Getting Started with App Inventor Course Syllabus

Total Run Time: 11 Hours of Video Plus TONS of Extra Tutorials and Apps to Build

Expected Time to Complete Course: 50-250 Hours

Course Description:

In Getting Started with App Inventor you will learn how to create your own Android mobile applications in just a few hours, and without having to learn any computer programming. App Inventor is a free graphic user interface (drag and drop system) that allows anyone to create their own Android mobile apps with no prior experience.

What You Will Learn:

In this course you’ll start by installing free App Inventor software, learning how it works and learning to work with App Inventor files. You’ll then learn to create ten different Android Apps, starting from simple and gradually getting more sophisticated. In the course capstone, you’ll learn how to properly prepare and submit your Android Apps to marketplaces like Google Play.

After you’ve mastered some or all of the initial App tutorials, you can move on to more than 45 tutorials focused on specific skills Android Developers need in their toolbox. You’ll then be able to learn more than 15 additional Apps with step-by-step instructions, many of which include the source code. Lastly, you’ll get the source code to 10 more Apps designed to help you learn by simply modifying the source code to create a brand new Android App.

Module 1: Introduction to the Course

Module 2: Installing App Inventor

• Before You Install App Inventor
• Installing Google Chrome
• Opening An Account With Google
• Installing Java
• Installing App Inventor on Windows
• Installing App Inventor on a Mac
• Installing App Inventor on GNU / Linux
• Video Tutorials

Module 3: Introduction to App Inventor                   

• Before You Install App Inventor
• Installing Google Chrome
• Opening An Account With Google
• Installing Java
• Installing On Windows
• Installing on a Mac
• Installing on GNU / Linux
• Video Tutorials
• Video Tutorials

Module 4: Understanding the User Interface

• Starting App Inventor
• Tour of the Components Editor
• Components Editor Overview
• Components Editor Quiz
• Tour of the Blocks Editor
• Blocks Editor Overview
• Blocks Editor Quiz
• Component and Block Definitions
• Opening Your First Project
• Video Tutorials

Module 5: App 1 – Hello Purr

• What You’re Building
• Using the Android Phone Emulator
• Changing Your App’s Name
• Adding Buttons
• Changing Button Images
• Changing Component Names
• Working with Text Boxes
• Adding Sound Effects
• Video Tutorials
• Hello Purr App Quiz

Module 6: App 2 – Android Zoo

• What You’re Building
• Working with Images
• Working with Screen Arrangements
• Working with Text Labels
• Adding Multiple Sound Effects
• Introduction to Graphic Design
• Video Tutorials
• Android Zoo App Quiz

Module 7: Working With App Inventor Files

• Downloading and Uploading Project Files
• Downloading Your App to Your Phone
• Downloading All Files
• Zip Files
• Keystores
• Downloading Your App’s QR Code
• Using QR Codes to Install Apps
• Downloading .APK Files
• Downloading to Your Android Phone
• Video Tutorials
• App Inventor Files Quiz

Module 8: Preparing Your Android Phone for Development

• Changing You Phone’s Development Settings
• Allowing Installation of Non-Market Apps

Module 9: App 3 – Business Card App

• What You’re Building
• Adding a Header Image
• Adding One Touch Phone Call Functionality
• Adding an E-mail Form
• Connecting Your App to the Internet
• Working with Activity Starters
• Getting the Correct Google Maps URL
• Working with Google Maps
• Creating Multiple Screens
• Creating a Clear Screen Procedure
• Video Tutorials
• Business Card App Quiz

Module 10: App 4 – Virtual Campus Tour

• What You’re Building
• Working with a Canvass
• Adding Ball Animations
• Creating Touch Sensitive Ball Animations
• Adding Sound Effects
• Working with Colors
• Adding Songs
• Using the Phone Vibration Function
• Tapping the Screen to Display Text and Image Information
•  Video Tutorials
• Virtual Tour App Quiz

Module 11: App 5 – Event / Conference App

• What You’re Building
• What the Home Screen Properties Mean
• Creating a List of Websites
• Creating a List of Google Maps
• Adding a Page of Text
• Adding Attractive Button Images (Graphic Design)
• What Is a QR Code?
• Adding a QR Code to Your App
• Creating Multiple Screens
• Video Tutorials
• Event App Quiz

Module 12: GPS Locator App

• What You’re Building
• Using the Phone’s GPS Function
• Using the TinyDB Component
• Locating Users Via the Location Sensor
• Using an Activity Start to Open a Map
• Using Maps for Real Time GPS Directions
• Using a Database to Store Geographical Coordinates
• Using a Database to Recall Geographical Coordinates
• Working With Screen Arrangements
• Working With Components Inside Screen Arrangements
• Modifying the Text in Labels and Text Boxes
• Video Tutorials
• GPS Locator App Quiz

