Université de Thiès (http://www.univ-thies.sn)
6 days, 24 students, 3 mobile applications, 3 web sitesA bootcamp on Mobile and Web Design for Senegal was organized in Thiès for 24 students of Université de Thiès in January 2010 (3/1/2010 – 1/9/2010). After the bootcamp, the students worked on improving their applications to distribute them to students at the university and to submit them to the Nokia Calling All Innovators Competition. The Web sites were also finalized and delivered to their beneficiaries – the Regional Museum of Thies (http://www.museedethies.com) and the Artisan Village of Thies (http://artisanatthies.com). One of the website projects (websites for computer science professors of Senegal) was canceled.
Theme: Improving life on campus
Organizers: Christelle Scharff (mobile), Anita Wasilewska, Mamadou Bousso (web), Mobile Senegal
Follow-up: Follow-up of the work of the students in mobile and web after the bootcamp: Dr. Christelle Scharff
Sponsors: NCIIA (Through a grant to Pace University)
Prizes: The 2 winning teams (web and mobile) got a prize of $500
Judges: James Tamgno (ESMT, Dakar, Senegal), Ibrahima Ndiaye, Cheikh Sarr, Ousmane Gueye (University of Thies, Senegal)
Speakers: Amadou Dione (Concept NGO) on entrepreneurship, Assane Ndiaye (consultant at UNICEF) on Rapid SMS
Pictures: Posted on Picasa
Teaching material:
Preparation
Software
Agenda
3 Mobile applications developed:
SOSStudent
- App presentation (PDF)
- Transitioning from high school to university can be a difficult experience. SOSStudent is a mobile application for freshmen of the University of Thies. Students are provided with important information that they need to familiarize themselves with the university – how the campus is organized, what important contact information they should have available, how to register, how to get a room in the dorms, how the programs are structures… They can also record and update their schedules and grades. They have the possibility to make meal reservations by SMS. All the information freshmen need to adapt to campus life at the University of Thies is offered in SOSStudent.
- Team: Challenge2010, students from LGI
- Assane Dieng – leader (bayazoulgi@hotmail.fr)
- Babacar Kane (carbakane@yahoo.fr)
- Abdou Khadre Ndiaye (221771015427, n.diaye86@hotmail.fr)
- Bouna Ndaw (bndaw87@yahoo.fr)
- Team and project website: http://challenge2010.wikispaces.com/
- App demo video:
Nasalgi
- App presentation (PDF)
- Nasalgi permits students to be productive in their student’ life and better manage their time. Students can monitor and control their absences, their hours of study, and the number of hours they effectively spent in class. They will also know how many hours professors were absent.
- Team: Nasalgi, students from LGI
- Papa Alioune Sokhna – leader (sokhna_papa@hotmail.fr)
- Cheikh Marie Teuw Diop (diop96@yahoo.fr)
- Ismaila Dieng (isbiz2008@hotmail.com)
- Antoumane Diouf (antoumane@hotmail.fr)
- Team and project website: http://nasalgi.wikispaces.com/
- App demo video:
My Wallet
- App presentation (PDF)
- Students have to be organized in terms of budget. My Wallet allows students to manage their expenses (e.g., dorms, food and transportation) and revenues (e.g., salaries and pocket money) in a methodical manner. Expenses and revenues are organized by categories. In one second, students know how much money they can spend and how much money they spent. Students have the possibility to send an SMS to the office managing scholarships in case scholarships were not provided on time. Students can also see record specific information about money they lend and borrow.
- Team: Lamp-fall-04, students from LGI
- Momar Diouf (leader), dioufmomar8621@yahoo.fr
- Abdou Niang, abdoumouride@yahoo.fr
- Serigne Mbacke Ndiaye, anonimos300fr@yahoo.fr
- Papa Ousmane Diouf, Pipojuuf@yahoo.fr
- Team and project website: http://lamp-fall-04.wikispaces.com/
- App demo video:
Deployment of the mobile applications: The mobile applications were installed on the mobiles of more than 40 students in June 2010.
