Module Information

Module Identifier

CS31620

Module Title

Mobile Development with Android

Academic Year

2018/2019

Co-ordinator

Mr Chris Loftus

Semester

Semester 1

Mutually Exclusive

CS31520

Pre-Requisite

CS12320 or CC12320

Other Staff

Course Delivery

Delivery Type	Delivery length / details
Practical	20 x 2 Hour Practicals
Lecture	10 x 1 Hour Lectures

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment length / details	Proportion
Semester Exam	2 Hours	40%
Semester Assessment	50 Hours Programming Assignment	60%
Supplementary Assessment	50 Hours Programming Assignment Students should resit failed components	60%
Supplementary Exam	2 Hours Students should resit failed components	40%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Compare, critically evaluate and discuss different options for implementation and deployment of a mobile app idea.

2. Design, implement and evaluate the human user interface of a mobile application against manufacturers’ guidelines and current best practice.

3. Select and apply relevant design patterns in mobile app implementation.

4. Build and test mobile applications for either iOS or Android, using appropriate language features.

5. Build Android apps that function as part of a larger distributed architecture.

Brief description

The module will explore the different ways in which people are using handheld devices such as phones and tablets, and the larger systems those devices are part of. The module will cover types of devices and users, the importance of user interface issues, the different kinds of trade-offs that are made when building for mobile devices, and techniques for building an app as part of a distributed system. It will ground these issues in the practical development of Android apps built using Java.

Aims

Mobile phones and tablets have become the most numerous form of computer, and the most frequently used. Designing for such a small device involves a range of skills that students do not often exercise in other contexts. This module will explore the techniques and design choices involved in building apps, and give concrete experience of doing so for one of the main phone app development environments.

Content

1. Introduction.
Scope of mobile systems, mobile web, native apps, design choices, main platforms, overview of implications.

2. Software Engineering for mobile
Relevant design patterns, platform design considerations, handling data, handling device variation, using sensors and location.

3.User interfaces for mobile
Developing your ideas, getting the interface right, appropriate user interface guidelines. Accessibility.

4. Java’s role in Android
Revision of Java with focus on Classes, Inner classes, Packages, Interfaces and generics. The Android class library. Some Java 8 features: Lambda expressions, Streams. Model-View-Controller and Android. Brief introduction to Kotlin.

5. Building and debugging in Android Studio. Finding solutions to problems. Android application architecture. UI elements, views and Activity lifecycle. Data and its display: ListViews, files, preferences and SQLite. Threading for responsiveness. Content providers for sharing data. Intents for sharing functionality. Security using permissions. Dealing with multiple screen resolutions and sizes including the use of fragments. Gestures and animations. Services and working with the web. Testing.

Module Skills

Skills Type	Skills details
Application of Number	Inherent to the module.
Communication	Program produced must be understandable.
Improving own Learning and Performance	Continuous examples of what is being learnt enable self-evaluation.
Information Technology	Inherent to the module.
Personal Development and Career planning	Experience of module will enhance students' career prospects,
Problem solving	Inherent to the module.
Research skills	Need to find information on how to address specific programming challenges.
Subject Specific Skills	Module focuses on useful subject specific skills.
Team work	None.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6