COIT20269 - Mobile Web App Development

Showing: 2026 HE Term 1
General Information

Unit Synopsis

This unit builds on responsive web design principles, equipping you with the knowledge and practical skills to design, develop, and test mobile web applications that support complex user interactions and data handling. You will explore the strengths and limitations of web apps versus native apps, with a focus on cross-platform functionality using tools like Apache Cordova. In this unit, you will develop full-stack hybrid mobile applications, building the front end with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and/or Node.js, while using Node.js or PHP for the back end and connecting to cloud databases for data storage. Emphasis will be placed on asynchronous programming to enhance performance, responsiveness, and overall user experience. You will also examine common web app vulnerabilities and strategies to mitigate them. Finally, the unit will guide you through the process of maintaining and deploying mobile web app code.

Details

Level Postgraduate
Unit Level 9
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 2
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Pre-Req: COIT20247 Database Design and Development, 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).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2025

Term 1 - 2025 Profile
Brisbane Melbourne Online Sydney
Term 2 - 2025 Profile
Brisbane Melbourne Online Sydney
Term 1 - 2026 Profile
Brisbane Melbourne Online Sydney
Term 2 - 2026 Profile
Brisbane Melbourne Online Sydney

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).

Assessment Overview

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.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. In-class Test(s) 30%
2. Practical Assessment 30%
3. Project (applied) 40%

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

Past Exams

Previous Feedback

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.

Source: Unit evaluation survey
Feedback:
The unit evaluation survey response rate is quite low.

Recommendation:
Include examples in lectures of how feedback from students has led to unit improvements, and continuously encourage students to complete the survey.

Action Taken:
The unit included examples of how student feedback has led to improvements in the lecture slides and has continuously encouraged students to complete the survey.
Source: Unit coordinator reflection
Feedback:
The practical assessment and project (applied) tasks are quite challenging.

Recommendation:
Provide extra support and guidance to students in the final weeks, assisting them in navigating and overcoming any challenges they encounter.

Action Taken:
Provided additional support during lectures and tutorials, and offered clarifications to students via email.
Source: Unit Coordinator's Reflection
Feedback:
Students require a stronger foundation in application security.

Recommendation:
Increase the depth of application security coverage in the unit content by incorporating practical, real-world examples.

Action Taken:
In Progress
Unit Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Develop knowledge and skills in front-end and back-end development for mobile applications, incorporating asynchronous programming to enhance performance, responsiveness, and user experience
  2. Design, implement and test full-stack mobile web apps with the back end connected to cloud databases
  3. Convert mobile web apps into hybrid mobile apps using a cross-platform tool
  4. Deploy mobile web app code to cloud
  5. Assess vulnerabilities of mobile web apps and identify strategies to mitigate them.

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) recognises the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). SFIA is adopted by organisations, governments and individuals in many 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.

This unit contributes to the following workplace skills as defined by SFIA 9 (the SFIA code is included):

  • Software Design (SWDN)
  • Software Development (PROG)
  • Database Design (DBDS)
  • Functional Testing (TEST)
  • User Acceptance Testing (BPTS)
  • Software Configuration (PORT)
  • Vulnerability Assessment (VUAS)
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - In-class Test(s)
2 - Practical Assessment
3 - Project (applied)
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Professional Level
Advanced Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Knowledge
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills
4 - Research
5 - Self-management
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility
7 - Leadership
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Professional Level
Advanced Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8