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Calories Calculator with App Inventor

Hosted by OSOS , contributed by Srallis on 3 August 2018

A different approach for the students to learn the benefits of healthy way of life by using technology .We use app inventor and we create an application for android machines.

Learning Objectives
technology,healthy way of life , design an application

All  around  the  world  one  of  the  majors  problems  among  young  people  is  obesity . As  teachers  it’s our  priority  to  educate  students  to  a  healthier  way  of  life . Technology   can be very helpful to this problem. We can use our phones or tablets to control the amount of calories we take.  So, students must:

1 . Understand the benefits of a healthier way of life

2 . Learn how to use technology for their own benefit. 

3 . Design and programme an application for android devices.

Students will initially be informed (watching video ,reading a document with informations about healthy food and discussing with the teacher)   about the benefits of proper nutrition in our daily lives and in our long-term health.

 

Video : http://www.iatronet.gr/video/swsti-diatrofi/204/

They will then search the internet and find information about the caloric value of various foods and dishes, what is the importance of calories and why we need to know the caloric value of the foods we choose.

After that we will discuss about App Inventor (http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/front.html)  and especially about programming .We will see an introduction video for App Inventor and its abilities.

Channel for MitApp Inventor : https://www.youtube.com/user/mitappinventor

 

 

 

1 .

We give students some url addresses (https://www.diatrofi.gr/bri-i/child/208-%CF%83%CF%89%CF%83%CF%84%CE%AD%CF%82-%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%B1%CF%84%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%86%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AD%CF%82-%CE%B5%CF%80%CE%B9%CE%BB%CE%BF%CE%B3%CE%AD%CF%82-%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%B1-%CF%80%CE%B1%CE%B9%CE%B4/ , http://www.healthykids.gr/cms/images/stories/pdf/Melissopoulou%20A_Diatrofi.pdf  )and along with students we read information we find there, watch movies and discuss about the healthy daily diet.

 

2 .

Students then find information on the caloric value of food on the internet and encourage them to make a presentation and a table on calories.

 

3 .

We show students the design of some well-known applications (google play music - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.music&hl=en_US, kindle , zomato - https://www.zomato.com/tr/mobile, foursquare - https://foursquare.com/ ) and we are discussing how user-friendly they are. Then, in groups the students discuss and plan on a paper how they would like the application to look. At the end, we choose by voting the best design. The next step is to plan and start testing whether the commands they use give the outcome they want.

 

4 .

They enter the app inventor page (http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/front.html) and after we talk a little about the design of the app and browse the available commands. Then, they start the design and programming.

 

5 .

In the final stage, students downloaded the executable file and then learned how to install it on mobile phones or tablets. They tested the application and grade it regarding its user-friendliness and functionality.

When evaluating an educational software, content, context, structure, presentation, dynamics, and interaction capabilities must be controlled. Some questions are related to the fulfillment of the expected objectives, the breadth and depth of the content, the satisfactory navigation, the required suitability, quality and quantity of the multimedia elements, the degree of satisfactory interaction, the ease of use, the presentation of the information and software operation without errors.

 

 

The application in apk format ready to be installed in android phones or tablets.

Students uploaded the executable file to their edmodo accounts and sent it to their parents to use it on their own mobile or tablet to improve their daily eating habits.

In the end, students presented their application and explained its function and usefulness to their parents and guests in the event organized at the end of the school year.

presenting our application

presenting our code