App Development Extended
Create a working prototype of an app in 20 sessions
Primary, Secondary and FE
20 sessions
In-class or extracurricular
Basic to advanced programming
Course Summary
- Student teams design and build an app that solves a problem they care about
- The extended course allows students to explore topics in more depth than the standard course
- Teams work their way through a range of activities, split across 20 sessions
- See below for the Scheme of Work, Student Workbook, and Learning Objectives
Course sessions
Login or sign up now to access all of the sessions
- Session 1: Launch
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Session 2: Team building
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Session 3: New product development
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Session 4: Learn the basics
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Session 5: Spotting problems
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Session 6: Exploring problems
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Session 7: Selecting problems
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Session 8: App building skills 1 (block programming)
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Session 9: Understand the user
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Session 10: Understand the market
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Session 11: Technical and data feasibility
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Session 12: App building skills 2 (blocks programming)
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Session 13: User experience and flow
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Session 14: Build your app
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Session 15: Test with users
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Session 16: Business case
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Session 17: Marketing
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Session 18: Pitch
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Session 19: Keep on growing
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Session 20: Careers in tech
Core resource
Course workbook for students
- This printable student A4 workbook contains practical activities
- Guides you and your students through the course
- Fully editable, making it easy for you to adopt to meet your needs
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Session 1
Launch
Learning objectives
Core
- Understand what the Apps for Good course involves
- Be able to identify the tools available on mobile devices
Challenge
- Be able to classify apps based on their purpose and the tools that they use
Go to session
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Session 2
Team building
Learning objectives
Core
- Understand the importance of teamwork
- Understand what makes a good team member
Challenge
- Be able to agree common team values
- Be able to negotiate and agree the ground rules for your team
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Session 3
New product development
Learning objectives
Core
- Understand what is meant by the lean startup development cycle
- Understand what is meant by a prototype
Challenge
- Be able to identify the MVP of an existing app
- Be able to create a prototype of an existing app using appropriate software
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Session 4
Learn the basics
Learning objectives
Core
- Understand what an algorithm is and be able to write simple algorithms for everyday tasks
Challenge
- Be able to use programming blocks to solve simple puzzles
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Session 5
Spotting problems
Learning obectives
Core
- Be able to identify the communities you belong to
- Identify everyday problems which could be helped by a mobile app
Challenge
- Understand a range of techniques which can be used to generate new ideas
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Session 6
Exploring problems
Learning objectives
Core
- Gain a better understanding of the problems/issues you are seeking to resolve with your app
Challenge
- Employ a range of techniques to explore initial app ideas in order to select the strongest to take forward to the next stage
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Session 7
Selecting problems
Learning objectives
Core
- Gain a better understanding of the potential market for your app ideas
Challenge
- Be able to critically evaluate app ideas and select the strongest to take forward
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Session 8
App building skills 1 (block programming)
Learning objectives
Core
- Gain an understanding of the App Lab Design editor and Code editor
- Be able to create a simple app using App Lab
Challenge
- Be able to make changes to improve a basic app
- Understand the advantages of separating the design and the functionality of an app during development
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Session 9
Understand the user
Learning objectives
Core
- Gain a better understanding of the problem situation and the needs of your user
Challenge
- Be able to plan and carry out effective interviews
Be able to develop user profiles based on your interviews
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Session 10
Understand the market
Learning objectives
Core
- Gain a better understanding of the current market for your app
Challenge
- Be able to plan and carry out effective research into your potential market and competitors
- Be able to develop competitor profiles based on your research
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Session 11
Technical and data feasibility
Learning objectives
Core
- Gain a better understanding of the technical requirements of your app
- Be able to draw wireframes and create paper prototypes
Challenge
- Be able to define your minimum viable product (MVP)
- Be able to adjust your app designs to ensure that they are technically feasible
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Session 12
App building skills 2 (blocks programming)
APP LAB
Core
- Be able to process user input to your app
- Be able to use selection to control the flow of your program
Challenge
- Understand how to store data using App Lab
- Be able to adapt a simple app to increase functionality
APP INVENTOR
Core
- Be able to write a simple algorithm
- Understand how to use the canvas component of the App Inventor development tool
Challenge
- Understand how to use event handling blocks which take arguments
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Session 13
User experience and flow
Learning objectives
Core
- Understand how the design of your app can affect the user experience
- Be able to use wireframing tools to create a click through prototype of your app
Challenge
- Be able to improve the user experience of your app by considering its design and flow
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Session 14
Build your app
Learning objectives
Core
- Understand how to use pseudocode and flowcharts to plan out your app
- Be able to build a technical prototype of your app using your chosen building blocks application
Challenge
- Create detailed flowcharts and / or pseudocode to plan out the development of your app
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Session 15
Test with users
Learning objectives
Core
- Understand the importance of testing in the app development lifecycle
Challenge
- Be able to act on the feedback received to improve the functionality and usability of your technical prototype
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Session 16
Business case
Learning objectives
Core
- Understand the range of different business models available
- Understand how to generate revenue from your app
Challenge
- Be able to identify the best revenue stream for your app
- Be able to develop a Business Model Canvas
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Session 17
Marketing
Learning objectives
Core
- Understand the importance of marketing in developing a successful app
- Be able to produce a marketing activity for your app
Challenge
- Be able to create an effective marketing campaign for your app
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Session 18
Pitch
Learning objectives
Core
- Understand how to present your ideas effectively
Challenge
- Be able to summarise the key points of your app in a short presentation
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Session 19
Keep on growing
Learning objectives
Core
- Be able to review your progress during the course
Challenge
- Be able to summarise the key learning points from the Apps for Good course
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Session 20
Careers in tech
Learning objectives
Core
- Be aware of the range of careers available in the IT industry
- Be able to develop CV and covering letter for a role in the tech industry
Challenge
- Be able to answer standard interview questions with confidence