2026 ISBE Career Connections Conference

The newest CTE career clusters list digital technology as foundational skills for all students, but these invaluable tools have often been out of reach for many rural school districts because of perceived barriers around costs and technical ability. Thankfully, you don’t need to be a computer scientist to teach your students about technology! This hands-on session introduces the micro:bit, a simple microcontroller, as a versatile, budget-friendly tool for teaching about sensors, data,  and automation concepts with zero prior coding experience. Participants will use the intuitive Microsoft MakeCode editor to build career-connected projects that utilize built-in sensors for real-world environmental monitoring and data collection. The workshop demonstrates how to bridge the gap between digital logic and physical hardware, offering a scalable curriculum that ranges from beginner-friendly blocks to advanced text-based programming. Participants will leave with practical, ready-to-use activities that prepare students for the increasingly tech-driven landscape of modern industry.