A Template-Based Short Course Concept on Android Application Development

Abstract

Executive SummarySmartphones are a common accessory to provide rich user experience due to superior memory, advanced software-hardware support, fast processing, and multimedia capabilities. Responding to this trend, advanced engineering systems tend to integrate mobile devices with their solutions to facilitate usability. With many young students showing interest in learning mobile application development, conventional electrical engineering undergraduate education cannot meet the needs of this workforce due to fast changes in mobile technology and limited curricula hours. Templatebased learning (TBL) methods may overcome these limitations by shortening the learning cycle through fast hands-on introduction to development tools, basic programming, and application development and integration process. Students manipulate code fragments in provided templates, and compile, embed, and run applications. They also implement new applications reusing fragments from other similar templates. TBL modules can be integrated in pre-existing conventional courses to provide basic and fast exposure to the subject. This paper provides an example of a TBL template library for Android phones, which has been used in a classroom setting to collect student attitude data and assess efficiency of the TBL approach. Keywords: Learning, Mobile Applications, Mobile Education IntroductionMobile phones are technologically advanced devices that provide more and more communication and other services. Numerous applications exploit superior memories and cameras, various wireless channels for voice and data, inertial and satellite positioning systems, advanced signal and graphics processors and accelerators, etc. Acquisition, processing, and visualization of various media also are common due to advanced software platforms and applications.Educators are inspired to use cell phones to communicate learning content in new formats as Millennials (ages 18-34) are by far the most technologically advanced user group, with a 95% cell phone ownership (Caverly, Ward, & Cavarly, 2009;Zickuhr, 2012). Mobile learning, or m-learning, is defined as the acquisition of any knowledge or skill through using mobile technology (Geddes, 2004). This concept extends to Material published as part of this publication, either on-line or in print, is copyrighted by the Informing Science Institute. Permission to make digital or paper copy of part or all of these works for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that the copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage AND that copies 1) bear this notice in full and 2) give the full citation on the first page. It is permissible to abstract these works so long as credit is given. To copy in all other cases or to republish or to post on a server or to redistribute to lists requires specific permission and payment of a fee. Contact Publisher@InformingScience.org to request redistribution permission. Editor: Jane NashA Template-Based Short Course Concept on Android Application Development ubiqui...

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