaboration with Microsoft Serbia and the Loop Foundation, two micro:bit workshops were held in the spring of 2025 at the Microsoft Development Center in Serbia. These workshops introduced 15 special education teachers and their 15 students to the micro:bit device. Participants came from “Miloje Pavlović” Elementary School, which serves students with developmental disabilities, and two other elementary schools — “Despot Stefan Lazarević” and “Dositej Obradović” — which among others include students in adapted educational programs.

The first workshop brought together the British Serbian project team and the teachers. Its organic and spontaneous dynamic transformed the session into a platform for experience-sharing and learning. Akhtar and Paul spoke candidly and emotionally about their personal journeys, inspiring teachers to consider how they might introduce the micro:bit to their students through play — and to reflect on whether the educational goals set for students in adapted programs might sometimes be too low. The Loop Foundation team, including experienced computer science teachers who specialize in using the micro:bit in mainstream education, learned a great deal about adapting content for neurodiverse learners and were given the opportunity to continue this learning in partnership with special education professionals. The practical portion of the workshop allowed teachers to experiment with the micro:bit, discover its broad capabilities, and gain confidence in using it in their classrooms.

The second workshop had a completely different energy. Organized as a demonstration class, it brought back the teachers from the first session — this time in their regular teaching roles — along with their students. The children arrived excited, and the session began in a cheerful, somewhat loud, and relaxed atmosphere. However, once the micro:bits were handed out, the atmosphere shifted to one of focused engagement. The students acted like true professionals, concentrating on their worksheets and devices. A competitive yet supportive spirit emerged: who would finish their project first, win the rock-paper-scissors game, or record the most steps with the micro:bit step counter? Teachers reported that the students were thrilled when they created something on their own and proudly shared their completed projects.

A violin concert by one of the students during the break was met with thunderous applause, and another highlight was the involvement of a special guest from the Loop’s team. Ognjen, a participant in Loop’s Summer School of Programming, joined as a helper. He assisted with debugging code, explained how micro:bit sensors work, and engaged in spontaneous conversations about video games, useful YouTube channels for learning programming, and other peer-related topics. He was praised by all the teachers and expressed great joy at being part of the activity.

The workshops for children who learn a bit differently were also accompanied by a study examining their impact on the participating special education teachers and students. Based on the findings, the next steps in this direction will be defined.