The BCS Appathon Challenge at Greenwich

Cornelia Boldyreff; Yasmine Arafa; Asif Malik; Andy Wicks; Gillian Windall

doi:10.21100/compass.v8i12.269

Authors

Cornelia Boldyreff University of Greenwich
Yasmine Arafa University of Greenwich
Asif Malik Higher Colleges of Technology, Men's College Dubai
Andy Wicks University of Greenwich
Gillian Windall University of Greenwich

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21100/compass.v8i12.269

Keywords:

Programming, Mobile Apps, Understanding Apps,

Abstract

The BCS Appathon set out to engage as many people as possible in the UK during one hour in programming an app for their mobile phones. Just over 50 people took part at Greenwich: students, staff, families and members of the general public. The Appathon's aim was to get participants to develop their own simple app during a one hour highly interactive workshop. The workshop continued on allowing Appathon attendees to work developing apps of their own design. In the concluding session, participants had an opportunity to present their apps in a “show and tell” activity.The success of the Appathon has encouraged staff in the department to think of how it could be employed with first year students who are active smart phone users but find programming difficult and lack confident when starting to learn programming. By putting first year students through the Appathon experience, we hope to create a large pool of student ambassadors who can work with us in taking the Appathon to local schools and using it as a taster event at our open days.

Author Biographies

Cornelia Boldyreff, University of Greenwich

Professor Cornelia Boldyreff lives in Greenwich and is a Visiting Professor at the University of Greenwich in the Department of Computing and Information Systems. She was previously the Associate Dean (Research and Enterprise) at the School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering at the University of East London from 2009 - February 2013. Cornelia gained her PhD in Software Engineering from the University of Durham where she worked from 1992; she was a Reader in the Computer Science Department when she left.In 2004 she moved to the University of Lincoln to become the first Professor of Software Engineering at the university, where she co-founded and directed the Centre for Research in Open Source Software.

Yasmine Arafa, University of Greenwich

Dr Yasmine Arafa is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer and Information Systems at the University of Greenwich.

Asif Malik, Higher Colleges of Technology, Men's College Dubai

Until February 2016, Dr Asif Malik was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer and Information Systems at the University of Greenwich. His new post is at the Men's College Dubai, Higher Colleges of Technology, in the United Arab Emirates.

Andy Wicks, University of Greenwich

Mr Andy Wicks is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer and Information Systems at the University of Greenwich.

Gillian Windall, University of Greenwich

Ms Gillian Windall is a Principal Lecturer and Short Courses Group Leader in the Department of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Greenwich.

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