Combining programming with the learning of concepts of natural sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (stem) through the creation of a portable application for weather forecast

Submitted by gariou on Tue, 26/05/2020 - 15:47

General Info


Combining programming with the learning of concepts of natural sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (stem) through the creation of a portable application for weather forecast
Abstract

The practice described attempted to create a portable weather forecasting app for smart mobile devices with an operating system. Educational material from the Greek National Aggregator of Educational Content «Photodentro» was used, as well as a variety of educational and non-digital material freely available on the Internet (e-books, tutorials, API, graphics files, etc.). It was associated with teaching in the classroom (project 2nd high school class).

 

Στην περιγραφόμενη πρακτική επιχειρήθηκε η δημιουργία μιας φορητής εφαρμογής πρόγνωσης καιρού για έξυπνες κινητές συσκευές με λειτουργικό σύστημα Android. Χρησιμοποιήθηκε εκπαιδευτικό υλικό από το Φωτόδεντρο, καθώς και ποικίλο εκπαιδευτικό και μη ψηφιακό υλικό ελεύθερα διαθέσιμο στο διαδίκτυο (ebooks, tutorials, API, αρχεία γραφικών κ.α.). Συνδέθηκε με την διδασκαλία στην τάξη (ερευνητική εργασία (project) Β’ Γενικού Λυκείου). 


Practice's Language
Greek
STEAM discipline
Science
Technology
Engineering
Mathematics
License
CC BY-NC-SA
Leading author of the practice
Papadakis Stamatios
Author's occupation
Secondary Education Teacher of Information Technology
Author's organization
General Lyceum of Krousona

Audience and Educational Framework


Audience competence
Beginner
Educational/EQF level
3
Age Range
12-20

Educational Details


Educational Subject
Informatics
Description of the practice

It is an idea that was tested during the school year 2017-2018 in an effort to " trigger" the interest of students in programming, combining the teaching of a "demanding" teaching object (learning basic programming concepts) with learning concepts of Natural Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through the creation of a portable application for weather forecasting. In practice they were utilized: 1) the ΜΙΤ App Inventor by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/) 2) the weather forecasting service «openweathermap» which through a free API (Application Programming Interface) allows the extraction of weather information (https://openweathermap.org/) 3) the website appinventor.org for the exploitation of free educational material (http://www.appinventor.org/course-in-a-box-intro) 4) the website iconarchive for the use of multimedia elements (http://www.iconarchive.com/)  5) the Greek National Repository of Open Educational Practices for Primary and Secondary Education (Photodentro) for the finding of open Educational Practices http://photodentro.edu.gr/oep/)  and the Aesopos platform (http://aesop.iep.edu.gr/).

Αποτελεί μια ιδέα που δοκιμάστηκε το σχολικό έτος 2017-2018 προσπαθώντας να «κεντρίσει» το ενδιαφέρον των μαθητών και των μαθητριών για τον προγραμματισμό, συνδυάζοντας την διδασκαλία ενός «απαιτητικού» διδακτικού αντικειμένου (εκμάθηση βασικών προγραμματιστικών εννοιών) με την εκμάθηση εννοιών των Φυσικών Επιστημών, της Τεχνολογίας, της Μηχανικής και των Μαθηματικών (STEM) μέσω της δημιουργίας μιας φορητής εφαρμογής για την πρόγνωση καιρού. Στην πρακτική αξιοποιήθηκαν: 1) το προγραμματιστικό περιβάλλον ΜΙΤ App Inventor από το Τεχνολογικό Ινστιτούτο της Μασαχουσέτης (ΜΙΤ) (http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/) 2) η υπηρεσία πρόγνωσης καιρού openweathermap η οποία μέσω δωρεάν API (Application Programming Interface - Διασύνδεση προγραμματισμού εφαρμογών) επιτρέπει την άντληση καιρικών πληροφοριών (https://openweathermap.org/) 3) ο ιστότοπος appinventor.org για την αξιοποίησης δωρεάν εκπαιδευτικού υλικού (http://www.appinventor.org/course-in-a-box-intro) 4) ο ιστότοπος iconarchive για την χρήση πολυμεσικών στοιχείων (http://www.iconarchive.com/) 5) το Πανελλήνιο Αποθετήριο Ανοιχτών Εκπαιδευτικών Πρακτικών για την Πρωτοβάθμια και Δευτεροβάθμια Εκπαίδευση (Φωτόδεντρο)για την εύρεση ανοιχτών Εκπαιδευτικών Πρακτικών (http://photodentro.edu.gr/oep/) και την πλατφόρμα Αίσωπος (http://aesop.iep.edu.gr/).


Duration of practice realisation
2 months
Difficulty
Medium
Educational Use
group work



Hardware/Software/Other Resources
  • http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/
  • https://openweathermap.org/
  • https://www.google.com/maps
  • http://www.appinventor.org/course-in-a-box-intro
  • http://photodentro.edu.gr/oep/r/8532/493?locale=el
  • http://photodentro.edu.gr/oep/r/8532/505?locale=el
  • http://aesop.iep.edu.gr/node/18609
  • http://aesop.iep.edu.gr/node/11425
  • http://aesop.iep.edu.gr/node/14025

Implementation

(where and how the practice was implemented)


Country that was implemented
Greece
Framework/οrganization that was applied to
General Lyceum of Heraklion, Crete
Audience size
22

Description, evaluation and lessons learned

The innovation brought about by open educational practice in the educational environment is that it opens new horizons for the implementation of the course of research work in the General Lyceum and vocational education but even in the context of the implementation of the course "Informatics Applications" in the 1st class of the General Lyceum and vocational school.
The second innovation is that it transforms in the eyes of students the teaching of programming from a boring and difficult lesson into an interesting lesson compatible with the daily lives of students as well as the tool they use daily, their mobile phone.
In addition, the equal participation of boys and girls offers the possibility of combating the gender digital divide and excluding women from STEM professions.


Educational material/resources (file/URL) accompanying the practice


Educational material/resources
Open STEM Educational Practice (text)

License
CC BY-NC-SA
Language

Greek

Educational Resource File
Attachment Size
Programming_and_STEM.pdf 586.19 KB

Open STEM Educational Practice (presentation)

License
CC BY-NC-SA
Language

Greek

Educational Resource File
Attachment Size
Programming_and_STEM presentation.pdf 1.24 MB

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