blocks: pause/delay and time related blocks seem oddly placed

[jaustin]

Looking for the 'delay' related blocks, I'm not sure 'Microbit' is where I'd expect them to be.

I'll test this with kids on Sunday, but I'd say I'd expect 'Timing' or 'Time' to be listed alongside loops, text, lists, etc underneath the other function blocks

[ntoll]

Well, given the blocks map to the underlying Python API then "Microbit" is exactly where it should be. I'd describe it as, "Microbit is where you find things you want the device itself to do (rather than, say, it's display or pins). For example, you can make the device sleep, panic or reset itself."

Essentially, this is more about how you explain and introduce things pertaining to the existing API rather than re-arranging blocks just because you don't yet understand how the API is organised.

Does this make sense?

[jaustin]

Yea, I think that makes sense - MS have a catch all 'basic' which makes sense.

I certainly agree with the blocks-->API mapping, but not sure that description of "things the microbit itself can do" because it creates an arbitrary distinction between, say, radio which is on chip and timers, which are on chip but in micro:bit.

What else could we do to make it easier to find timing related constructs, which are very common in kids' code? Often people are using the editor without a lesson first, or without an experienced teacher?

[ntoll]

The solution is to have an introductory video that lasts only 5 minutes but guides you through each of the blocks. I've already written a script for it and was going to do it as a screen cast with one or more of my kids narrating.