debbie foster coo apps for good. using apps to transform students from tech consumers to digital...
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Debbie FosterCOO Apps for Good
Using Apps to transform students
from tech consumers to digital creators
Debbie ForsterCOO
Follow us @AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster#appsforgood www.appsforgood.org
@AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster www.appsforgood .org
Beat the Book
Frustrated with studying books at school and embarrassed about failing English tests
Helps encourage students to read by rewarding them with a game for reading and understanding the books set by their teacher
Problem App solution
@AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster www.appsforgood .org
Promise Keeper
Adults kept promising rewards and conveniently forgetting them!
Lets young people, their parents and teachers agree and track a task, a timeline and a reward -- creating a mini-contract
Problem App solution
@AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster www.appsforgood .org
RMBme
Forgetting items for important meetings — and forgetting about important meetings
Uses sounds, pictures and other customisable features to alert and remind users about anything
Problem App solution
@AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster www.appsforgood .org
2012 Apps for Good winners
@AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster www.appsforgood .org
Student-driven learning
TechnologyProblem-solving
Inspiring students- -our approach
@AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster www.appsforgood .org
So how do we do it? A ‘STEAMED’ course
Crash course in app developmentA basic understanding of the app development process
Idea generationA pipeline of
potential app ideas
Screening and scopingPractical research
into market and tech feasibility
Product developmentBuild and test a
prototype. Choose a business model
Pitch and CompetitionPull together all key artifacts into a pitch for a chance to win expert
investment.
@AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster www.appsforgood .org
A fast growing movement
Sept2010• 47 students• 2 schools• 3 educators• 15 app ideas• 5 experts
Sept2011• 1,250
students• 37 schools• 100
educators• 300 app ideas• 100 experts
Sept2012• 5,000 students• 97
schools• 250
educators• 1,500
app ideas• 200
experts
Sept2013• 30,000 students• 400 schools• 800 educators• 5,000 app ideas• 400 experts• 6,300 alumni
Sept 2014• 50,000
students• 1,000
education partners
• 2,000 educators
• 12,500 app ideas• 1,000 experts• 26,300 alumni
10,000% growth so far and rising
@AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster www.appsforgood .org
Challenges & risks ahead
Measuring what is valuable vs What’s easy to measure
The danger of the next “magic bullet”
Keeping teachers skilled & confident
Opportunities & challenges in the new
curriulum
@AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster www.appsforgood .org
Computing- the challenge is to create not just another kind of user/consumer
@AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster www.appsforgood .org
What makes us special—not the tech
Students and alumni
Corporate partners and
funders
Educatorsin schools
200+ expert volunteers
@AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster www.appsforgood .org
What makes our teachers special
Fountain of knowledge Rock climbing coach
Educator
Team of students
Expert(s)
Educator
Individual students
@AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster www.appsforgood .org
What are we learning?
The challenge of staying STEAMED
The key is still people not tools & toys
Blessing & curse of BYOD, handhelds &free tools
Hard is good...but hard is hard
Coding & computing need context
What students really value
Where the real “wow” factor is
@AppsforGoodCDI @debbieforster www.appsforgood .org
Our vision
Create a global movement that will enable every young person around the world to use technology and business skills to build a better future for their
generation
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Thank youFind out more appsforgood.orgStay in touch @appsforgoodcdi