A technological education programme that challenges students from 5th to 12th grade and teachers from all subject areas to develop applications for smartphones or tablets, showing them the potential of technology in transforming the world and the communities where they live. With a project methodology and based on the Sustainable Development Goals, students have the opportunity to experience the product development cycle and participate in a national competition.
Its fundamental pillars are: combining technology and active citizenship, empowering young people for the future, transforming and innovating teaching practices, creating schools open to the community with a connection to the real world.
Apps for Good is an international programme based in London since 2010 and founded by Iris Lapinski. At the invitation of the Directorate-General for Education, CDI Portugal and Apps for Good joined forces and launched the pilot in Portugal in January 2015.
In teams, students choose a theme and create their digital product that will respond to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
From all subject areas teachers have access to teaching resources that guide students, step by step.
Experts who volunteer their time and based on their professional experience help students in the different stages of their product.
Set of partners that support Apps for Good with the best strategies to maximise its impact on education.
“Because it’s a bigger and more ambitious project than we normally do at school and it’s really good for us since we’re going to take over a project, work in a team. And mainly to start developing skills for the future, Apps for Good is going to be amazing for that”
In a curricular or extra-curricular way the teachers apply different Courses of 10- 35 hours.
Direct Support – The Apps for Good team will provide direct support to schools by phone calls and email, including face-to-face visits to schools participating in the programme for the first time.
Teachers receive an accredited training plan that includes face-to-face and online sessions
The competition takes place in two stages: the Regional Meetings which take place in June/July and the Final Event in September. It is not compulsory but all schools are invited to participate, being an opportunity to recognise the remarkable work developed by the students.
Portugal, United Kingdom and Angola
“I feel that the school is static and with a curriculum frozen in time. The methodological part should be more adapted to current needs. To be able to give students a type of experience that helps them broaden their horizons. The town where the school is located is very small and I want the students to be able to see and explore what is beyond this region, to be able to contact other realities, other people, other contexts.
“(…) opportunity to get out of the “cradle” that is school, because next year we start working on different skills and Apps for Good is a big help.”
+43% girls
57% non-technological teachers
49% of schools take part in the programme again
72% of Teachers considers the Apps for Good Programme useful in the implementation of the Curricular Autonomy and Flexibility programme
85% Teamwork Skills
77% Communication of ideas skills
77% Problem-Solving Skills
75% Programming skills
72% Competences associated with product design
96% Increased motivation to learn
76% Confidence increased
77% Creativity
We provide pedagogical content divided into 5 modules that the teacher can use in the classroom through access to an online platform. The content helps young people to build a mobile app and IoT (internet of things) products for the benefit of the community.
There is also the possibility to contact a network of experts, who are volunteers that support and inspire the students and teachers while connecting to the real world in the classroom.
In Apps for Good, students work in teams to find social problems that are linked to their common interests or areas. Throughout the school year they go through the main aspects of product development – from idea creation, technical feasibility and prototyping, to product design, choice of business model and marketing.
Apps for Good works in education to develop a new generation of more confident and collaborative young people, prepared to act in the world and create a difference. At Apps for Good young people are not consumers of technology, but creators of technology.
We want to bring schools into real life with a creative programme where young people work effectively to solve everyday problems and teachers act as facilitators throughout the programme, connecting students with experts to experience and gain real-life insights.
This is a new approach to the teaching model, where young people learn in a more motivated and productive environment.
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