App InventorBarb EricsonGeorgia Techericson@cc.gatech.edu

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

Designer – User Interface

Blocks Editor - Programming

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

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

Setup the Phone / Tablet Menu – Settings -

Applications Menu – Settings -

Development

Install on Device 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

Sharing a Project with Others 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

Computing Concepts Event driven programming Variables Conditionals Random Numbers Procedures and parameters

Creating your own blocks Lists Iteration (Loops) Recursion User Interfaces

Model, View, Controller

What else can you do? 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

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

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

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

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