Learn By Doing

A Lifelong Learner Shares Thoughts About Education

  • I found this article describing a portion of one side of the argument, app or not, which may well suggest an answer the question of where to spend out time in CS here.  Read the full article and the comments on Medium.  The author is not without an unbiased view point, consider what this might mean in relationship to our last review of the NYTimes 7 Minute Workout PWA, or click the author’s examples

    I recently wrote an article called “Native Apps are Doomed.” I was surprised at how many people were defending native apps. In all honesty, the user experience story for native apps has never been impressive. The numbers paint a bleak picture for native app success rates that teams need to be aware of when they make important decisions about how to build a new app.

    Native apps face two gigantic hurdles trying to compete with Progressive Web Apps (PWAs):

    • Instead of writing 3 different apps, one for Android, one for iOS, and one for the web, PWA app makers only need to build one app that works for all 3.
    • App install friction is suffocating native apps.

    App store friction is a major obstacle. It takes about 6 clicks to install a native app, and with each click, you lose about 20% of your users. Deciding to install an app is a lot harder than deciding to use a web app. You have to click install, wait for the app to download, worry about how much space it will take, and worry about the scary permissions it will require. Native apps lose a lot of their potential users before they even click install.

    With a progressive web app, you visit a URL and immediately get to try the app. If you continue to use it, you get prompted to install it to your home screen with one click. From that point on, it behaves like a native app. It can work offline, take photos, use WebGL for 3D games, access the GPU for hardware accelerated processing, record audio, etc… The web platform has grown up. It’s time to take it seriously. See “10 Must See Web Apps & Games”for examples of what the web can do.

    ……

  • This is an amazing PDF of all 650 prompts from this NYTimes article!

    Every school day since 2009 we’ve asked students a question based on an article in The New York Times.

    Now, seven years later, and in honor of the Oct. 20 National Day on Writing, we’ve collected 650 of them that invite narrative and personal writing and listed them by category below. Consider it an update of a previous post, and a companion to the list of 301 argumentative writing prompts we published in 2015.

    20WELL-master1050

  • IMG_20160919_084902In my Introduction to Programming classes I am using Processing to introduce graphics, Java, and Android development.  Starting with a CS4HS Workshop at UofW this summer I am beginning an exploration that will make this class more fun, closer to CS Principles, and setup students for success in IB.

    I completed a class using Java to draw images, then a class using variables to have the students faces “sing” by changing shapes and sizes based on the volume of a song they choose.

    Then, today, they attempt to actually publish the code to their phone, install the Java software development tool we are using on their phone, and run a simulator on the PC.  3 ways to program for a phone.

    Fun stuff as seen in the  image.

  • My Computer Applications class in Fall of 2016 is working on a project call Thoughtful Footprints: a leap of faith every single year.  It teaches the students how to contribute to the entire world and make a positive impact; a thoughtful footprint.  It does this by improving Google Maps and Places.

    It is a focus on success not limitations.  The start always involves a roll of eyes, so hard, too hard, and ends with amazement.  Today, on Day 2, a young man finally was cajoled, pushed, challenged, supported, until he came up with a change he could make.  He added the new not-even-opened-yet Under Armour HQ to Google and earned the “Approved” letter to go with it.  He learned how to demonstrate evidence and propose to an external entity.

    The cool part is his Dad’s firm was involved in this redesign and his Dad goes to this site, and they didn’t put it on Google Maps, the young freshman did.  So next time his Dad enters Google Maps for navigation it will now route him there. 

    The young man seemed more engaged today. 

    Under Armour

  • from GitHub

    If you’d like to start using GitHub or just see what it’s all about, we’re kicking off a new way for you to learn the basics. Introduction to GitHub is a self-paced, online class designed to help you:

    • Get started using GitHub.com in 30 minutes or less.
    • Make new friends while collaborating on a fun project.
    • Dive into the worlds of GitHub and open source.

    Unlike many self-paced training classes where you are completely alone, this one has a thrivingGitter community where GitHub Trainers drop in several times a day to answer questions and help those who are stuck. During the course, you are encouraged to complete an activity where you will drop a pin on our map representing your current location. Check out our current pinshere to see where people are learning.

    This course is 100 percent free forever …