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Course Description

EDUC 439/639: iPad App Design and Development

A practicum in iPad application development, this course guides you through the process of becoming an Apple developer and using Xcode to create your first app. After perusing code samples in the software development kit (SDK) you study the iOS human interface guidelines and apply them to designing the app you want to develop. Students either form teams or work individually to create this app. Assessment is project-based with grading done in thirds. Students blog for one third about their progress working through the course materials. The second third is a Wiki in which students share their favorite code samples. The final third is the project itself.

Course Modules

This course is organized into a series of modules that are presented to you via the Web. The modules are attached to a collabsible menu that organizes the modules in roughly the same order in which they will be discussed in class. You need not complete these modules in this prescribed order, however. Rather, you can work through the course at your own pace, skipping modules that do not interest you, and spending more time on those that do.

Assignments

Your grade in this course will be based on your performance on a series of assignments that appear on this online syllabus. At any time, you can view the assignments. This list of assignments provides you with a snapshot of what you need to do in this course. All the rest is optional. It is totally up to you how much of the other material you will want to complete. Your instructor will help guide you, depending on the topics you choose to pursue.

Grading

You will receive grades on three kinds of activities. The design and implementation of an iPad project will constitute one-third of the final grade; online class participation in the course discussion forum and Wiki will count another third; and your blogs will constitute the final third.

Authoring Tools

The recommended authoring tool for use in this course is Xcode. There are two ways you can get access to Xcode. First, at no charge, you can join the University of Delaware Apple Developer Community. During the first class meeting, we will sign you up if you want to become a UD Apple Developer. The other way to get Xcode is for you to become an Apple Developer on your own. Follow this link to see the ways you can become an Apple Developer on your own.