Tuesday, 21 July 2026

2026 and onwards landing page

The definitive landing page

Since 2013 I've been documenting projects exploring computing education, physical computing, Minecraft, Raspberry Pi, micro:bit and, more recently, AI. This page brings everything together in one place.

Raspberry Pi

Why I got into Raspeberry Pi's link

GPIO zero Minecraft "Whack on board Led's" link

Sense Hat pixel art V1 link

Experiments with GPIOTriggers / switches link

The Pi 5 link

How to get Minecraft Pi working on a Pi 5 link

N.b. Many are Raspberry Pi but fit in better with other topics.

Micro:bit

Micro:Bit and Minecraft Traffic lights link

What can "UCreate" with a Micro:Bit and Neo Pixels link

What can "UCreate" with a Micro:bit and Neo-pixels (Moody Storm Trooper). link

What can "UCreate" with a Micro:bit and Neo-pixels(Neon Axe) link

What can "UCreate" with a Micro:bit and Neo-pixels (Radio activated lights V1) link

What can "UCreate" with a Micro:bit and a Rasperry Pi 1 (Minecraft Pi and Micro:bit TNT roulette ) link

What can "UCreate" with a Micro:bit and a Rasperry Pi 2 (Minecraft random serial bounce) link

What can "UCreate" with a Micro:bit and a Rasperry Pi 3 (Minecraft random radio bounce) link

CPC UCreate Micro:bit resources all in one place link

Micro:bit and the neo pixel strip / Codebug colour star link

Microbit BitIO

Micro:bit with Minecraft projects overview of all projects link

Lego + Code (mixed platforms)

Using micro:bits to control Lego tutorials overview link

Blog 1: Lights on: Link

Blog 2: The Micro:bit Express V1 : Link

Blog 2a: Edublocks Micro:bit Express V1 version(simple motor control) link

Blog 2b: Edublocks Micro:bit Express V1.5 Remote controlled link

Blog 3: Micro:bit Express 2.0 'adjustable speed' : Link

Blog 4: The Raspberry Express : Link

Blog 5 : Micro:bit controlled Lego Ferris Wheel : Link

Blog 6: Raspberry Pi powered Lego Ferris wheel : Link

Blog 7: 3D printed Lego Christmas Tree / coded light : Link

Blog 8:Lego RC "car" with Raspberry Pi : Link

Blog 9: Blocks controlling blocks: 'Using Minecraft to control Lego motors' : Link

Blog 10: Raspberry Zero Express Link

Blog 11: Stop frame animation with Lego : Link

Blog 12: Micro:bit controlled Rollercoaster Link

Blog 13: Micro:bit Express EduBlocks simple Link

Blog 14: Micro:bit Express EduBlocks remote controlled Link

Microbit Express 3.0 link

Microbit Express 3.5(Controlling multiple trains) link

REMOTE Controlling a Lego train motor with a micro:bit link

Revisiting the Microbit Express link

Minecraft

Minecraft Pi: Minegraph(Visualising Data in Minecraft) link format (Pi/ Java edition Minecraft)

Micro:Bit and Minecraft Traffic lights link format (Pi/ Java edition Minecraft)

Whack a block and trigger an event in Minecraft link format (Pi/ Java edition Minecraft)

Rainbow Spiral using Minecraft Turtle from Martin O'Hanlon link format (Pi/ Java edition Minecraft)

Visualising Temperature data in a more inspiring way without hitting the wall in Minecraft link format (Pi/ Java edition Minecraft / astro pi emulator)

#Hackpack Minecraft resources from community input link format (Pi/ Java edition Minecraft)

The tweeting selfie machine link format (Pi/ Java edition Minecraft)

Minecraft #hackpack anthology volume 2 link format (Pi/ Java edition Minecraft)

Minecraft 8*8 Pixel art wall (wool edition) link format (Pi/ Java edition Minecraft)

24 hours tracking the ISS in Minecraft and Twitter link format (Pi/ Java edition Minecraft)

25 hacks of Minecraft Christmas 2018 edition link

25 Hacks of Christmas 2020 link

Exabytes 2019 Minecraft and Microbits link

How to get Minecraft Pi working on a Pi 5 link

Minecraft Education edition

Command blocks

Blog 1 : My First Command Block

http://warksjammy.blogspot.com/2017/12/minecraft-education-edition-blog-1-my.html

