Any tips/guides on how to make kids excited and eager to learn about app devel?

General (non-technical) K-12 / University
#1

Hi,

I will be giving a guest talk and lecture to a high school at my hometown in Malaysia (my first lecture), the session is about 2 hr. I plan to give a brief cover about the mobile app history (10-20min), and give a practical handon guide to help them make a small project within that 2hr session. While I have some ideas to make the coding part easy for them who is total beginner to computer (not to mention programming), but I have a hard time finding ideas on some of the cool things to talk about to get them excited and want to explore more on the mobile app.

I was thinking giving out the history and some statistics number of the app/usage, but then it would be too formal and academic style which may not be catch their attention as billions app download, the market potential not meaning much to them for the students at high school who don’t have much exposure to computer/mobile world. Not all will heard of Angry Bird before, as many of their parents still using dumbphone and don’t have tablet.

It will be great if anyone who have previous teaching experience to the kids could share some direction/tips/topics that is fun to talk about that will get the kids excited about and want to learn more of it.

Thank you.

Regards,

Justin

#2

Hey Justin, I’m a high school math teacher in Southern California.  I founded a robotics club at the high school in 2006 and I support an apps club that started last year.   I also work with a very dynamic computer science teacher who has great ideas.    To me, an introduction to apps for kids should be about graphics and sounds and game play.   In this video, Seb Lee talks about how to make Angry Birds with Corona and he’s very dynamic (although I believe there is some profanity, so watch before using!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBnBml2KFFk

(And it doesn’t matter if they haven’t heard of Angry Birds before.  There were plenty of people who never heard of it, then saw it and fell in love with it.)

Here’s another cool video from Seb Lee that demonstrates some features of javascript, but could easily be converted to Corona apps:

http://vimeo.com/36278748

Finally, in the forums, you’ll see a number of discussions about the latest news phenomenon, Flappy Bird.  Several people are offering Flappy Bird clones and templates.  

I could go on and on, but I’ll give you one last suggestion.  If you want to start kids off with a simple introduction to programming, you could show them this set of tutorial/exercises at code.org (developed as part of the US nationwide effort known as Hour of Code):

http://learn.code.org/hoc/1

Hope this helps a little.

#3

Hi,

I agree with Michael’s comments. Your examples must involve graphics and if possible physics. Both are easy to teach in a single short lesson and the fast ones will be able to alter and customise. If they have mobile devices then the atmosphere will be electric after the first one has build their app and installed it. Their first app does not have to be whizzy and have bells and whistles. I can send you the examples that I use with my level 3 students (equivalent to A levels; year 11 & 12’s). They all have an app after a very short time. Email if I can be of any help.

#4

Hi,

My advice prep a example using one of the sample apps substituting a photo of your face as one of the display.newImageRect’s.

Obviously you will have time to play with it to get it right. Show to the kids and once over ask for a volunteer from the class ( or use a teacher), take photo, and replace in code - ( should not take too long to connect camera, download photo and then change filename ) and presto instead of a {whatever} the kids will see something/ or someone personal to them within the game presentation.

I think that would create a bit of a whoa factor!

T.

#5

Hi all,

Thanks for the great tips, resources and advices. I will come out with some ideas after going through more detail on the way that code.org teaches programming, and will give some basic physics in game like angry bird/flappy bird to get them excited about how easy they can make their own game. Using their photo inside their app is a great idea too which I will be considering get them do something more personal app after the first introduction lesson.

Justin

#6

You might use this Wired article by NBA Star Chris Bosh where he talks about the importance of people learning to code and a starting point:  http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/10/chris-bosh-why-everyone-should-learn-to-code/

He is part of http://Code.org a project to get any one to code.  The video there is a good “Why should I be excited about this” (the site Justin mentioned above).   The other video is here:  http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/02/26/chris-bosh-coding-jobs/1949295/

Rob

#7

Hey Justin, I’m a high school math teacher in Southern California.  I founded a robotics club at the high school in 2006 and I support an apps club that started last year.   I also work with a very dynamic computer science teacher who has great ideas.    To me, an introduction to apps for kids should be about graphics and sounds and game play.   In this video, Seb Lee talks about how to make Angry Birds with Corona and he’s very dynamic (although I believe there is some profanity, so watch before using!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBnBml2KFFk

(And it doesn’t matter if they haven’t heard of Angry Birds before.  There were plenty of people who never heard of it, then saw it and fell in love with it.)

Here’s another cool video from Seb Lee that demonstrates some features of javascript, but could easily be converted to Corona apps:

http://vimeo.com/36278748

Finally, in the forums, you’ll see a number of discussions about the latest news phenomenon, Flappy Bird.  Several people are offering Flappy Bird clones and templates.  

I could go on and on, but I’ll give you one last suggestion.  If you want to start kids off with a simple introduction to programming, you could show them this set of tutorial/exercises at code.org (developed as part of the US nationwide effort known as Hour of Code):

http://learn.code.org/hoc/1

Hope this helps a little.

#8

Hi,

I agree with Michael’s comments. Your examples must involve graphics and if possible physics. Both are easy to teach in a single short lesson and the fast ones will be able to alter and customise. If they have mobile devices then the atmosphere will be electric after the first one has build their app and installed it. Their first app does not have to be whizzy and have bells and whistles. I can send you the examples that I use with my level 3 students (equivalent to A levels; year 11 & 12’s). They all have an app after a very short time. Email if I can be of any help.

#9

Hi,

My advice prep a example using one of the sample apps substituting a photo of your face as one of the display.newImageRect’s.

Obviously you will have time to play with it to get it right. Show to the kids and once over ask for a volunteer from the class ( or use a teacher), take photo, and replace in code - ( should not take too long to connect camera, download photo and then change filename ) and presto instead of a {whatever} the kids will see something/ or someone personal to them within the game presentation.

I think that would create a bit of a whoa factor!

T.

#10

Hi all,

Thanks for the great tips, resources and advices. I will come out with some ideas after going through more detail on the way that code.org teaches programming, and will give some basic physics in game like angry bird/flappy bird to get them excited about how easy they can make their own game. Using their photo inside their app is a great idea too which I will be considering get them do something more personal app after the first introduction lesson.

Justin

#11

You might use this Wired article by NBA Star Chris Bosh where he talks about the importance of people learning to code and a starting point:  http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/10/chris-bosh-why-everyone-should-learn-to-code/

He is part of http://Code.org a project to get any one to code.  The video there is a good “Why should I be excited about this” (the site Justin mentioned above).   The other video is here:  http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/02/26/chris-bosh-coding-jobs/1949295/

Rob