Overview
This unit shows you how to design and implement dynamic mobile web apps that allow complex user interaction and build on knowledge of responsive web design. You will examine the viability of web apps versus native apps, with particular attention being paid to cross platform considerations using tools such as Apache Cordova, implementing web middleware using server-side tools such as Node.js and integrating these with cloud databases to store mobile data. The business drivers for mobile portals will also be discussed, as will the social impact of mobile technology. Research skills will be introduced as a means of keeping up to date with the changing mobile development landscape.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-Req: COIT20268 Responsive Web Design Anti-Req: COIT20231 Mobile Computing
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2021
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Tutor and students' informal feedback
Some of the tutorial examples/solutions did not work due to the new version of the software (Apache Cordova).
Update tutorial documentation and solutions to work with new versions of software, as well as provide guidance to students on dealing with version changes themselves.
Feedback from Student evaluations, teaching team reflections
The rapid development of new mobile web app technologies makes it hard to keep the unit content up to date for different platforms.
Include cross-platform development approaches (e.g. Google Flutter) as well as other new technologies (e.g. micro-services, API gateways) in the unit. This will impact IT resources.
- Design, create and implement a mobile web app
- Design, create and implement a hybrid mobile app, a web service and then use these to store mobile data to a cloud database
- Analyse and evaluate design alternatives for the app
- Use an integrated development environment (IDE) build, debug and test mobile systems to develop a working app
- Assess the current and future business impact of mobile web apps
- Critically evaluate key research areas in mobile web apps.
Australian Computer Society (ACS) recognises the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). SFIA is in use in over 100 countries and provides a widely used and consistent definition of ICT skills. SFIA is increasingly being used when developing job descriptions and role profiles.
ACS members can use the tool MySFIA to build a skills profile at https://www.acs.org.au/professionalrecognition/mysfia-b2c.html
This unit contributes to the workplace skills as defined by SFIA. The SFIA code is included:
Systems Design (DESN),
Systems Integration (SINT),
Data Analysis (DTAN),
Database/Repository Design (DBDS),
Testing (TEST),
Release and Deployment (RELM),
Applications Support (ASUP).
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
1 - Practical Assessment - 20% | ||||||
2 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||||
3 - Project (applied) - 50% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
1 - Knowledge | ||||||
2 - Communication | ||||||
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||||
4 - Research | ||||||
5 - Self-management | ||||||
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||||
7 - Leadership | ||||||
8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
1 - Practical Assessment - 20% | ||||||||
2 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
3 - Project (applied) - 50% |
Textbooks
Beginning Mobile Application Development in the Cloud
Edition: 1st (2012)
Authors: R. Rodger
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Indianapolis Indianapolis , IN , USA
ISBN: 978-1-118-03469-9
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
If you prefer to study from a paper text, there a a couple available at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Zoom (both microphone and webcam capability)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.azad@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Industry Introduction : Prospects : Terminology : JavaScript Overview
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Lecturer created materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
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Webserver Concepts : UI Design Choices : ES6
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User Interface : Basic
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User Interface : Intermediate
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API Design
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Enjoy the break.
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API Construction
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Full Stack Implementation : Basic
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Full Stack Implementation : Intermediate
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Full Stack Implementation : Advanced
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Production Development/Deployment (Part I)
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Production Development/Deployment (Part II)
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Project Support
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Contact information for Dr Salahuddin Azad: Email: s.azad@cqu.edu.au; Office: Level 6, 120 Spencer Street, Melbourne Vic 3000; P +61 3 9616 0680 | X 50680.
If you have any queries, please email me and I will get back to you within one business day or so. For an individual discussion, please ring me during business hours (or leave a message if I am not in) and I will return your call as soon as possible.
1 Practical Assessment
This is an individual assessment. The objectives of this assignment are to develop, test and maintain a mobile internet application using an integrated suite of mobile software development tools. More specifically you will work on the client-side of the application using jQuery, jQuery Mobile, JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS.
You are required to complete various tasks including: “swipe” menu, input form with validation – data stored locally, display the form data , display data from an external third-party API and a student creative choice.
Further detail about the assessment task will be provided on the Moodle unit website and in the the assessment specification document.
Week 6 Friday (23 Apr 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
You must submit your assignment electronically by the above due date and time.
Week 8 Friday (7 May 2021)
The marks and feedback will be returned 2 weeks after the submisison due date.
The marking criteria for this assessment are as follows.
Client App
jQuery Mobile SPA: 3 marks
- Correct Framework · Correct support files - local implementation · Header and Footer correct – logo – title and and “sandwich” menu icon function as required
Swipe Menu: 5 marks
- HTML - Appropriate Design - items are correctly formatted · Home image and 5 choices (2 marks)
- JavaScript - Events correctly handled · Uses jQuery Mobile Plugins · Button actions as specified (3 marks)
Input Form: 3 marks
- Uses jQuery Mobile Validation Plugin · Validation Rules as per specification · Stores data correctly in local array and localStorage · Stored data is restored and available for display when the App starts fresh
Display Form Data: 1 mark
- Display stored data - accessible via jQuery Mobile UI structure
Display Data from External API: 3 marks.