Blog 2: Summon Ed

http://warksjammy.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/minecraft-education-edition-blog-2.html

Blog 3: Give inventory and changing weather

http://warksjammy.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/mee-blog-3-experiments-with-more-simple.html

MakeCode

M:EE MakeCode blog 1: Getting started.

http://warksjammy.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/mee-make-code-blog-1-getting-started.html

M:EE MakeCode blog 2: Get coding.

http://warksjammy.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/mee-make-code-blog-2-get-coding.html

M:EE MakeCode blog 3: Rainbow Road

http://warksjammy.blogspot.com/2017/12/mee-make-code-blog-3-rainbow-road.html

M:EE MakeCode blog 4: Wool Wall

http://warksjammy.blogspot.com/2017/12/mee-makecode-blog-4-wool-wall.html

M:EE MakeCode blog 5: Vertical Farming

http://warksjammy.blogspot.com/2017/12/mee-makecode-blog-5-vertical-farming.html

M:EE MakeCode blog 6: My first Mini Game

http://warksjammy.blogspot.com/2017/12/mee-makecode-blog-6-my-first-mini-game.html

Minecraft Java Edition

Getting started with coding Minecraft Java Edition link

My first program link

Minecraft Pi / Java edition experiments with code link

Whack a block link

Walking random blocks link

Force Field link

Rainbbow Road link

Ai

Experiments with Ai an overview link

Experiments with Ai: Recall quiz's link

Edublocks

Getting started on Raspberry Pi link

EduBlocks walking blocks with Minecraft on Raspberry Pi link

EduBlocks blog 3 the Minecraft update: Pixelart block link

The Liverpool Makefest Minecraft Pixel Art twitter bot link

Exabytes 17 workshops v1 link

Graphing live data in Minecraft
http://warksjammy.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/exabytes-17-workshops-v1.html

Bridging the gap between visual coding and text based coding with EduBlocks.
http://warksjammy.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/edublocks-blog-6-123-coding-cards.html

Edublocks : BitIO 'Hello Micro:bit, hello Minecraft' link

Raspberry Jams

Eagle Labs Raspberry Jam Link

Leamington Raspberry Jam Link

Raspberry Jam resources in a zip file Link

Minecraft Raspberry Jam link

Leamington Raspberry Jam 2.0 link

Coventry Raspberry Jam 19 link

Coventry and Warwickshire Jam '21 Stop frame Lego animations link

Scratch

'L1: Input, process, output'
http://warksjammy.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/scratch-sol-blog-1-l1-input-process.html

'L2: Variables and conditionals and operators'
http://warksjammy.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/scratch-sol-blog-2-variables-and.html

'Big Red Button'
http://warksjammy.blogspot.com/2017/11/virtual-jam-blog-1-big-red-button.html

'L4:Message passing'
http://warksjammy.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/scratch-sol-blog-4-message-passing.html

'L5: Lists'
http://warksjammy.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/scratch-sol-blog-5.html

Other

Thanks is a dish served communally ..... link

Craig and Dave flipped learning questions link

Monday, 20 July 2026

Experiments with Ai: recall

Experiment #1: Can AI Save Me Time Creating Recall Quizzes?

When Ai(my only experience so far is Co-Pilot and more recently ChatGPT) first appeared, like many teachers, I was curious.

Not because I thought it was going to revolutionise education overnight, but because I wanted to know whether it could genuinely help with some of the more repetitive jobs that come with teaching.

Just after Christmas last year, I knew I had a much bigger project ahead of me. Our KS3 Computer Science curriculum needed a new Ai unit and I wanted to create a completely new Scheme of Learning. Before trusting AI with something as important as curriculum design, I decided to start much smaller.

Could it create useful recall quizzes?

Creating retrieval quizzes is one of those jobs that takes longer than people realise. Writing one quiz isn't difficult, but when you're creating one for every lesson across an entire Scheme of Learning, the hours soon add up.

It seemed like the perfect place to begin my experiments.

The Question

Can generative AI create recall quizzes that I'd actually be happy to use in the classroom?

