The Delaware Area Career Center has added an app development course this school year at the South Campus.
The course, taught by new instructor Jeff Davidson, is an introduction to the world of app development and programming. Davidson hopes by the end of the year that the 16 students in the class will have the tools they need to create an app or game of their own.
The course’s web page states that throughout the course, students will learn many programming skills including how to create a user interface, being familiar with the underlying principles of common programming languages and having strong general computing skills, including database management and security.
Alicia Mowry, public information officer for the career center, said that app development is just one of several classes add this school year to meet industry and student demand.
“It’s a happy medium between student interest and industry demand,” Mowry said. The career center reports that mobile app development is one of the most demanded and fasting growing IT careers.
Davidson said many of his students have an interest in creating games.
“They are learning just how complicated it is to make games,” Davidson said. “There’s a monumental difference between playing a game and creating one.”
According to Davidson, the course is ahead of schedule.
“They’ve already blown away my expectations,” Davidson said. Davidson says this is because the course encourages problem solving and encourages students to learn solutions to any problems they encounter. “These kids have been 10 times what my fondest plan was.”
Mowry added that the app development class encourages collaboration with other classes like digital design and gives students an edge if they plan to pursue a career in programming after graduation.
Davidson said he isn’t aware of any other career centers that have a similar program.
“I’m so happy the DACC did this,” Davidson said. “They invested a lot and it’s really really forward thinking. I’m glad to be a part of it.”
