Apps for social justice: motivating computer science learning with design and real-world problem solving

Abstract

In this paper, we describe a twelve-week Apps for Social Justice course that we taught at an after-school program. Students read social justice literature, identified local community needs, and went through a design process to create fully functional mobile applications to address these needs. Using Nasir and Hand's concept of practice-linked identities, we argue that an integrative approach to introducing computer science -- where CS principles are used in pursuit of meaningful community goals -- provides multiple opportunities for students to participate in software development while connecting these skills and dispositions to their own experiences and to larger social issues. Unlike a concepts-first approach, which introduces computer science ideas using small, often decontextualized examples, a practiced-based approach that builds on student experiences may foster a more motivating and meaningful learning environment.