General

  • Who can join the club?

    The club is open to Peel DSB students in grades 7 through 12.

  • Do I need prior coding experience to join?

    No prior coding experience is required! Students of all experience levels are welcome.

  • How do I join the club?

    Please speak to your teacher about how you can join.

  • What programming language will we learn?

    You will be coding in Apple’s official language, Swift, the same language professional developers use to create iOS, visionOS and more!

Software & Devices

  • What tools or software do I need?

    You can use your personal MacBook (running macOS 14.5 or greater) , or iPad (running iOS 16 or greater). You will need to run either Xcode (MacBook) or Swift Playgrounds (iPad & MacBook). If you do not have a personal device you can request a lender from your school.

    High school students will be placed in the Xcode stream (MacBook) and Elementary school students will be placed in the Swift Playgrounds stream (iPad or MacBook).

  • What’s the difference between coding on an iPad or MacBook?

    There are two tools used to develop iOS apps. Swift Playgrounds (iPad & MacBook) or Xcode (MacBook).

    Elementary school grades will be placed in the Swift Playgrounds stream. Swift Playgrounds is a game-like program, which is ideal for learning the basics of coding in Swift. It is also a full fledged tool used to build and publish iOS apps.

    High school grades will be placed in the Xcode stream. Xcode is the tool professional developers use to create apps for all Apple platforms.

    Both are great tools and you will be able to participate in and gain the full Swift Coders Lab experience with either!

  • Do we need to bring our own devices?

    You are welcome to bring your own device. If you do not have the required hardware you can request a loaner from your school.

  • How do I install the required software?

    Both Swift Playgrounds and Xcode can be downloaded for free on the App Store.

Club Meetings

  • What is the time commitment each week?

    The club meets weekly for one hour. You will meet bi-weekly over Microsoft Teams with your instructor. You will also complete homework and assignments, with a total time commitment of maximum 5 hours per week. However, you are welcome to put in more hours if you wish.

  • When and where does the club meet?

    Lesson Meetings are held from late February through August on Tuesdays over Microsoft Teams.

    Swift Playgrounds stream meets from 3:15pm - 4:15pm.

    Xcode stream meets from 4:15pm - 5:15pm.

  • How long are the meetings?

    Meetings are 1 hour long.

  • Can I still participate if I can’t attend every meeting?

    For sure! All meetings will be recorded, so you can watch them at a later date when it suits you.

  • What if I miss a meeting?

    Meetings will be recorded and viewable on the course webpage. Each week there will also be an “office hours” session where you will be able to meet with a mentor to ask questions.

Club Experience & Projects

  • What are the expectations for club members?

    As a member of the Swift Coders lab you will be expected to:
    1. Attend meetings
    2. Engage in the online community (students from all over Peel who are members of the club)
    3. Complete 1-2 hours of homework assignments per week

  • What hard skills will members learn?

    Wireframing
    App development
    Swift coding

  • What soft skills will members learn?

    21st Century skills, including presentation skills
    Critical thinking
    Problem solving
    Computational thinking
    Entrepreneurial skills

  • What kinds of projects will we work on?

    Primarily, you will be learning to code in Swift and how to build iOS apps. You will also learn additional skills like Wireframing, design and the business aspects of being an app developer!

  • How do we track our progress on projects?

    This will all be done through the course website.

  • Who can I ask for help if I get stuck?

    Your Swift Coding Lab Mentor will have a 1 hour office hour on Thursdays. You can meet with them to discuss any questions you may have about your work, or projects related to the club.

  • Will there be any guest speakers or workshops?

    In addition to weekly meetings and projects we have more exciting events and opportunities throughout the year, which include guest speakers, workshops, challenges and more!

  • Can I use club projects for my portfolio or resume?

    Yes! You can include your membership as well as the projects you worked on, on your portfolio, resume and as part of your application package for college and university.

  • Are there leadership roles available to members?

    Students who were previous members of the club may return in future years to participate as mentors and in leadership roles.