Not just quickly.

Not just in large quantities.

But quizzes that accurately assess the key knowledge from a lesson and help students retrieve what they've learned.

The Experiment

My first attempt was deliberately simple.

I uploaded the PowerPoint from an existing lesson and asked ChatGPT to generate a 10-question multiple-choice recall quiz based on its contents.

The goal was simple.

If this worked, I could potentially create recall quizzes for every lesson in a Scheme of Learning in a fraction of the time it would normally take.

My original prompt looked something like this.

Prompt 1

The results were surprisingly good...but they weren't always consistent.

The Result

The short answer?

Yes...but not consistently.

ChatGPT had no problem producing quizzes at scale. Within seconds I had a complete recall quiz.

The challenge wasn't speed.

It was quality.

Some quizzes were excellent and tested exactly what I wanted students to remember.

Others focused on minor details, occasionally missed important concepts or simply didn't have enough information to work from.

I quickly realised something that seems obvious now.

My teaching PowerPoints weren't written as standalone learning resources.

They were designed to support my explanations during a lesson.

AI only sees what's written on the slides.

It doesn't hear everything you say.

What I Changed

Like most things with AI, better input produced better output.

Instead of simply asking ChatGPT to create a recall quiz, I became much more specific about what I wanted.

After several iterations my prompt evolved to include instructions such as:

Generate 10 multiple-choice questions
Questions should become progressively more challenging
Include five answer options
Randomise the position of the correct answer
Produce an answer key

That last point might sound trivial, but one of my earliest quizzes had a worrying habit of making Option B the correct answer far too often!

Here's the updated version of the prompt.

Prompt 2

I also realised that the quality of the source material mattered just as much as the prompt.

Where possible I began uploading:

OCR specification statements
lesson notes
transcripts from YouTube videos
textbook extracts
additional teacher notes

The richer the information, the better the quizzes became.

For A Level topics, I found that uploading the specification alongside the lesson PowerPoint produced particularly reliable results.

Example Output

One of the examples I tested was from OCR A Level Computer Science – Systems Software (1.2.1 a–d).

The resulting quiz looked like this.

A-Level Computer Science Recall Quiz

Systems Software (1.2.1 a–d)

Question 1

What is the primary purpose of an operating system?

A. To permanently store files

B. To create application software

C. To manage the computer's hardware and software resources

D. To connect computers to the internet

E. To increase the speed of the CPU

Question 2

Which memory management technique divides memory into fixed-size blocks called pages?

A. Paging

B. Segmentation

C. Virtual Memory

D. Caching

E. Defragmentation

Question 3

What is an interrupt?

A. A type of CPU register

B. A section of RAM

C. A scheduling algorithm

D. A program stored in the BIOS

E. A signal that requests the CPU's attention

Question 4

Which scheduling algorithm always executes the process that arrived first?

A. Round Robin

B. First Come First Served (FCFS)

C. Shortest Job First

D. Shortest Remaining Time

E. Multi-Level Feedback Queue

Question 5

Why is virtual memory used?

A. To make the processor run faster

B. To permanently store application software

C. To reduce the size of RAM modules

D. To allow programs to continue running when RAM is full by using secondary storage

E. To improve internet performance

Question 6

What happens immediately after the CPU receives an interrupt?

A. The CPU finishes executing its current instruction before responding

B. The computer immediately shuts down

C. The current program is deleted

D. The interrupt is ignored until the program ends

E. The BIOS restarts automatically

Question 7

Which scheduling algorithm gives every process a fixed amount of CPU time before moving to the next process?

A. First Come First Served

B. Shortest Remaining Time

C. Round Robin

D. Multi-Level Feedback Queue

E. Priority Scheduling

Question 8

Which statement best describes segmentation?

A. Memory is divided into equal-sized pages.

B. Secondary storage replaces RAM.

C. Programs are stored alphabetically.

D. Each process is allocated exactly the same amount of memory.

E. Memory is divided into variable-sized sections based on logical program components.

Question 9

An operating system is using the Shortest Job First scheduling algorithm. Four processes are waiting with estimated execution times of 8 ms, 3 ms, 6 ms and 2 ms.

Which process will run next?