Pictures of the day of the deployment:
Nokia Calling All Innovators: The 3 mobile applications were submitted to the Nokia Calling All Innovators Competition in June 2010.
3 Web sites:
Chambre des Metiers de Thies and Artisan Village of Thies: http://artisanatthies.com
- Team: Leselites, students from LMIO
- Franceline Dione – leader (dionedaba85@yahoo.fr)
- Abdoulaye Diop (dioplaye90@hotmail.com)
- Malick Toure (touremalick45@yahoo.fr)
- Aminata Dieng (diengaminata97@yahoo.fr)
- Team website: http://leselites.wikispaces.com/
Regional Museum of Thies: http://museedethies.com
- Team: Best4team, students from LMIO
- Pathe Thiam – leader (pathiamasse@yahoo.fr)
- Malick Sall (malicks26@yahoo.fr)
- Ndeye Niang (ndeyeamy25ng@yahoo.fr)
- Aly Ngouille Ndiaye (alyngouillendiaye@yahoo.fr)
- Team website: http://bestteam4.wikispaces.com/
Computer Science Professors of the Université de Thiès: http://csinsenegal.com (This project has been terminated)
- Team: 4winners, students from LMIO
- Awa Sylla – leader (asylla19@yahoo.fr)
- Ibrahima Gningue (gningue2008@yahoo.fr)
- Matou Diakhoumpa (dmatou@yahoo.fr)
- Serigne Ndoye (yarouna84@yahoo.fr)
- Team website: http://4winners.wikispaces.com/
Delivery of the Web sites: The Web sites of the Regional Museum of Thies and the Artisan Village of Thies were delivered to their beneficiaries in July 2010.
Special thanks to Chun Hei Cheung for his help with the English translation and QA of the Web sites and Serene Hang Su (student at Pace University) for the QA of the Web sites
Pictures of the delivery at the Museum and at the Village:
Testimonials: What did the students say about the bootcamp?
- On learning mobile application development:
- The bootcamp allowed me to have the ability to work in a group and gain lots of knowledge. It helped me believe in myself. I could accomplish things that I thought I could never do in short time. It helped me learn English and be able to enjoy the outcome of my work in a real context thanks to the practical aspect of the bootcamp. In summary I can say that the bootcamp helped me be more motivated and more ambitious.
- The bootcamp provided me with the courage to be entrepreneurial. It permitted us to learn and understand quickly.
- The Bootcamp was the greatest experience ever. In one week we learn how to design and develop one application, how to work in team to realize one common goal. We learned about mobile application developmen and object-oriented design with MVC. The Bootcamp allows us to see that to develop an application we must have tenacity.
- On learning web development:
- The bootcamp permitted me to apply what I learned in class. The web site we designed was the first practical work we did as students and will be a good achievement to put on our resume. What I liked about the bootcamp was the perfect collaboration that there was between the students and the mentors, the quality and the intensity of the work, the availability of the supervisors and the understanding of our beneficiary.
- I learned how to apply what I covered in class and how to use different software to design Web sites. What I liked a lot was the course on entrepreneurship (entrepreneurship is part of our curriculum at Thies). We saw that we can be pioneers I notice that I improved my skills in presenting my work publicly. It is difficult for me to present in front of people. It is not completely solved but I can say that I can now fight my fear.
- The bootcamp was an eye opener and changed our life. It permitted me to acquire skills I could use again in the Net Afrika competition.
- The bootcamp permitted me to improve my communication skills because I am shy in general. I could present in front of an audience and see how team spirit is important. I could learn new technologies. But I did not like to lose.
Material: A number of cameras, external hard drives, card readers, and Bluetooth keys were provided to the students such that they could use them to perform their work in better conditions.
Important dates:
Opening ceremony: Jan. 3rd, 2010 (Esmeralda restaurant)
Bootcamp: Jan. 4th to 9th, 2010 (Centre des Resources Informatiques (CRI), Université de Thiès)
Closing ceremony: Jan. 9th, 2010 (Hotel Lat Dior)
Poster:
