News From the Nest April 10-14, 2023
Spotlight on Learning
Computer Coding 9: Android App Development
Using MIT’s App Inventor software, students in Computer Coding 9 develop a fun interactive translate app for Android devices. Many students choose to learn words from the Halq’emey’lem language of our local BC Stolo First People, while others link to their own unique cultural heritage. Learning to program mobile devices with a visual language brings coding to life for students in fun and empowering ways.
The BC Applied Design Skills and Technologies (ADST) curriculum includes the processes of creativity, application, and problem-solving, where students build on what they already know and in turn discover new knowledge themselves. Understanding cultural context; ideating; prototyping; testing; making and sharing (not all necessarily in that order) are the design stages our students work through in pulling their ideas together and learning in this innovative and creative format.
How it works: Students begin by visiting https://www.firstvoices.com/ to understand how important language is for cultural identity. Also reflecting on their personal cultural identity, they map out ideas for their app. Some use words provided by the First Voices site; others choose to profile their own language by recording their own voices to add to their app. They experiment, design, develop and test component properties, such as x, y, z positioning of images. Components behaviors are programmed in a separate interface. The app appears on the simulator step-by-step as pieces are added to it, so students test their work as they build. The final product is an apk file which can be installed, viewed, and shared on a functioning device. Although this is an individual project, students are so eager to showcase their learning with one another, it quickly becomes a team effort!