Class 62 in Dundas are creating their own iPhone app - they're choosing and writing all the content based on locations around the city of Dundas in Canada, creating all the artwork, photography and interface design. Their goal is to create their own iPhone app to be published on the App Store in a few months. 

      

Along the way - this project will expose them to a range of real world experiences - thinking about their ideal audience and how to write and market Dundas to them. They're learning about mathematics used in photograph and digital design and global positioning systems. They're learning about geography and social studies in their own city. The potential for studying basic astronomy and science involved with geo-satellites used in mapping may be explored. They're learning about software design and content management systems and databases that are used in the iPhone app. They're creating art and design and talking to the digital artist @CynthiaJabar. 

Most of all - they're having fun, making stuff and collaborating with each other and others across the world.

Our hope is that we all learn from each other, and potentially create an extension of this app so that we can open the system up to other classrooms around the world from 3rd graders upwards to middle school and high school students. We can imagine an app that allows many classrooms to create their own content, and download the contributions from other classes of children and youth from around the world. Ideally - the app would have a body of creative-commons licenced curriculum behind it for many grade levels, so that we can open up participation for learners of multiple ages.

If you'd like to be involved in this discussion of where this experiment is going and how you might like to be involved in further apps for your own class, please feel free to email @ianchia so he can create a wiki account for you to edit and contribute content here - other educators are very welcome to participate in this wiki. Being Prudence would like to hear and discuss your ideas in the open - that way, everyone can benefit. As well, Heidi is blogging about the experience of Class 62 on an ongoing basis and welcomes comments from others.

(Welcome to Kim Gill's Grade 4-6 Special Ed Gill-Villeans class from Ryerson PS in Canada, who are also beginning a trial. You can read more about their progress here on this wiki.)

Thank you.

- Ian

Please note - the information on this Where I live - a DIY app wiki is placed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.5) Licence.