Module 13: Text Message App

• What You’re Building
• Getting Your Phone to Read Text Messages Aloud
• How to Auto-Respond to Incoming Messages
• Storing Text Data in a Database
• Modifying Database Information
• Pinpointing a User’s Current Location
• Sending Current Location Information to Others
• Using the Texting Component
• Working with the TinyDB Component
• Installing a Text to Speech Engine
• Working With the Text to Speech Component
• Using the Location Sensor Component
• Video Tutorials
• Text Message App Quiz

Module 14: Quiz App

• What You’re Building
• Storing Database Information on the Web
• Storing Lists of Information
• Using Text Boxes and Labels to Display Information
• Verifying the Validity of Retrieved Database Information
• Getting a Button to Submit Data to a Database
• Allowing Users to Create Quizzes
• Creating Lists of Questions and Answers
• Video Tutorials
• Quiz App Quiz

Module 15: Quiz App Advanced

• What You’re Building
• Retrieving Database Information from the Web
• Creating Conditional Behaviors
• Using Buttons to Navigate Quiz Questions
• Storing and Retrieving Lists of Questions and Answers
• Adding Images to Your Quiz Questions
• Allowing Users to Take Quizzes
• Displaying Correct or Incorrect Responses
• Using Text Boxes and Labels to Display Information
• Video Tutorials
• Quiz App Advanced App Quiz

Module 16: Mole Mash Game

• What You’re Building
• Working With Image Sprites
• Using a Timer to Repeat an Action
• Creating Game Procedures
• Using Touch-Sensitive Objects on a Canvas
• How to Use TypeBlocking
• Generating Random Numbers and Intervals
• Creating a Scoreboard
• How to Reset a Scoreboard
• Video Tutorials
• Mole Mash App Quiz

Module 17: Preparing Your APK Files for the Market

• Finalizing Your App in App Inventor
• Adding Your App Icon
• Downloading the .APK File
• Downloading “App To Market” Software
• Zip Aligning Your .APK File
• Preparing Your App for Online Android Markets
• Video Tutorials

Module 18: Uploading Your First App to Android Marketplaces

• Setting Up Your Android Account
• Setting Up Google Checkout
• Android Publisher Account Overview
• Graphic Assets for the Android Market
• Uploading Your First App to the Android Market
• Creating a Marketing QR Code For Your App
• How to Submit Updated Versions of Your App
• Video Tutorials
• Android Marketplace Quiz

Module 19: Working with the Basic Components

• Setting a Button to Do Two Things
• Using a Button to Display Text
• Password Text Box Component
• Creating a Toggle Button
• Creating a Color Change Button
• Checkbox Component
• Creating an Enter Button
• Player Component

Module 20: Working with the Advanced Components

• Notifier Component
• Image Picker Component
• Using Fusion Tables
• Web Component
• Speech Recognizer Component
• Orientation Sensor Component
• Hosting Your Own Web Database
• Barcode Scanner Component
• Fusion Tables
• Location Sensor Component
• Text to Speech Component

Module 21: How to Do Everything Else

• Adding a Splash Screen
• Adding a Welcome Message
• Overcoming Large App Size
• Create Multiple Screens
• Centering a Component
• Centering Multiple Components
• Basic Math and Variables
• Troubleshooting Your Android USB Connection
• Pointing to Files on a Server
• Create a High Score Table
• Create an Image Slideshow
• Set a Timed Event
• Setting a ForEach Loop
• Creating Precise Button Arrangements
• Pausing and Restarting Sprites
• Creating Lists Within Lists
• Working With the Advanced Tab
• Launch a YouTube Page
• Save a Canvas with TinyDB
• Define Custom Colors
• Using Static Google Maps
• Using Date and Time
• Latitude / Longitude Distance Calculations
• Debugging Apps
• App Inventor API Resources
• Working with Java
• Setting Timed Events

Module 22: More Apps to Build

• Twitter App
• QR Code Generator and Scanner
• Text Group
• Broadcast Hub
• Phone Raffle
• Snowboarder / Skier App
• Animal Match
• Hello World
• Dorm Finder
• Stock Quotes
• Yelp Search
• Invitation Sender
• Paint App
• Diary
• Loan Calculator
• Shooting Game
• Christmas Card

Module 23: Additional App Source Codes

• Kid’s Xylophone
• Tip Calculator
• Tic Tac Toe
• Sports Scores
• Reminders
• Favorite Restaurants
• Mortgage Amortizer
• Map Tour
• Memory Game
• Web Viewer

Module 24: Android Icon Packages

Module 25: Comprehensive Final Exam

Module 26: Conclusion / End of Course

Module 27: Master Course Certificate of Completion Getting Started with App Inventor