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App Inventor

App Inventor. Barb Ericson Georgia Tech ericson@cc.gatech.edu. What is App Inventor?. F ree software for creating apps for Android devices P rojects are saved to the cloud Requires an internet connection to use

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App Inventor

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  1. App Inventor Barb Ericson Georgia Tech ericson@cc.gatech.edu

  2. What is App Inventor? • Free software for creating apps for Android devices • Projects are saved to the cloud • Requires an internet connection to use • You create the user interface by dragging components (widgets) onto a screen • The Designer • You program the app by dragging program statements and connecting them • The Blocks Editor • You can test using wireless, an emulator, or a USB connected device • First option is best

  3. Designer – User Interface

  4. Blocks Editor - Programming

  5. Tips for Workshops • Manage expectations • They are not creating Angry Birds in 1 hour • Pre-load Xylophone on the phones • Have students play with it and ask them how they think it works • Introduce the computing terms • Explain how to use the phones (especially for adults) • For younger students use projects with the user interface already done • Allow time to add features or create apps • Use examples that help people - SpeakIt • Use examples that can be customized - Fortune • Show how it relates to jobs – Dot Diva

  6. Troubleshooting • Both the device and computer must be on the same wireless network • Some networks have firewalls that don’t allow this to work – check first • To use the emulator or USB connected device you must install software • See http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/ai2/setup.html

  7. Menu – Settings - Applications Menu – Settings - Development Setup the Phone / Tablet

  8. Your app will work as long as the device is connected, but not when disconnected • To have your app work after you disconnect the device • In the Designer click on App (Provide QR code for .apk) to install the app on your device • Or save the .apk to your computer and put it on a server to share it with others Install on Device

  9. Go to My Projects Check the app to share Click on ”Project" and then ”Export selected (.aia) to my computer" This will download a file to your computer that ends in .aia Others can click on “Project” and “Import project (.aia) from my computer” to upload it Sharing a Project with Others

  10. Event driven programming • Variables • Conditionals • Random Numbers • Procedures and parameters • Creating your own blocks • Lists • Iteration (Loops) • Recursion • User Interfaces • Model, View, Controller Computing Concepts

  11. Create games • Image sprites – collision detection, timers • Use the camera and then draw on the picture • Canvas • Create a quiz • Using lists • Automatically respond to text messages • Use text-to-speech to read a message • Store data on the phone Use the GPS to remember where your car is Open Google maps to a particular URI Create a list of people to automatically text Create a remote control for your LEGO robot Use a barcode scanner and get info from websites with web data APIs Store data on the phone or in a web database What else can you do?

  12. Tips and Techniques • You can copy and paste a set of blocks • Control C and V on windows • You can just type a number or Boolean value • The correct block will be created • When you right click on a block you can: • Add a comment • Duplicate a block • Deactivate a block • Collapse a block • Execute a block immediately

  13. How to get devices? • Buy tablets – cheaper than phones • Samsung Galaxy - $180 • Nexus 7 - $152 • Ask students/parents to donate used phones • Get a small grant to cover the cost of the devices – Google Rise, Local businesses, College • Only need 1 device per 4-6 people

  14. How to evaluate • Pre and post attitude surveys • Measure confidence, enjoyment, interest, intent to persist, gender stereotypes • 5 point Likert scale questions • Open-ended questions: best, thing to change? • http://home.cc.gatech.edu/ice-gt/310 • Pre and post content knowledge assessments • Multiple choice questions • http://home.cc.gatech.edu/ice-gt/311

  15. Additional Resources • ICE projects for App Inventor http://ice-web.cc.gatech.edu/dl/?q=node/873 • MIT’s Tutorials are at http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/tutorials.html • Gallery of apps created with App Inventor http://gallery.appinventor.mit.edu/# • 35 hour course for teachers http://explore.appinventor.mit.edu/teaching-app-creation • Design guidelines from Google for Android Apps http://developer.android.com/design/index.html • Free on-line book and course materials and tutorials are at http://www.appinventor.org/book • Mobile CS Principles materials - including multiple choice questions https://sites.google.com/site/mobilecsp/ • 6 modules are at http://www.appinventor.org/course-in-a-box • How to publish to the play store ($25 fee to register)http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/ai2/google-play.html

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