COMP3011J Mobile Computing

Academic Year 2024/2025

This module covers development of applications for smart phones and tablets mainly using Google's Android platform. In an era dominated by smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices, the significance of mobile computing has reached unprecedented heights. As we witness a paradigm shift towards a mobile-first world, the ability to develop innovative mobile applications has become a crucial skill set for aspiring technologists. It is within this context that the Mobile Computing module emerges as a cornerstone in contemporary technological education.
The Mobile Computing module aims to empower students with the knowledge and skills essential for crafting cutting-edge mobile applications, with a particular focus on the Android platform. Through a comprehensive curriculum, students will delve into the intricacies of mobile software development, exploring the nuances of designing, building, and deploying applications tailored for diverse mobile environments.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, a student should be able to develop Android applications. In particular:

• have a good working knowledge of the development framework and be able to use its various features, including UI, resources, storage, security, multimedia, location, etc
• have a good working knowledge of Android Studio, including debugging in emulator and real hardware.
• use best design practices for mobile development, designing applications for performance and responsiveness.
• be able to sign and publish developed applications

The learning outcomes of this module can be summarized into two categories, knowledge and skills:
A. Knowledge:
1. Study the background and history of computing development across different global regions.
2. Explore and understand the mobile app local and global ecosystem.
3. Learn and master the basic building blocks and main concepts of mobile app
development.
4. Understand the technical differences, challenges, limitations, and advantages of mobile hardware and platform and how to development software for mobile computing devices.

B. Skills:
1. Investigate and propose novel mobile application ideas that can add value to the local or/and global community/society
2. Identify and study various user groups for mobile applications across different global regions and understand their needs.
3. Apply and use previously learned software engineering knowledge and best practices to implement the mobile application project.
4. Design attractive and practical graphical user interfaces considering diversity of user preferences across different cultures and local/global regions.
5. Extensive hands-on experience developing a fully functioning mobile app.

Indicative Module Content:

Intro & Course Overview
01 Android Internals
02 Activities & Fragments
03 layouts
04 Intents
05 Data Storage
06 Content-providers
07 Notifications & Toasts
08 App Widgets
09 Services, Work Manager & Alarm Manager
10 Resourses & Qualifiers
11 Android application
12 Debugging
13 Sensors & Location services
14 Android Security
15 Graphics
16 App Marketing & Release

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

80
Lectures

28
Practical

24
Total

132
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Task-based learning
No final exam, all learning is project based with aspects of formative assessment where student demonstrate their work each week in labs to demonstrators and the lecturer.

Final Interviews where they present their work are primary summative assessment in the course. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Additional Information:
This module is delivered overseas and is not available to students based at the UCD Belfield or UCD Blackrock campuses.


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): First assignment to develop a simple email mobile app Week 4 Graded No

10

 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Second assignment to develop a simple learning mobile app for kids Week 6 Graded No

10

 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Final online Quiz assessing students understanding of the main concepts about mobile app development Week 11 Graded No

20

 No
Individual Project: Project outlines 5%
Alpha 15% - Submit Video & code -Deadline Week 9 (beginning Week 10)
Beta 20% - Submit Video & code -Week 12
Final presentation 20%		 Week 6, Week 9, Week 12, Week 15 Standard conversion grade scale 40% Yes

60

 Yes

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback during Interview with the student on if they pass or not. Letter grades not given if they pass, but feedback on what elements of their project were strong or weak.