App Inventor Foundation Announces 2023 Teacher Excellence Awards Winners
Seven teachers—hailing from Malaysia, Italy, India, Brazil, and China—were recognized for their innovative use of App Inventor in educational settings.
Clockwise from top left: Pierangelo Indolfi, Pang Huimiao, Ramon Mayor Martins, Zhang Lu (张路), Sreenath R, Rooban Arumugam, and Quee Fen (Queencess) Tan.
The second annual Teacher Excellence Awards recognized seven educators from around the world for using App Inventor in innovative ways to promote technological empowerment and computational action. Hosted by the App Inventor Foundation, the Teacher Excellence Awards runs in conjunction with the yearly MIT App Inventor Summer Appathon. Students who participate in the Summer Appathon may nominate a teacher as part of the submission form, along with a supporting story.
This year, the App Inventor Foundation conducted multiple rounds of judging to select the winners. In addition to receiving student nominations, teachers were asked to submit responses to a questionnaire and participate in short interviews. The initial pool of nominees was narrowed down to seven teachers who hail from Malaysia, Italy, India, Brazil, and China. The winners come from vastly different environments, from teaching young children in rural settings to lecturing at university seminars. The common thread among the winning teachers is their unwavering dedication to their students, their inventive approaches to teaching App Inventor, and their outsized impact on their communities.
Learn more about the winners below.
Rooban Arumugam
Location: Selama, Perak, Malaysia
School: SJK(T) Selama
Grades: 4-6
Subjects: Math, English, Robotics, Information & Communications Technology
“The impact of integrating App Inventor into my teaching has been nothing short of awe-inspiring. Working with students from rural backgrounds, initially unfamiliar with computer science and app development, has been a journey that fills me with pride.”
Rooban, a dedicated educator with a Master's in educational technology, shapes learning in a rural school with limited tech access. He introduces robotics and mobile development, kickstarting the school's tech journey. Utilizing MIT App Inventor's kid-friendly interface, Rooban guides students to create over ten apps. He imparts coding skills, empowering students to craft applications. Innovatively, he steers the school toward tech enrichment, nurturing young tech enthusiasts. Rooban's efforts have gained recognition, as his students clinched two gold medals for international innovation in 2021 & 2022. His excellence shines with the Best Teacher and Best Mentor Awards, acknowledging his contributions.
Pierangelo Indolfi
Location: Bari, Italy
School: IISS Marconi-Hack
Grades: 14-19
Subjects: Programming, Computer Architecture, Networking, IoT
“My teaching philosophy rests on the idea that education should transcend the confines of the classroom. By nurturing curiosity, critical thinking, and collaboration, I aspire to empower students not only to excel academically but also to approach life with an insatiable appetite for learning.”
Pierangelo is an accomplished educator with a passion for inspiring young minds in the field of computer science. With over 25 years of teaching experience, he has dedicated his career to fostering creativity and innovation among his students. Pierangelo’s career took a turn when he integrated App Inventor into his curriculum. Through his guidance, countless students have not only learned the basics of programming but have also designed and built functional apps that address real-world challenges promoting environmental awareness. Pierangelo continues to push boundaries in education, attending workshops and conferences to stay updated with the latest trends in technology and teaching methodologies.
Ramon Mayor Martins
Location: São Jose, Santa Catarina, Brazil
School: Federal Institute of Santa Catarina
Grades: Middle School and High School
Subjects: Programming, Artificial Intelligence
“The students’ enthusiasm for App Inventor has been overwhelming. Their pride in creating their own apps is palpable, and they relish customizing interfaces. App Inventor has become a tool they see as genuinely impactful in their lives.”
Ramon is a researcher with the “Computação na Escola” initiative at Brazil's Federal University of Santa Catarina, focusing on “Strategies for Teaching Machine Learning to Middle and High School Students from Low Socioeconomic Backgrounds.” Utilizing App Inventor, he teaches students not only to use machine learning in app development but also to create intelligent applications themselves. Through this initiative, he aims to unlock the technological potential of young students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, reinforcing the idea that education in technology is a right and opportunity for all.
Pang Huimiao
Location: Beijing, China
School: Beijing Navigation School
Grades: 7-13
Subjects: Computer Science
“My expertise in information technology allows me to enhance students’ competitiveness in this field. I prioritize cultivating innovative thinking and problem-solving skills through heuristic and project-driven approaches.”
Pang Huimiao is a graduate of Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications who works as a computer science teacher at Beijing Navigation School. With experience as an organizer of the Google Women Developers Conference and as a Java Engineer at Alibaba, she previously taught AP Computer Science courses at Beijing National Day School. Her students have been admitted to renowned universities in Edinburgh, Toronto, and New York. At Beijing Navigation School, she focuses on developing relevant learning tasks for programming and app development courses. She has extensive experience in research-oriented curriculum development.
Sreenath R
Location: Bangalore, India
School: Ashtrix Robotics and Research Centre
Grades: 4th grade through professionals
Subjects: App Development, Augmented Reality, Robotics, Programming, Artificial Intelligence
“I'm not content with simply transmitting knowledge; I aim to ignite fires within my students. I create a space where mistakes are seen as stepping stones to success, where questions are cherished more than answers, and where students aren't passive learners but active co-creators of their education.”
Sreenath is a passionate advocate for empowering students through technology and innovation. His teaching philosophy revolves around creating dynamic learning experiences that encourage students to explore their fields of interest. Sreenath is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where each student's unique talents are nurtured. With his expertise in robotics, app development, programming, and artificial intelligence, Sreenath equips his students with the skills needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. He stays at the forefront of educational trends, ensuring that his teaching methods remain cutting-edge. Sreenath is thrilled to continue his journey as an educator, inspiring and guiding the next generation of innovators.
Quee Fen (Queencess) Tan
Location: Seremban, Malaysia
School: QT Kidz Sdn Bhd
Grades: K-12, Pre-University, Adults
Subjects: Scratch, App Inventor, 2D Web Game, Microcontroller Programming
“As students learn to conceive and actualize mobile applications, they gain the capacity to translate their ideas into tangible reality. This cultivates a profound sense of purpose, instilling in them the capacity to shape the future through technology.”
Queencess Tan embarked on her journey as a coding trainer in 2019, specializing in nurturing coding skills among children and teenagers. In 2022, she earned certification as an MIT App Inventor Expert Trainer, a testament to her expertise. Her achievements include a notable third-place finish in the MIT App Inventor Summer Appathon 2021’s Adult Individual Track. Beyond teaching coding, Queencess’s interactive classes ignite creativity, computational thinking, and problem-solving, positively impacting over 2,000 students since 2019. In 2022, her contributions were acknowledged as she was honored as one of Malaysia’s Influential Educators by MTPN (National Consumer Action Council).
Zhang Lu (张路)
Location: Beijing, China
Subjects: Programming
“Our students have built up the confidence and awareness to solve problems in their work and life by developing products, and they more consciously use technical thinking to analyze and sort out problems.”
Since 1987, Zhang Lu has been engaged in computer-related technical development work. With more than 30 years of experience, he has accumulated rich technical experience. In 1993, he founded his own company, during which he was involved in teaching and popularizing BASIC programming for young people. Since 2013, he has specialized in teaching, promoting, and popularizing App Inventor in China. He was the first person to complete the localization of App Inventor, focusing on solving a series of technical problems in localized teaching. He has organized numerous technical seminars and written several technical tutorials and books, contributing to the promotion of App Inventor in China.