2014/2015 Social Responsibility through English Mobile App Hackfest/Learnathon Project

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In close consultation with RELO Budapest, the grantee will administer the 2014/2015 Social Responsibility through English Mobile App Hackfest/Learnathon project. Over the course of a week in Budapest in early 2015, Hungary, teams of English language educators and some app developers from across Central and Southeastern Europe will compete in an English language learning mobile app learnathon, by the end of which they will have developed the detailed, carefully mapped out skeleton of a mobile app (also running on iOS and Android operating systems) that promotes a social or environmental issue through the medium of mobile app English lessons. After a panel of judges from the education sector decide on the winning app, the grantee administering the project will solicit bids from app producers/companies in the region and have the app developed and made freely available on the internet. The project administrator will also make sure that the app is tested and promoted throughout the region by the end of May 2015. Supervised and consulted by RELO Budapest and as estimated in the project budget breakdown, the selected grantee will be responsible for administering and arranging all of the following in a timely manner: announce, organize and conduct the early 2015 learnathon (including conference facility equipment, a networking event, and all other related logistics), select appropriate participants (developers, facilitators and judges, and a technical crew), coordinate and arrange travel plans and lodging and all other related logistics (e.g. per diem, honoraria, visas), arrange for and attend to making, editing and publicizing video recordings on various media platforms, order materials and supplies, provide runner-up prizes, make sure the winning mobile app is selected professionally, distribute the call for a developer company to produce the app, identify the winning company, make sure the app is produced, tested and promoted properly, provide runner-up prizes, arrange all aspects of the trip for the winning developer group to the 2016 TESOL conference ( www.tesol.org ). Goals and Objectives Goals This project offers numerous goals and benefits. RELO Budapest works in 17 countries. This project will promote and foster Social Responsibility and the learning of English as a Foreign Language across the region and beyond. Developed mobile app content will include areas of environmental protection and other timely global issues. The project will foster entrepreneurism and foster regional cooperation in that local educators and mobile app developers will collaborate with educators and other app developers from neighboring countries, strengthening regional cooperation and mutual understanding. Also, the Mobile App Learnathon will develop eligibility for exchanges: Participating educators and developers will be better qualified for IVLP and other official State Department exchanges.

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