Department of Ed Sponsors Contest to Develop Mac 'Apps'

Department of Ed Sponsors Contest to Develop Mac 'Apps'

By Amber Lester Wednesday, July 07, 2010

The Virginia Department of Education wants to see students learning as they slide their fingers across shiny iPhones and iPads.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Patricia I. Wright issued a challenge Monday to application developers to create “apps” for Apple wireless mobile devices. She wants to see apps that can help middle-schoolers learn more about geography, civics, economics and American history as they use iPhones, iPads and iPods. The winning developers will receive awards from the Virginia Productivity Investment Fund.

“The SOL Apple Apps Challenge is focused on history and social science content that some students find difficult and areas where teachers need additional resources,” Wright said. “The availability of Virginia-specific applications will encourage more divisions to explore the potential of wireless technology for engaging students and enhancing instruction.”

In a press release, the VDOE asked that developers review the standards for history and social science learning in Virginia and create applications that reflect those goals. Their ideal applications would help students:

• Analyze and interpret United States maps

• Translate geographic data into graphs

• Place events in United States history in chronological order

• Obtain historical data from a variety of sources

• Participate in planning for effective civic action

• Identify international issues that require local decision-making

• Use an economic decision-making model

• Identify the characteristics of the U.S. economic system

The VDOE will select judges to evaluate the submitted apps and Wright will announce the winning entries in October at the National School Boards Association’s Technology and Learning Conference in Phoenix.

Winning developers will receive the following awards: $15,000 for the first-place entry; $10,000 for the second-place entry; and $5,000 for the third-place entry. The first-place winner will also receive consultation and support from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a venture-capital group that manages the $200 million iFund investment initiative.

Developers must follow terms and conditions for the Apple App Store, and submissions should be uploaded to the App Store by 5 p.m. on Sept. 17. All of the winning apps will be available as free downloads from the App Store.

For more details about the challenge, click here.

Comments

0 #1 Guest 2010-07-09 15:55

Why is the focus on Apple and their iPad and iPod so important to the current leadership of not only the VDOE but also to our local school systems including York and WJCC? There are numerous platforms for development that have been around longer, are open source or have a larger installed user base. Isn't this type of favoritism towards a for profit entity, such as Apple, contrary to what the tax payer funded educational programs should be looking towards?

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