Self Directed Learning Opportunity
Documentation and Reflection | EDTC 6341 Project 3
For my Self Directed Learning Opportunity, I chose to explore block based coding through the App Inventor Introduction Course. My goal was to build confidence in creating simple, customizable mobile apps as educational tools and I have weekly gained the skills to do just that.
These projects have already enhanced my work as I now have the knowledge and skills to understand the underlaying logic and circuitry of many of the tools we use in the workplace. Moreover, this new capability strengthens my future career outlook by positioning me for roles that emphasize innovation, instructional technology integration and scalable digital solutions.
This experience allowed me to go beyond traditional professional development and build practical, future-ready skills. I am also better prepared to support innovation, collaboration, and digital transformation in education.
Introduction
While the course does not offer a formal certification, it provides meaningful checkpoints by guiding learners to create functional apps at the end of each module. Throughout the four weeks of modules I completed, I developed four original mobile apps that combined the core skills from each unit. These projects served as tangible proof of my progress and demonstrated my ability to apply what I learned in creative, practical ways.
Credentials/Skills Earned
Video Documentary of My Self Directed Learning Experience
Documentation of Earned Skills
Videos can be expanded for better viewing experience
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Videos can be expanded for better viewing experience 〰️
Week 1
Great Peoples App
My MIT App Inventor Gallery
This app was the first one that I made independently (for the most part) when I had finished the first two modules of the course. It is rough and as you can tell does not have much aesthetic value outside of the organization of the page itself. As I mentioned I attempted to complete this independently but ended up having to go back and reference the course guide several times.
Week 2
Paint me a Masterpiece
My MIT App Inventor Gallery
This app was the second one that I made independently and this time I felt confident enough to just start messing around with things on my own without worrying I would break somethin. I think it was at this point that I started to understand that the fundamental process of coding has more to do with basic instruction and repeated attempts rather than some secret language I hadn’t yet tapped into.
Week 3
Napoleon Magic 8 Ball
My MIT App Inventor Gallery
This was my third attempt at creating an app and I decided I would take the skills and knowledge that I had learned so far and try to apply it to something that balanced fun with some academic content. I know no one is going to be asking Napoleon advice from beyond the grave but I wanted a proof of concept that little side activities like this were possible to create with fairly little constraint and relative ease. Primarily I wanted to know that I could create an app efficiently and with a specific theme in mind. I believe I was successful in this.
Week 4
Stubbs Wars
My MIT App Inventor Gallery
This was my final attempt to build an app that incorporated the knowledge and skills I had learned throughout my 4 weeks in this course to create something that, although simple on the surface, had a fairly complex setup underneath. I did find myself going back to my course guides for a few things here and there but overall I really finally felt confident enough to go crazy with the timing, animating, and overall commands in order to make this a truly entertaining experience. I really do feel confident in my abilities as a coder and hope to continue practicing in order to hone my skills.