Happy New Year to all readers. As you know, New Year brings more than hangovers… it brings resolutions. My resolution is to run an informal learning event on how to build an application for an iPad, an iPhone or an Android device. For those Windows and Linux folk out there, you can use the same language for all platforms.

The language is called Livecode and it is from a company called RunRev.

I have gathered the exercise material which has been provided by the company and other contributors, including Steven Whyte – a wonderful teacher from Edinburgh in Scotland.  This material has been placed it in our Moodle Learning Management System. The informal learning event is open to staff and students of Northern Territory Schools and to enrol simply email me.

Let’s get some of the questions out of the way…

Yes, there is programming involved, but I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how it resembles something English-like rather than alien communication code.

No, you don’t need to have programmed before, but it will help.

The informal learning event series is free to NTschools staff and students for this initial 10 week event.

The 10 week event will take part during Term 1, and may start in some a lifetime of livecode.

Although I have a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and have worked as a Senior Lecturer in Multimedia for the Singapore Government, I am not a registered teacher – never have been.

I have been programming since 1988 in a variety of environments, including Toolbook which uses an extremely similar development paradigm to both RunRev and hypercard which it is based upon.

For the first four weeks you will use the trial version of the software and then if you submit the assignment due during that week, an educational license will be made available. You can of course personally purchase a personal license if you want.

There are educational packs available for classroom environments and we will look at that possibility if there is sufficient interest.

If you go on to develop an application for distribution via the Apple platform, you will need to purchase a developer license (another 99 dollars – but this is an annual fee).

You can test your mobile application on a Macintosh computer without purchasing the Apple developer license, but to test on a mobile device, you will need to spend the additional 99 dollars.

There is no accreditation, time release or financial support. The idea of running this event is so we can learn and struggle together through the vagaries of developing “apps” that everyone tells us that an 11 year old can create in their room in one afternoon.

It will start before Australia Day with an introductory Adobe Connect session on Friday 20th January 2012 at 3pm. 30 minute consolidation and sharing sessions (tutorial is too formal) will take place on every Friday that is not a public holiday or NT school holiday at the same time of 3pm.

These sessions will be recorded.

You will be able to participate in the learning regardless of whether you want to develop on Windows, Apple, iOS, Linux or Android. I will be focussing on Windows and Apple and don’t pretend to understand Linux or Android – although the programming part should be the same.

At the end of the 10 weeks, you should be able to create an app and display it on the iPad simulator (or a real iPad if we use an Apple Developer license).

What type of app?
  • A simple audio storybook
  • An asset management system
  • A pictorial fact book
This is a social learning exercise and not a cram course on programming because we all have day lives and obligations, so although it won't be a walk in the park, it should feel like one.
 
Links to file locations will be provided to enrollees.

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