Basics X
Roadmap
Roadmap
Basics X - App Inventor 1
Intro to Mobile Programming with App Inventor
AGES 11 - 12
CLASS SIZE: 8
2 HRS X 5 or 8 LESSONS
$668.75 ($625 w/o GST)
Pre-requisites:
- At least Basics 4 OR
- For absolute beginners turning 11 - 12 years old in the current calendar year
Course Overview:
As part of the masterclass Basics X topical series, this course represents a major leap for our Code Campers as they transition from Scratch and/or micro:bit to mobile programming and more complex data types with App Inventor.
With the rapid proliferation of smartphones and growing dominance of mobile usage, mobile programming presents one of the most relatable and relevant domains in which our students will apply their programming knowledge and skills. In this course, Code Campers will learn to decompose a mobile application into its component parts (buttons, labels, images, functionality, etc), design a user interface that conveys the look and feel of their imagination, and code the behaviour that will govern how the user interacts with the app and how the app responds.
It sounds simple enough but mobile programming, despite being the most engaging, is also the most demanding domain within the Basics roadmap because it requires higher degrees of abstraction using complex data types. In the abridged 5-lesson version, Code Campers will need to understand components (a complex data type known as an object which bundles properties together), properties (types of variables that are bundled in a component), procedures (named sequences of code that perform a specific task), event handlers (routines that deal with an event) and scope (the extent of visibility of variables within a program). Those who attend the extended 8-lesson variant would also cover lists (an ordered collection of items), as well as for loops (iterations through a list). Each of these are integral concepts in mobile programming and App Inventor.
At the end of this course, Code Campers will be able to design a simple user interface and build apps such as a simple game, a texting app and a painting app.
With the rapid proliferation of smartphones and growing dominance of mobile usage, mobile programming presents one of the most relatable and relevant domains in which our students will apply their programming knowledge and skills. In this course, Code Campers will learn to decompose a mobile application into its component parts (buttons, labels, images, functionality, etc), design a user interface that conveys the look and feel of their imagination, and code the behaviour that will govern how the user interacts with the app and how the app responds.
It sounds simple enough but mobile programming, despite being the most engaging, is also the most demanding domain within the Basics roadmap because it requires higher degrees of abstraction using complex data types. In the abridged 5-lesson version, Code Campers will need to understand components (a complex data type known as an object which bundles properties together), properties (types of variables that are bundled in a component), procedures (named sequences of code that perform a specific task), event handlers (routines that deal with an event) and scope (the extent of visibility of variables within a program). Those who attend the extended 8-lesson variant would also cover lists (an ordered collection of items), as well as for loops (iterations through a list). Each of these are integral concepts in mobile programming and App Inventor.
At the end of this course, Code Campers will be able to design a simple user interface and build apps such as a simple game, a texting app and a painting app.
What can my child do after this course?
The project below is a sample of what our Code Campers can build after completing the Basics X - App Inventor 1 course:
Snap Paint by Enzo
Enzo made a Snap Paint app that allows users to both take pictures and draw. His app boasts added interactivity with voice notifications, as well as a whole host of features that include being able to change the pen colour, cycle through pictures, and even a nifty button that allows the user to draw a triangle with just a tap.
There is even an option to choose between 'pen' mode (normal drawing), or 'fan' mode, whether the user can draw many lines by dragging a finger across the screen. Finally, Enzo's app also allows user to take photos, draw on them, delete them or save their masterpieces!
There is even an option to choose between 'pen' mode (normal drawing), or 'fan' mode, whether the user can draw many lines by dragging a finger across the screen. Finally, Enzo's app also allows user to take photos, draw on them, delete them or save their masterpieces!