The Badge Archive

Excerpts from the VTK plans for C/S/A App Development. Log in to MyGS for the free Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) plans provided by GSUSA.

Cadette:

…how personal data can be used in an app to help someone form a habit.

…collecting data about a habit to use in your app prototype.

• organizing information (such as research notes, passwords, or to-do lists),
• providing a service (such as giving map directions, calculating compound interest, searching for flight information, shopping online, tracking the number of steps you walk each day, or checking a bank balance)
• provide entertainment (such as playing a game or a video)
• Lots of apps exist for tracking a person’s health and habits. Tracking can help you to keep track of things you might forget or not notice, as well as help you work on specific goals. 
• Health tracking apps help people develop healthy habits. Users can set fitness goals, track nutrition, exercise, sleep, or even moods. They can also share progress on social media to encourage healthy behavior changes. 
• Tracking health data or habits helps in two ways: First, tracking the habit reminds you about it. Second, once you get a streak of consecutive days, you really don’t want to break it.

Senior:

…designed to make a positive difference in the world. 

…look at the data, design a way to present it, and develop a prototype for an app that help others in your community.

• …built around sharing make it possible for individuals to participate in a community digitally. Since they keep and display data from their users, these apps engage in data collection. Lots of apps are based on community connections.
• Social media (also known as social apps) are technologies based on the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression. They’re built using the internet and can work on their own or be part of another website or web-based service.
• Social media apps are interactive. Users create content such as text posts or comments, digital photos. or videos, and data generated through all online interactions. 
• Social apps can help the development of social networks by connecting a user’s profile with those of other individuals or groups.

• …apps can help you take surveys, crowdsource ideas, reach more people than is possible when meeting everyone in person, etc.)
• …people post opinions and concerns on neighborhood-based web apps, people dealing with medical issues join forums to share information and support, people who care about a political issue often use apps to give opinions or share news stories, people use crowdfunding apps to raise money for causes, people who enjoy crafts trade tips and techniques on specialized apps, etc.

Ambassador:

…develop an idea for an app that helps a leader. 

• Apps can help communities match volunteers with organizations that need them or help people find needed resources in a crisis.
• Apps can increase civic engagement by explaining proposed legislation in easy-to-understand language.
• Apps can help people manage their health care by organizing their medical  records or connecting people to healthcare service providers such as mental health professionals.
• Apps can help fight hunger by connecting food donors like restaurants with food pantries and soup kitchens or games that build awareness about hunger and raise money to feed people.