S

App Development =

Skills DevelopmentHow Coding to Learn Makes It Happen

Presenter:

Susan Bearden

@s_bearden

@tweechmeapp

Agenda

S Our Mobile World

S WHY students should be learning about mobile app development

S HOW students should be learning about mobile app development

S The MAD-Learn Approach

S

Our Mobile WorldMeet the New “First Screen”

Source:

http://www.digitalbuzzblog.

com/infographic-2013-

mobile-growth-statistics/

S

WHY Students Should

Be Coding

Voices from the Top

S President Obama: “…the next language students will need to learn…”

S Bill Gates: “Learning to write programs stretches your mind, and helps you think better, creates a way of thinking about things that I think is helpful in all domains.”

S Stuart Silberg (VP-Hotels.com): “…schools also need to educate children on the advantages of learning those skills and how to implement them in both business and day-to-day life…Schools need to educate pupils that technology is much more than just Java, HTML5 and Excel – it gives them the tools to turn any idea into reality.”

Why students should be coding

Source: http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240163065/Estonia-teaches-students-as-young-as-year-1-to-code-

web-and-mobile-applications

• Confidence in dealing with complexity

• Persistence in working with difficult problems

• Tolerance for ambiguity

• The ability to deal with open ended problems

• The ability to communicate and work with others to achieve a common goal or

solution

“Vital & Transferable” Skills

S Problem-solving

S Using Technology

S Working on Teams

S Making Connections

S Communicating

Like many states, the Illinois

State Board of Education

emphasizes skills development

as part of its learning standards

for mathematics and

English/language arts.

Add the “ISTE Connection”

S Problem-solving

S Using Technology

S Working on Teams

S Making Connections

S Communicating

S Creativity and innovation

S Communication and collaboration

S Research and information fluency

S Critical thinking, problem solving,

and decision making

S Digital citizenship

S Technology operations and

concepts

International Society for

Technology in

Education’s Skills

Development

Expectations for

Students

Add Real World Marketable Skills

S Creative ideation & design-based learning

S Product based/project based thinking

S Presentation skills

S Entrepreneurship

S Marketability!

Value added proposition for schools

S Application to other STEM areas

S Opportunities for certifications

S Students building apps for school

S Students building apps for community/groups connects

school to community

S Monetizing app development offerings

S

HOW Students Should

Be CodingCoding to Learn vs. Learning to

Code

What does “Coding to Learn” Mean?

S When students learn to code, they learn to code

S When they “code to learn” they learn much more

S Learning by Design approach

S Coding to Learn begins with a problem that needs to be

addressed

S Students work to find a solution, using a conceptual approach

S Students learn vital & transferable skills

Source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UqyVUxitDA

Phases of App Development

S Ideation Phase: “What’s the problem?”

S Planning Phase: “How should the app be organized?”

S App Building Phase: “How should the app function?”

S Content Building Phase: “What should the end user

know?”

S Testing Phase: “How can the app be better?”

S

App Development =

Skills Development

Problem-Solving

S Questions, questions, questions…

S What’s important?

S How is it arranged?

S Which templates should I use?

S How do I get my audience to care?

S How do I fix things?

Using Technology

S How are the app’s parameters set?

S How does the CMS work?

S Which templates are best suited to the development?

S Why does the app BEST serve the purpose?

S How much time is spent “offline?”

Working on Teams

S What is my role/what are my roles?

S What is our system of “checks and balances?”

S How do we ensure that every team member is valued?

Making Connections

S How is the app’s content logically interrelated?

S What is its connection to my class, school,

community, world?

S Why is my app relevant?

Communicating

S Am I giving due credit to my sources?

S Am I making the information accessible?

S Am I using proper form?

S Am I effectively communicating with…

S My team?

S My audience?

Considerations

S Mindset shiftS from “Let’s learn coding” to “Want to make something? We can use this to do it!”

S Developmental, “structured lack of structure”S built on previous lessons, but driven by students’ ideas

S Age appropriate goalsS from changing colors to changing the world

S Role shiftS from instructor to facilitator

S Fun work with quick payoff

Integration Options:

Curriculum to Camps

S As part of the curriculum

S As part of a computer science or technology class

S As an elective or exploratory class

S As a club or afterschool offering

S As part of a weekend “family engagement” event

S As a summer camp offering

S

The MAD-Learn

Approach

What is MAD-Learn?

S Mobile App Development

Learning

S New approach to teaching

coding

S Two-phase system

S Aimed at “the other 98%”

S Adaptable program

Creators of Technology with

MAD-Learn

Operating Platform (CMS)

MAD-scout Apps

A 5th Grade Girl at HTEA 6th Grade Student at Auburn

Ryan is a 5th Grader at

HTEA

4th Grade Boys at Auburn

S

S

Crescerance.com

@Crescerance MAD-learn.com

@MADlearn