Android Application Development

Objectives

This course presents an introduction to the development of mobile applications based on the Android operating system. During the course of the course, the student is taught the different possibilities offered by Android mobile devices and how applications can be designed and developed for these devices using the Java/Kotlin programming language.

Learning outcomes

• Develop applications for mobile devices.
• Incorporate multimedia elements into an application for mobile devices.
• Designs interfaces suitable for mobile devices with the Android operating system.
• Learn about programming languages and application development environments for the Android operating system.
• Moves with ease in the general use of ICT, especially in technological environments specific to the professional field.
• Understands oral and written messages of different types completely, expressed in Catalan, Spanish and English.
• Apply their knowledge, understanding of this knowledge and problem-solving skills in complex or professional and specialized work areas that require the use of creative and innovative ideas.

Competencies

General skills

• Combine scientific knowledge with technical skill and technological resources to deal with difficulties in professional practice.
• Desire to take part in lifelong learning, innovate, create value and acquire new knowledge.

Specific skills

• Analyze, design and implement applications for the web, mobile devices, video games or general purposes, using programming languages ​​​​and development tools.
• Conceptualise, design, implement and assess interfaces and interaction schemes, putting into practice standard models of assessment.
• Develop and manage software and hardware in a multimedia environment.
• Know about the characteristics, functions and structure of operating systems, distributed systems and computer networks, in order to use them well for design and implementation of multimedia applications.

Basic skills

• Students can apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and have competencies typically demonstrated through drafting and defending arguments and solving problems in their field of study.
• Students have developed the learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of independent learning.

Content

• Introduction to Android
• Programming tools and languages
  • AndroidStudio and emulator
  • Java/Kotlin language
• MVC architecture and application life cycle
• UIView and UIControls design
• Android navigation pattern
• Lists
• Singletons
• Data persistence
• Multimedia and geolocation
• External libraries (QR code reader)

Evaluation

The evaluation of the subject is based on:

• Participation observation: 5%
• Monitoring of work done: 10%
• Assessment tests: 45% (retrievable)
• Final practice (Android project): 40% (recoverable)

To pass the subject, you must pass all the evaluation tests and the final practice with a grade equal to or higher than 5 in each of the assignments.

If the student does not pass the course, he/she may retake the assessment tests and/or the final practice, provided that they do not exceed 50% of the subject in total. The final practice also has a weighting of 50% compared to the ordinary assessment, or 20% of the overall.

Methodology

Class sessions consist of a theoretical part of explanation of concepts by the teacher and a practical part of solving and correcting exercises by the students. Outside of class hours, students must follow the subject, both the theoretical and practical parts, to achieve the learning objectives.

Bibliography

Further reading

Teachers will provide complementary bibliography and compulsory reading throughout the course via the Virtual Campus.