A. 8 ms

B. 2 ms

C. 3 ms

D. 6 ms

E. The one that arrived first

Question 10

A user is editing a document when they press a key on the keyboard.

Which sequence correctly describes what happens?

A. The ISR runs → Interrupt occurs → CPU saves state → Program resumes

B. CPU saves state → Program resumes → Interrupt occurs → ISR runs

C. Interrupt occurs → Program resumes → ISR runs → CPU saves state

D. Interrupt occurs → CPU completes the current instruction → CPU saves its state → ISR executes → Original program resumes

E. Interrupt occurs → Computer restarts → ISR executes → Program resumes

Answer Key

Q	Answer
1	C
2	A
3	E
4	B
5	D
6	A
7	C
8	E
9	B
10	D

What I Learned

This experiment taught me something that has stayed with me throughout every AI experiment since.

AI isn't really about writing better content.

It's about giving it better information.

If your PowerPoint contains very little text because you provide the explanation during the lesson, don't expect AI to magically fill in the gaps.

Instead, provide richer sources of information such as:

specification statements
lesson notes
textbook extracts
transcripts from videos
model answers

The better the context, the better the output.

I also discovered that prompt engineering genuinely matters.

Small additions—such as asking for progressively harder questions, believable distractors and randomised answer positions—made a noticeable difference to the finished quiz.

Would I Use It Again?

Absolutely.

In fact, it's something I now use regularly.

Once I'd refined both the prompt and the information I was providing, AI became an excellent first draft generator.

Would I use the very first quiz it produced without checking it?

No.

Would I happily let AI produce a first draft that I could review in a couple of minutes?

Every time.

For me, this is one of the first classroom tasks where AI genuinely saved me time without compromising quality.

It doesn't replace teacher expertise.

It simply gives me more time to use that expertise where it matters most.

Experiment Verdict

Would I Use It Again? Yes.

Key Takeaways

AI is excellent at generating recall quizzes when it has enough context.
A PowerPoint isn't always enough—adding specifications, lesson notes or video transcripts dramatically improves the results.
Small prompt improvements can make a surprisingly big difference.
Always review the final quiz before giving it to students.
AI works best as a first draft, leaving the teacher to apply their professional judgement.

Experiments with Ai

Technology never stands still, and neither does education so by proxy neither does any teacher worth their salt.

Through this blog I've enjoyed exploring new ideas, building projects, experimenting with technology and sharing what I've learned along the way. Sometimes those projects have been built with Raspberry Pi, micro:bit, LEGO or Minecraft. Today, many of those experiments involve AI.

This isn't a blog about AI.

It's a blog about curiosity.

Whenever a new technology appears, I'm less interested in the headlines and more interested in the practical questions:

Can it actually do this?

Can it save time?

Can it improve learning?

Is it worth using?

Or is it just another shiny new tool?

Rather than making bold claims, I'd rather find out for myself.

Current Experiments

Over the coming months I'll be putting generative AI through a series of real-world classroom experiments.

Each experiment starts with a genuine question, follows the same simple format and ends with an honest conclusion.

For every experiment I'll share:

The question – What am I trying to find out?
The experiment – What did I ask AI to do?
The result – What did it actually produce?
What I changed – What needed improving and why?
What I learned – Would I use it again, and what advice would I give to others?

The aim isn't to prove that AI is brilliant or that it's terrible.

The aim is to work out where it genuinely adds value—and where professional judgement still matters.

Planned Experiments

The first series of experiments will include:

Can AI create effective retrieval quizzes? click here to view
Can AI generate meaningful cold-calling questions?
Can AI write worksheets I'd actually use?
Can AI produce engaging PowerPoint presentations?
Can AI create images that genuinely improve explanations?
Can AI sequence a Scheme of Learning?

Along the way I'll also revisit some older projects, dusting off Raspberry Pi builds, micro:bit creations and the occasional LEGO model that's been sitting in the "box of doom" waiting for another chance.

Some experiments will be successful.

Some won't.

I'll share both.

Because I think we learn just as much from the things that don't work as the ones that do.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope these experiments help you discover something useful, challenge a few assumptions and perhaps be helpful.

See you in the next one.

