For this course you are to complete a mini project during each of four different lesson cycles, one of which you will be asked to select to become embedded into your final project.
The idea of introducing the mini projects is to allow you to practice with the selected software product so you can become familiar enough with it to make a decision as to use it in your final project or not. In your reflection for each mini project, you are to post the artifact (either the artifact itself or a link to it). You are to also post a reflection describing your experiences with it and your assessment as to its applicability for a classroom environment.
For your final project, select one of the four and dig a little deeper into it by developing a functionally rich artifact that can be integrated into a lesson you create.
For each mini project we ask you to spent enough time on the product to assess its usefulness in a classroom and to be able to describe the circumstances under which it could be utilized.
YOU MAY DECIDE TO USE LIVECODE FOR YOUR FINAL PROJECT…
Livecode is web-based authoring tool that allows you to develop apps for multiple platforms. The business model is to allow free access for individuals with the limitation that to app you develop can be uploaded to and freely distributed on the various ‘hangouts’ (iTunes; Playstore, etc) is considered ‘open source’ and, therefore, cannot be sold. The commercial versions also sometime offer mega-bundles of additional add-on software. Basically, you pay to be able to commercialize/monetize your apps and for technical support. Otherwise, the product is identical. It also contains some elements of Flash.
Once you commit to the product by logging into the Community Download area that is predominately located on its home page, all the documentation and tutorials you need to get started can be found.
One good place to start is at their academy link. There are various free ones that show you the interface and give you a few easy ones to try.
Another good place is their developer’s page.
The sidebar menu even has a great beginner’s guide.
Tutorials
SSeveral additional tutorials can be found on Youtube. Here are just a few examples:
How Does Livecode Work?
Livecode features
Livecode Summer Academy
Creating iOS Apps
There are plenty more out there. This is so wide open you can go just about anywhere you choose. All I ask is that you give it a good try and attempt to stretch yourself a little.
If you want to really dive in, there is a full-blown course Livecode offers on the product. It cost $75 but is permanent access. Click the icon to open up the information box
The assignment for this lesson is pretty much the the same. Recall, our over-arching objective this time is to create a mild transformation in your own thinking about the educational value of learning how to code (in this case scripting). The deliverable is open-ended in that, if after all of this you see no use for it in the classroom, then you are allowed to enter that as your response.
I only insist that you give it a real go and work on it diligently. Try Livecode by going through the tutorials and start-ups. Again, stretch yourself. Build something useful. Something that you feel is representative of your knowledge base once completed. You have three weeks here so be careful and manage your time. My guess is that you will (again) run out (depending on how curious you are).
Keep a log of your trials and tribulations.
- Provide an artifact (a link to it if Web based) along with a reflective journal that outlines your thinking about all of this, add a value judgment if you wish.
- Turn this into the drop box set up in Canvas
I understand that your opinions will change as we move along through the semester. No right or wrong answers here. One last thing … do not underestimate the value of failing at something! One of my pet peeves in teaching is that teachers somehow are reluctant to remove the fear of failure in their classrooms… remember what Thomas Edison said.. “I did not invent something, I simply finally ran out of things that did not work”