Week 1: Lesson 1:Introduction To Java For Android Course Blog

Welcome to class!

Main Course Document
http://bit.ly/javaforandroid

Lesson 1: Introduction to Java for Android Development Environment

INTRODUCTION

In this lesson you will consider the mobile marketplace and specific tools used to build mobile applications. You will be introduced to the components of the Android Operating System and the development tools used to create Android applications. The readings will provide an overview of the Android Operating System, and the video tutorials will walk you through the necessary setup and downloads to get started with development. In this lesson you will use the Eclipse IDE (Integrated Development Environment) and Android Development Tools (ADT). You will download the development environment onto a removable media device for easy access and use.

LESSON OBJECTIVES

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

Section #1: Why Develop Mobile Applications For Android?

1. Describe market and labor forces and trends that drive demand for skilled programmers.
2. Recognize and identify basic concepts and the language used for Android Mobile Application development.

Section #2: Understanding the Components Of The Android Mobile Application

1. Differentiate the basic components of the Android Operating System.

Section #3: Video Demonstration of Development Tools & Resources

1. Demonstrate how to download and install the Eclipse Development Environment and Google ADT (Android Development Tools).
2. Demonstrate how to open the ADT and set up a workspace (Android Development Tools).
3. Demonstrate how to organize and start a new project using ADT (Android Development Tools).

LEARNING SEQUENCE

Required Reading	Read the following: ·      Section #1: Your next job? Mobile app developer? Application Fundamentals ·      Section #2: Introduction to Android Device Compatibility ·      Section #3: Lesson 1, Part 1 Lesson 1, Part 2
Resources	View the following:  ·      Eclipse (Integrated Development Environment) ·      Android Software Development Tools (SDK) ·      Sample Code ·      Video Transcripts
Assignments	Complete the following: ·      What’s Your Place in the Mobile Market? ·      Uncovering the Basic Tools, Concepts and Processes of Android Environment

INSTRUCTION

Section #1: Why Develop Mobile Applications For Android?

In this section you will be introduced to the fundamentals of Android apps written in Java code. You will also learn about the Android Development Tools (ADT) and Software Development Toolkit (SDK). Additionally, you will identify market forces with the ever-changing demands of and for mobile application development by questioning and interpreting information resources used to discuss the relative value of Android development tools. Finally, you will consider your own level of knowledge and interest in mobile app development for Android. 

Step 1.

Read: Your next job? Mobile app developer?

This article discusses market demands for mobile app developers, making specific reference to salaries and lists both necessary and desired skills. The article also provides specific examples of how companies, both big and small, continue to define their hiring needs in the ever-changing mobile market.

Step 2.

Read: Application Fundamentals

This reading introduces you to the fundamentals of the secure environment of an Android applications environment. The core framework of the application, manifest file and resources for a variety of device configurations are described. Read through the introductory section on Application Fundamentals, then review the heading topics: App Components, Activating Components, The Manifest File, Declaring Components, Declaring component capabilities, Declaring app requirements and App Resources. With this overview, go back and read through the sections on App Components, Activating Components and The Manifest File to solidify your basic understanding of the core framework for the Android application.   

Step 3.

Complete Assignment 1: What’s Your Place in the Mobile Market?

Section #2: Understanding the Components Of The Android Mobile Application

In this section, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of Android app framework. You will also learn about the importance of device compatibility in designing your app for a variety of devices and audiences.

Step 1.

Read: Introduction to Android

Referencing the previous reading on App Fundamentals, you can get a sense of how Android works with the Java language. Review sections on “Apps provide multiple entry points” and “Apps adapt to different devices.” This should give you a solid foundation for how to understand Android and application development basics.

Step 2.

Read: Device Compatibility

This resource explains how Android is designed to run on a range of different types of devices, from phones to tablets and televisions. The term “compatibility” is defined, and you will understand how you can control which devices have access to your apps, and how to prepare your apps to make sure they reach the right audience. Read through the first three sections of this web page, starting with Device Compatibility, What Does “Compatibility” Mean? and “Controlling Your App’s Availability to Devices.” You will revisit these concepts and ideas throughout most of the lessons in this course.

Step 3.

Complete Assignment #2:  Are We Compatible? How to Determine User Interactions?

Section #3: Video Demonstration of Development Tools & Resources 

These two video demonstrations will walk you through the sequence of steps needed to find and download Android development resources online. At the completion of the videos you will know how to set up a new project and run the emulator successfully. Please pause and review the video, as necessary, to complete tasks. Transcripts are provided.

Step 1.

View & Practice: Lesson 1, Part 1 [4:03]

Step 2.

View & Practice: Lesson 1, Part 2 [9:22]

SUMMARY

While the mobile app marketplace continues to evolve, there are plenty of free and open-source resources and tools you can use to develop your skills. Opportunities for Android developers continue to grow, and the setup of Eclipse and Android ADT will set you on your way to creating the next killer app. Now that you have downloaded, set up and configured the tools to begin your Android project, you are ready to XXX in lesson 2.

ASSIGNMENTS

·      What’s Your Place in the Mobile Market?

·      Uncovering the Basic Tools, Concepts and Processes of Android Environment

Answer the questions below for lesson 1(include question number in response):

Question 1: How does the user interface(UI) influence user engagement with an application?


Question 2: What changes have you seen in the mobile marketplace(apps,tablets,screen-sizes) in the past  5 years? How do you think these changes influence mobile development?

Tis the Season For Google Hangouts....End Of Year Assessment Time

At this time of year as the school year draws to a close both at the High School I work at and the Community College I teach at I like to close with something new for the students. This semester I chose to use the collaborative Google Hangout for sharing of course materials,a good laugh at us on a web cam and also a new fluency in technology use and assessment. The sharing of these experiences online is beneficial from a variety of perspectives for both the students and myself.

For a long time I have found video to be a great way to share what a person learns and also how they learn. Google hangouts provide the perfect opportunity to get up to 10 students(others can watch) for a web based video collaboration which has enabled chat features and screen sharing capabilities.

For the final of my PHP programming course at Bunker Hill Community College in Charlestown,Massachusetts I asked students to go online and participate in the hangout and share their collective work for the semester. This was a small class so the format worked perfectly. Students received notification from me on their Google + page to join the hangout and shared their web pages from their chosen server and we also we able to discuss the approach we decided on for our group final project.

This students in this class really responded well to the hangout format and were anxious to share with the technology. When audio issues arrived we were able to utilize the built in messaging service inside the Hangout. This can help communicate between all participants.

I chose to do a hangout on air in which the video is live streamed to the internet and saved to Youtube. This is great for revisiting if you need at a later time.

I found Hangouts relatively easy to use except when some students I sent invites to did not receive the notice in their Google accounts. This can be a little annoying for inviting the members but usually a couple resends solves the problem. I have included the video from my PHP class if your interested in seeing one go down but it is much more fun to have your own!

In the Andover Innovation Lab which is a course at Andover High School for Independent Technology projects students have Google Hangouts as part of their final assessment. I ask that students present and their self driven projects and describe their experiences creating them. I want students to reveal their process and goals as well as the resources they used to get their product. In the video I embedded below, the student created an application using the iOS development tool Xcode and has described his experiences.

Overall the tool is powerful at creating collaboration and sharing with technology. It does take some time to get used to but in the end it can be a powerful web based assessment tool. Its great to be able to ask students to present in this way. It makes them think about their presentation in a real world construct.