Most current middle school technology classes focus on Microsoft Office and basic Internet skills. At our middle school in southwest Austin, we are lighting a spark of interest in computer science (as well as other STEM fields) through our Video Game Design class.
My students are raised in a town known for high tech.
The interest is there, and we just need the resources to make it happen. The Video Game Design class uses video game development as the carrot to get students interested in computer programming and it has been very successful. Everything we use is free and my students often spend hours at home adding to their games. While they have lots of fun doing it, they are absolutely learning all the fundamentals of structured programming: conditionals, loops, variable, subroutines, and events as well as the software development process. They leave excited and ready for more.
My Project
I am asking for 2 Nexus tablets with cases so my students can further explore writing apps for mobile devices. Currently, in Video Game design, we use MIT App Inventor to introduce real-world programming. App Inventor is an easy to use tool, just like Scratch, that allows the students to develop real applications for mobile devices. The kids really enjoy the program and I would like to expand that area of focus and eventually expand it into a class of its own starting with App Inventor and ending with Java, all programming done for use on the tablets . They love being able to take their app out of the classroom to show their friends.
App building is not limited to simple games. Students can also build apps that inform and educate. They can create a quiz app to help them and their classmates study for a test. With Android's text-to-speech capabilities, they can even have the phone ask questions out loud.
I'm asking for your help in making this happen.
With your help, we can give my students and exciting learning experience that they will not soon forget. I choose to do this job because I firmly believe one of my students will change the world with a simple idea. This may be just the spark they need.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Howard and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.