- Fetch correctly implemented · Display stored data – accessible via jQuery Mobile UI structure
Student Choice: 2 marks
- Creative choice · Creativity · Complexity · Function
Commentary
Instructions and testing: 1 mark
Application commentary: 1 mark
General
Use appropriate naming conventions · Adequate commenting · Correct grammar · Appropriate title page · Citation of references, copyright use : 1 mark
- Knowledge
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
- Use an integrated development environment (IDE) build, debug and test mobile systems to develop a working app
2 Practical Assessment
This is an individual assessment. The overall objective of this assignment is to develop, test and maintain a mobile internet application using an integrated suite of mobile software development tools. More specifically the tasks that need to be accomplished are:
- Develop, test and maintain the client-side with jQuery, jQuery Mobile, JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS.
- Develop, test and maintain an Express Web Server and API using JavaScript and node with various node packages. Data is stored locally on the mobile device and in the cloud (MongoDB). The API facilitates access to a MongoDB Atlas cloud service for online storage and retrieval using node express middleware.
-
Deploy the application as a Hybrid App to mobile devices (i.e., Android smartphone ) using the Cordova Platform. Cordova provides access to native hardware, platforms, and project structure allowing deployment as a hybrid App.
Further detail about the assessment task will be provided on the Moodle unit website and in the assessment specification document.
Week 10 Friday (21 May 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
You must submit your assignment electronically by the above due date and time.
Week 12 Friday (4 June 2021)
The marks and feedback will be returned 2 weeks after the submisison due date.
The marking criteria for this assessment are as follows.
Client App
jQuery Mobile SPA: 2 marks
- Correct Framework · Correct support files - local implementation
General Functionality: 3 marks
- HTML - UI · Appropriate design - items are appropriately formatted · Navigation as required (1 mark)
- JavaScript - Functionality · Events correctly handled · Uses jQuery Mobile Plugins · Button Actions function to support specification requirements (2 marks)
Cordova Framework: 3 marks
- Correctly implemented · Application runs in Android Studio / CLI · Deploys to both emulator and smart device
Bar Code Reader: 4 marks
- Functions as required · QR Codes supplied · Data Structures correct · Stores in local memory and localStorage
Save to Cloud: 2 marks
- Functions correctly · Appropriate messages to user
Display Cloud Data: 2 marks
- Functions correctly · Appropriate messages to user
Server
Node/Express web server: 7 marks- Web Server setup correctly - includes middleware and routes (3 marks)
- Connects with online database (1 mark)
-
Appropriate/functioning API ( 3 marks)
Instructions and testing: 1 mark
Application commentary: 1 mark
Research: 4 marks
General
Use appropriate naming conventions · Adequate commenting · Correct grammar · Appropriate title page · Citation of references, copyright use: 1 mark
- Knowledge
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
- Design, create and implement a mobile web app
- Design, create and implement a hybrid mobile app, a web service and then use these to store mobile data to a cloud database
- Use an integrated development environment (IDE) build, debug and test mobile systems to develop a working app
- Assess the current and future business impact of mobile web apps
3 Project (applied)
This is a group assessment. You should work in a group of three members.
In this assessment, you are going to design, specify, implement, and test a Hybrid App. You are to come up with your own idea for the App. Keep it simple as you have only a day a week during the term to prototype and develop this idea.
The concepts covered in this unit are somewhat universal and should generally support various project concepts. You must develop and document enough to justify the time allocated to the project.
Business and Research aspects of the project should be included. You will also cover deploying the API server to an online service.
Further detail about the assessment task will be provided on the Moodle unit website and in the the assessment specification document.
Review/Exam Week Friday (11 June 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
You must submit your assignment electronically by the above due date and time.
The marks and feedback will be returned on the date of certificatation of grades.
The marking criteria for this assessment are as follows.
App Design and Specification
Proposal: 2 marks
- Well defined description of what the app is intended to be and do
Motivation: 1 mark
-
Well-reasoned choice of target audience and likely interest
- A reasonable choice of tasks to be completed in producing the App is given (Gantt Chart)
Data: 2 marks
- The major data/data structures are documented
User interface prototypes: 2 marks
- Prototypes for the main user interfaces/pages in the app presented
Originality/Creativity: 2 marks
App Development
Client: 9 marks
- Correct Framework
- Correct support files – local implementation
- HTML - UI · Design - items are appropriately formatted · Navigation as required
- JavaScript - Functionality · Events correctly handled · Uses jQuery Mobile Plugins · Button Actions function to support specification requirements
Server: 9 marks
- Node/Express Web Server setup correctly - Includes Middleware and Routes
- Connects with online database
- Appropriate/functioning API
Cordova Framework: 2 marks
- Correctly implemented
- Application runs in Android Studio/CLI
- Deploys to both emulator and smart device
Deploy API Server: 2 marks
- Deploy API Server to online Service
Results: 3 marks
- Achievement compared to others
- Discussion of functionality and outcomes
App Testing, Business Case, Marketing Plan and Research
App Testing: 2 marks
- App testing plan, documentation of tests
Business Plan: 4 marks
- Estimating costs, estimating revenue, break-even sales
Marketing: 4 marks
- Demographic identification and description of tactics
Research: 5 marks
- Documentation of products and issues
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Self-management
- Design, create and implement a hybrid mobile app, a web service and then use these to store mobile data to a cloud database
- Analyse and evaluate design alternatives for the app
- Assess the current and future business impact of mobile web apps
- Critically evaluate key research areas in mobile web apps.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.