Program Chair Nancy Binowski Develops “IT Department in Your Pocket” – Posted 11/18/14

Information Technologies students at County College of Morris (CCM) not only can learn the art of building mobile apps through a new course offering, they also can download a new app to enhance their learning experience.

The CCM IT Department app, developed by IT Chair and Professor Nancy Binowski, provides IT students with easy mobile access to department faculty office hours and contact information, peer tutoring center hours, degree program information and other resources.

“I call it the ‘IT Department in Your Pocket,’” says Binowski.

The app currently is available on Google Play Store and is scheduled to be launched on the Apple App Store in early 2015.

Binowski explains that she developed the app as part of designing and implementing a Mobile App Design course, which the college began offering this semester.

“Everything is moving to mobile and our students need to know how to develop for that environment,” notes Binowski.

Two student assistants – Trevor Florio, of Long Valley, and Jesse Nikolaidis, of Pompton Plains – are now working with Binowski to develop apps for other departments at the college so students majoring in different subject areas also can make better use of their academic experience.

Along with the Mobile App Design course and the CCM IT Department app, an App Development Lab also was established for IT students. Come next summer, the department also plans to renovate its other labs to make them more conducive to group and interactive learning.

“We want to provide students with an environment where they are learning and working together, socializing and networking, just as they would find out in the work world of IT,” says Binowski.

The IT department at CCM offers students interested in information technologies with six degree options: Associate in Science in Computer Science for those interested in computer programming and design, Associate in Applied Science in Management Information Systems for those seeking a balance between business programming and applications software training, Associate in Applied Science in Technical Support for those looking to work in an information systems environment, Associate in Applied Science in Administrative Support for students who wish to support IT management, Associate in Applied Science in Game Development for those who wish to work as educational or entertainment game developers, Associate in Applied Science in Technical Studies for those who already possess a background in the computer industry, and Associate in Applied Science in Digital Media Technology for those interested in multimedia development.

For more information on the information technologies degree programs at CCM, visit www.ccm.edu/academics/divdep/BMET/infotech or download the CCM IT Department app from Google Play Store.