This year’s Horizon Report on Emerging Technology recently identified six technologies expected to break into the mainstream of education within the next five years. The technologies deemed closest to mainstream adoption? Electronic tablet computing and mobile apps were said to be on the verge of mainstream acceptance within a year.
As we’ve seen with Mount Allison and uWinnipeg, among others (not to mention Google’s GoMo campaign), colleges and universities nationwide are following suit, launching apps and mobile-friendly versions of their program pages.
Well, the University of Toronto Scarborough may have hit upon a unique way to get their content mobile-friendly (among other ideas) by having students submit app ideas.
AppStar is the school’s Mobile App Development Competition, allowing students to turn “good ideas into great mobile apps”. The school is doing its part to entice contestants with cash prizes:
- $1000 for third place
- $2000 for second
- $3000 for the grand prize
The contest is limited to UTSC students (they must be presently taking courses) and apps made for OS or Android. Also, this is perhaps the most important (and interesting from an education marketing perspective) it has to benefit students demonstrably. The contest leaves design and functionality up to contestants, who can submit as part of a team (up to five members).
As a complement to the contest, the University of Toronto Scarborough will hold workshops on project planning, development, and testing for iOS and Android. There will also be an AppStar Mixer in the Instructional Center on March 21, 2012. The mixer will offer a chance to meet new people, flirt with app-loving students, and recruit team members.
Click here for more on UTSC’s AppStar Mobile App Competition.Â
What do you think about this app design contest?
