FIT4039 Android and iOS development - Semester 1, 2015

This unit focuses on the design, construction and deployment of mobile applications, with particular focus on Android and iOS platforms. Areas such as mobile data management and networking, MVC design patterns, and mobile GUI design considerations will be explored. The unit will emphasise hands-on, practical experience with actual devices and emulators. Research topics and ideas will also be covered for post-graduate students.

Mode of Delivery

Workload Requirements

Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:

(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:

• Two hours of lectures
• One 2-hour laboratory

(b.) Additional requirements (all students):

• A minimum of 8 hours independent study per week for completing lab and project work, private study and revision.

See also Unit timetable information

Unit Relationships

Prohibitions

CSE3211, FIT3027

Chief Examiner

Campus Lecturer

Tutors

Your feedback to Us

Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit

In response to the last SETU of this unit, the following changes have been made:

• Materials have been updated to cover latest Android and iOS platform developments.
• Weekly topics structure has been modified slightly to have a greater emphasis on building mobile interfaces.
• Examination component has been removed in favour for a more practical mobile application being developed and assessed.

Student feedback has highlighted the following strength(s) in this unit:

• Many students appreciated the demonstrations perforrmed in the lectures so a greater number of these will be made available. 

Academic Overview

Learning Outcomes

• recall the history of mobile platforms and the development of software for those platforms;
• describe the MVC design pattern and explain the importance of this design pattern in mobile applications development;
• critically analyse and distinguish between the design considerations for mobile application interface development and traditional interfaces;
• analyse and implement the use of graphic and audio components in the development of mobile applications;
• investigate, design, construct and publish applications for mobile platforms with particular focus on Android and iOS.

Unit Schedule

*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your learning system.

Teaching Approach

• Lecture and tutorials or problem classes
  The aim of the lectures is to introduce one or more concepts in a way, and at a pace, that is adequate for students to learn, not to provide students with everything there is to know about those concepts. In this sense, the lecture notes provide a first step towards learning those concepts, a first step that will be complemented by tutes and/or pracs, consultation hours and personal reading and working time.
• Laboratory-based classes
  The aim of the prac is to increase the knowledge of students on a particular area covered by the associated unit. In pracs this is achieved by each student (or group of students) practicing on their own the concepts already learned previously.

Assessment Summary

In-semester assessment: 100%

Assessment Requirements

Assessment Policy

Assessment Tasks

Participation

• Assessment task 1

  Title:

  A1: Mobile Application Design Specification

  Description:

  The objective of this assessment is to enable students to design innovative applications on both Android and iOS by taking into consideration the interface requirements and functionality available on both platforms. Students will be required to submit a specification outlining the type of application they wish to build, a breakdown of the application requirements, interface storyboards and a project timeline. Specific details regarding this specification will be made available on Moodle.
  
  Postgraduate students will also need to include a competitor analysis section in their specification by researching similar applications that currently exist on the market and analysing their strengths and weaknesses. This analysis should be used to support design decisions made on the final application design.

  Weighting:

  20%

  Criteria for assessment:

  • This is an individual assignment and is to be entirely your own work.
  • The assignment will be marked against criteria of correctness and clarity.
  • Further detailed assessment criteria will be available with the assignment specification.

  Due date:

  Friday 27th March 2015 (Week 4)

  Remarks:

  Students will need to negotiate with their tutor during their assigned lab session regarding what type of application they would like to develop for the semester and if it is appropriate for the marking criteria.
  
  Late assignment submissions will be penalised by 5% for each day late and may be submitted up to a maximum of 7 days late. Submissions beyond this deadline may not be accepted without prior consultation.

• Assessment task 2

  Title:

  A2: Android and iOS Portfolio Exercises

  Description:

  The objective of this assessment is to enable students to gain the fundamental skills and knowledge required for building effective mobile applications with a critical focus on native Android and iOS development. Students will be required to submit a portfolio of weekly exercises for both Android and iOS platforms for Weeks 2 to 6. Specific details regarding each lab exercise will be clearly outlined in the laboratory notes accessible via Moodle.

  Weighting:

  30%

  Criteria for assessment:

  • This is an individual assignment and is to be entirely your own work.
  • The assignment will be marked against criteria of correctness and clarity.
  • Further detailed assessment criteria will be available with the assignment specification.

  Due date:

  Monday 20th April 2015 (Week 7)

  Remarks:

  Students will be provided feedback based on their performance in this assignment to determine their current progress in Android and iOS application development. Suggestions for where potential improvements could be made for the remainder of the semester will also be provided.
  
  Late assignment submissions will be penalised by 5% for each day late and may be submitted up to a maximum of 7 days late. Submissions beyond this deadline may not be accepted without prior consultation.

• Assessment task 3

  Title:

  A3: Android / iOS Mobile Application

  Description:

  The objective of this assessment is to enable students to build a functionally complete mobile application by selecting either Android or iOS to showcase and demonstrate their knowledge gained during the semester. Students will be required to submit an application based upon their design specification.
  
  This assessment is broken down into two deliverables:
  
  a)  Application Prototype (25%)
  
  Students will need to demonstrate their development progress on their mobile application by showing their tutor current progress and discuss any challenges faced. This will help provide students with additional feedback before final submission.
  
  Due: Assigned Lab Class in Week 10
  
  b)   Final Application (75%)
  
  Students will need to submit their final version of the application via Moodle and arrange an interview with their tutor to demonstrate their final mobile application.
  
  Due: Friday 12th June 2015, Week 14
  
  Postgraduate students will also need to incorporate and demonstrate unit testing in their Android or iOS project to ensure that the application has been made to an industry standard.
  
  Specific details regarding this application will be made available on Moodle and discussed during the lectures.

  Weighting:

  50%

  Criteria for assessment:

  • This is an individual assignment and is to be entirely your own work.
  • The assignment will be marked against criteria of correctness and clarity.
  • Further detailed assessment criteria will be available with the assignment specification.

  Due date:

  Assigned Lab Class in Week 10 (Prototype) and Friday 12th June 2015, Week 14 (Completed Application)

  Remarks:

  Late assignment submissions will be penalised by 5% for each day late and may be submitted up to a maximum of 7 days late. Submissions beyond this deadline may not be accepted without prior consultation.

Learning resources

Feedback to you

• Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
• Graded assignments with comments
• Interviews
• Solutions to tutes, labs and assignments

Extensions and penalties

Returning assignments

Assignment submission

Online submission

If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the learning system for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.

Required Resources

• Android Studio 1.0 or later
• Xcode 6.0 or later (Mac)

Technological Requirements

Students should routinely check Moodle to access class materials and check for the latest announcements. You are permitted to use your own laptop in the lab in addition to using any Android or iOS phone / tablet device if you wish to test your software rather than run it in an emulated environment.

Other Information

Policies

Graduate Attributes Policy

Student Charter

Student services

Monash University Library

Disability Liaison Unit

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