mSchools supports summer camps centring on the Internet of Things and Big Data

• Students between the ages of 14 and 18 will expand their knowledge of programming and home automation through a methodology building on the contents taught in classrooms during the App Education course
• Mobile World Capital Barcelona also offers talks and content presented by professionals to expose students to the realities of the sector’s business side
• The campers are members of the winning teams from the 3^rd edition of the mSchools App Awards, issued on 4 June

July 27, 2016

mSchools TechCamp, Catalonia’s pioneering technological camp, promoted by Mobile World Capital Barcelona under the auspices of the mSchools programme, centres its second edition around the development of solutions related to the Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data. The camp opened its doors on Saturday, 23 July and features participation by 30 students between the ages of 14 and 18. These young people were the winners of the third edition of the mSchools App Awards, the annual competition honoring the top app projects developed in classrooms as part of the “App Education” course.

The programme takes place at the La Cinglera camp facility in Vilanova de Sau, offering theoretical/practical training featuring 27 class hours as an extension of the education received in classrooms. For nine days the students develop a prototype home automation solution based on the IoT that will allow them to interact with everyday household objects through the programming of microcontrollers and the collection of data from different sensors. Thus, for example, via Raspberry Pi devices and Arduino boards, students will create an automatic home lighting control, and program an alarm with motion detectors.

The training programme is offered in a block-based visual environment, allowing students to create complex applications without advanced programming skills. It also combines classes with group dynamics and keynote sessions given by industry professionals, such as a talk on “IoT and Big Data,” given by Carlos Cuffí, Digital Transformation Manager at Mobile World Capital Barcelona.

mSchools TechCamp also offers multidisciplinary training, taking mSchools’ values outside the school setting. Working in a natural, open and collaborative environment fosters closer relationships between the students and encourages their creativity as they undertake complex challenges. To this end, the camp also features an extensive line-up of activities and outdoor sports, including kayaking in the Sau reservoir, gymkhanas, orienteering games and adventure courses.

Young talent

The 30 participating students are members of the winning teams of the third edition of the mSchools App Awards, issued on 4 June, which recognise the best digital projects carried out in classrooms as part of the “App Education” course. All of them, 3^rd and 4^th-year ESO (Obligatory Secondary Education), Senior School and Vocational Training students, developed apps related to the IoT, robotics, device control, leisure, personal management, educational applications and community services. (See listing of the mSchools App Awards 2016).

More than 4,000 students from all over Catalonia participated in the third edition of the mSchools App Awards. The “App Education” category, whose 30 winning students were rewarded with participation in the mSchools TechCamp, drew more than 800 students, who submitted more than 200 projects, up 60% from the 2015 edition. 

Mentoring tomorrow’s digital professionals

mSchools is a Mobile World Capital Barcelona initiative in collaboration with the Regional Government of Catalonia, the Barcelona City Council and GSMA. This ground-breaking programme promotes work in classrooms with mobile technology through the creation and use of mobile solutions. The aim is to enhance students’ skills in the digital sphere, reduce dropout rates, and improve academic performance.

“App Education,” the course centring on the conceptualisation, design and development of mobile application prototypes, has seen a three-fold increase in the number of students enrolled in three years, growing from 6,000 students in its first year to 18,000 in its third, with close to 400 schools involved.

Among the different initiatives also forming part of the mSchools programme, of special note is the development of the Mobile History Map (MHM), an innovative project that already boasts more than 5,000 contributions, with content created and geolocated on the map by primary and secondary school students. Finally, the Toolbox platform, composed of educational applications evaluated by teachers and educational professionals, already lists 700 registered applications and 1,300 validations, serving as a resource that helps teachers to choose the best apps for use in the classroom, based on qualitative criteria.