RoadMAPPs to Careers: A New Approach to Mobile Apps Education featuring a Mapp for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students

Rochester Institute Of Tech, Rochester NY

Investigators

Abstract

RoadMAPPS to CAREERS will help solve a significant projected skills gap in the US economy. As smart phones, smart things, tablets and wearable devices continue to change the way we communicate, do business and access information, the demand for mobile applications has grown exponentially. This explosive increase in demand translates into a large skills gap - there are simply more mobile application (app) development job openings than there are skilled application developers to fill them. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that there will be approximately 82,000 mobile app developer jobs for candidates with associate degrees by 2020. The RoadMAPPS to Careers project will prepare associate degree students for mobile app developer positions that pay well above the national average, maintain a high rate of employment, and offer a range of advancement opportunities. The 5-semester curriculum is being developed and initially offered at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), one of the nine colleges of the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). The program content and educational strategies of the curriculum are appropriate for all students, whether hearing or deaf, and can be tailored for programs requiring less than five semesters. However, specific teaching techniques tailored to the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing students will be employed at NTID. The project will also create a pathway to the program for middle and high school students through career awareness materials, summer camp activities and dual credit courses. The broad scope of the curriculum will integrate technical courses with business courses, general education courses, and work experiences in order to cultivate the technical, social, and work skills needed for success in today's global economy. Students will learn through instruction, hands-on exercises, labs, and learning support community activities. They will also fulfill a required cooperative work experience and complete a capstone project where they will design and develop a publishable mobile app. Although other colleges are offering programs in mobile app development, RoadMAPPS to Careers will introduce an innovative cross-platform approach that is especially appropriate for an associate degree program. Students will learn the programming concepts and acquire the skills needed to create mobile apps that run on multiple platforms (iOS, Android and Windows) without being overwhelmed by learning a different programming language for each platform. A leading developer of cross-platform technology (Xamarin) is partnering with RIT on the project. Students will also have the opportunity to achieve C# and Xamarin certification, which are standards in the field.