Senior Computer Science Classes Collaborate with Ad Agency!

Over the course of the last two terms, our Year 12 and 13 Computer Science classes have collaborated with advertising agency, ColensoBBDO* on one of their current creative projects, a financial literacy app for The Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) ‘Closed for Good’ programme. Each year BNZ closes its doors for one day and their staff go out into the community to help others become financially aware. 

As part of this year’s ‘Closed for Good’ campaign, ColensoBBDO is designing and building a mobile app to support teenagers to become financially savvy. The app will present teenagers with their own ‘Moni’ character and offer up a number of financial challenges and choices that our teens will need to navigate in order to reach a selected financial goal. 

Our Computer Science students were offered the opportunity to provide input and feedback on a number of aspects of the app, firstly in its conceptual design phase, and then again in a second session during its prototyping phase.  In the process, they have had the fantastic opportunity to discuss their own project management, design and testing processes with industry professionals.  

Currently our Year 12 Computer Science students are working on their own web app, while Year 13 students have to manage and prototype individual projects, many of them which happen to be apps. 

The teams from ColensoBBDO have joined our students on two separate occasions, and were very impressed with our students’ engagement, professionalism and insight in terms of the feedback they provided towards the development of their app.  As a result, they are keen to continue a collaboration with Saint Kentigern in future projects. Our students certainly appreciated the opportunity to engage at this level. 

This app is due to be available for download on August 9th. 

*ColensoBBDO is currently famous for making the ‘Get the Skinny’ broadband commercial which has been running on TV recently featuring amongst others, Ben Affleck….from Dunedin! 

COMPUTER SCIENCE AT SAINT KENTIGERN
Computer Science is offered at Year 12 and Year 13 at Saint Kentigern and is designed to foster creative and critical practice in a project-based environment. The primary focus of this specialist area is on the design of authentic and contemporary products within the context of digital outcomes. 

Building on from Year 11 Level 1 Digital Technology, the specialist Level 2 Computer Science course takes on more advanced areas of programming and UX design at in Year 12. Projects may develop skills such as the integration of graphic design into digital interfaces, interactive website development, responsive application design, digital modelling using industry standard software, database design, and the research and development of experimental digital technologies. 

Level 3 is a demanding and independent course that allows students to pursue authentic needs and opportunities in the fields of complex programming and UX development. Projects could include skills such as agile project management to drive the research and development of self-selected projects, critique practices to develop fluent presentation and idea defence during development, and the application of creative and logical reasoning to develop relevant and innovative digital products suitable for contemporary industry.

Future Pathways
Our Computer Science course has been developed with leading tertiary providers to ensure students are well prepared for future study and the industry. Level 3 is an approved University Entrance (UE) course and leads to multiple tertiary pathways including Digital Design, Game Design and Development, Communication Design and Industrial Design.