Revisiting the Micro:bit Express

Revisiting the Micro:bit Express V1

There have been many iterations of the Micro:bit Express over the years. In all honesty, it had been sitting in a box at school since it was last used in an enrichment club a couple of years ago.

Recently, I brought home what can only be described as "the box of doom" and decided it was finally time to see if any of it still worked.

I'll spare you the full story...

The controller was broken, a few bits had disappeared over the years and, unsurprisingly, nothing worked anymore.

After spending a while trying to remember how I'd originally built it, I came to a simple conclusion.

Start again.

Rather than recreating the most advanced version straight away, I wanted to strip everything back and rebuild the project from first principles.

The original train eventually evolved into a wireless controller using two micro:bits—one controlling the train and the other acting as a remote control. It worked really well, but this version deliberately goes in the opposite direction.

It's about as simple as it gets.

Sometimes that's exactly what a project needs.

What you'll need

1 LEGO train motor (with the original LEGO connector removed and two wires soldered on)
1 classic LEGO train
1 LEGO wagon to carry the electronics
1 BBC micro:bit
1 Drive:bit Lite motor driver (can buy in the uk @ least from here )
1 AA battery box with 4 AA batteries

Software

I used the following site: Microsoft MakeCode for micro:bit

The project uses Microsoft MakeCode for micro:bit.

Before writing any code, you'll need to add the Drive:bit extension from the Extensions menu.

The Code

One thing I really like about this version is how little code it actually needs.

Press A to increase the speed.

Press B to stop the train.

That's it.

Eight years ago I probably would have wanted to add more features.

Today, I think there's something quite satisfying about keeping it this simple.

Why simplify it?

The previous version was technically much more capable.

It used two micro:bits, allowing one to act as a wireless remote control while the other drove the train around the track.

This version is, on paper, a regression.

Less hardware.

Less code.

Fewer features.

But revisiting the project has made me realise something.

Sometimes the simplest version is actually the most approachable.

There's something wonderfully satisfying about taking an ordinary LEGO train, adding a tiny computer and writing just enough code to bring it to life.

A child doesn't need to understand wireless communication or complex programming to experience that moment of excitement when something they've coded starts moving.

That feeling hasn't changed since I first built this project.

Video

Chris Penn on X: "@microbit_edu Express https://t.co/oJM8zsV4A6" / X

What's next?

I'm sure this won't be the final version.

Maybe the wireless controller will return, here is whay I used previously link

Maybe I'll add sensors.

Maybe I'll find another excuse to take it along to a computing club.

For now though, I'm enjoying its simplicity.

Sometimes it's enough just to remember why you built something in the first place.

When I first built this train, I wanted to show that a LEGO model could be controlled with code. Looking at it now, I think the more important lesson is something much simpler.

There's a real sense of magic in taking an ordinary toy, adding a tiny computer and writing just enough code to bring it to life. That feeling is just as exciting today as it was the first time I watched it move around the track.

My hope is that someone reading this looks at an old project sitting in their own "box of doom", dusts it off, and rediscovers the simple joy of making something move with code.

After all, that's how the next idea usually begins.

Twenty-one years of teaching. A lifetime of tinkering.

See you in the next project.

Sunday, 12 November 2023

How to get coding with Minecraft Pi on a Pi 5.

Here are the steps needed to get Minecraft Pi working a Pi:

1.When you chose which image you are going to install make sure its the 32 bit 64 bi doesn't work with Minecraft Pi.

2. Using terminal install PiApps by running the following command:

wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Botspot/pi-apps/master/install | bash

3.Once installed open PyApps > games > Minecraft Pi (modded) and install

4. Head to terminal again and paste the following command:

cd ~ cd Desktop git clone https://github.com/AdventuresInMinecraft/AdventuresInMinecraft-Pi

5. This should put a folder on your folder desktop called: AdventuresInMinecraft-Pi

6. Next go the following directory: AdventuresInMinecraft-Pi/MyAdventures/mcpi

7. Open the util.py file in Idle or equivalent IDE.

8. Locate the following line of code: collections.iterable and replace it with collections.abc.iterable

9. You should now be able to create, save and run MCPI code from the following folder:

/AdventuresInMinecraft-Pi/MyAdventures