Android applications are inspired by Multi-Agent Systems

Any technology, sooner or later, passes away. A certain technology will eventually be replaced by newer technologies and computer science based technologies has a quicker turn over than other kinds of technologies. CS students expect to learn technologies because they are fashionable. Companies expect to hire students who are aware of the ultimate trend technologies because they need those technologies to be competitive in the market. So, everything seems simple: I, as a teacher, should teach those technologies to students that will be hired by the companies. Every time I face a new course, especially when it has a strong technological content, I wonder which is the best way to teach it because while I am convinced that teachers should be up to date about technologies, I am not convinced that teachers should teach technologies. The key aspect, however, is not only on the solution of a problem but also in the problem-posing. Technologies as part of the problem-posing and solving pedagogical methodology. A fundamental part of the learning process is the discussion of the problem itself and the generalization of the discovered process towards a solution. In other words, a key aspect of teaching is to create “connections”, “links” among previous technologies and methodologies, even better if they are from unrelated problems. Event-driven programming, the success of OO technologies for realizing frameworks, the achievement of software reuse are just few examples of topics, which are involved by teaching Android. So, it should not surprise that I think it is important to teach how strong the relation is between the organization of a Multi-Agent Systems, and the way in which an Android application works. Especially in order to achieve a better software reuse. In my opinion, this is a good way of teaching technologies and of overcoming their premature departure.