North Leeward students get hands-on training in mobile apps creation

A number of students from the North Leeward area can now create simple mobile applications, thanks to an initiative called ‘My App Summer Programme’.

The students are now into the last week of the five-week programme, which has as its facilitator Jason Alexis and is being held at the Petit Bordel Learning Resource Centre, under the auspices of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC).{{more}}

Alexis, during an interview, noted that the My App Summer Programme attracted 19 students, “and so far the students have made quite a lot of progress”. The lecturer said that he taught them how to design mobile applications in Android studio and how to use basic Java to create programs. Java is a programming language, expressly designed for use in the Internet environment.

Alexis said that currently, the participants are able to do simple programs and he has tested some of the programs that they have created, “and the response is quite nice and they are picking up the material at a good pace and in the next few weeks, hopefully they can learn some more.”

Alexis noted also that the participants are between 13 and 17 years old.

Seventeen-year-old participant Junior Kelly of Petit Bordel, who is a St Vincent Grammar School graduate, described the programme as very interesting, stressing, “I’ve learnt a lot of new and interesting stuff like writing code in Java and it’s a real great programme.”

Kelly said that he is pleased that he can now write code, although this is his first time taking part in something of this nature. He noted that he plans to try to create new apps using this new found knowledge.

Romar Stapleton, who is from Rose Hall and who is a 14-year-old Bishop’s College student, said also that this is his first time taking part in a programme of this nature and it is going very well for him.

“So far, I have learnt how to code Java and a lot of new stuff. I wanted to learn to build apps, but I can’t build any as yet, but I will be able to soon and I will try to take it further,” said Stapleton.

Troumaca resident Deondre Cottle, who is a form four student at the Troumaca Ontario Secondary School, praised the programme as well.

“I learnt how to use syntax, which is the way a code is written. I learnt how to design and code using Java script and using the resource files like pictures and so on,” said Cottle, who added that he will continue learning along these lines, as he wants to enter the NTRC’s I2 competition.

Sponsors of the summer programme include Cable and Wireless, Columbus Communications, Digicel and the Summer Crash Academy.