Android Developer Capstone Project

Demonstrate and implement the knowledge and skills acquired in the Android
Developer MicroMasters Program, and prepare for the Google Associate Android
Developer Certification exam.

About this course

The Android Developer Capstone Project will give you the opportunity to demonstrate
practically what you have learned from the four courses in the Professional Android
Developer MicroMasters program; it will allow you to apply the techniques and theory
you have gained, working through the challenging and rewarding task of developing
your own App Idea.

The Capstone project will allow you to deepen your learning by giving you valuable
experience in demonstrate your understanding of the fundamental application
components of programming for Android, how to build clean and compelling user
interfaces, using view styles and theme attributes to apply a consistent look and feel
across an entire application.

It is about combining various skills you’ve attained through the MicroMaster

Program. They include:

● Listing the services involved with the Android Application Architecture (ex.
Activity Manager, Views, Notification Manager, Content Providers, Resources
Manager,etc.)
● Identifying different techniques to plan, design and prototype your mobile apps
before writing any code.
● Applying material design principles to build compelling, beautiful interfaces for
your Android apps.
o Building layouts using XML and using Java code.
o Using various views (e.g., buttons, text boxes and check boxes) and
implement menu-based, drawer navigation or interface layouts.
o Implement menu- based or drawer navigation. Constructing options
menus for action bar navigation.
● Determining appropriate use cases for local persisted data, and designing
solutions to implement data storage using files, preferences, and databases.
● Creating applications using the new version of Firebase.
● Understanding the use of Model-View-Presenter (MVP).
● Evidencing integrated knowledge with third-party API (Twitter, Facebook).
● Understanding how to include features that expand the application’s audience
through localization.
● Writing and executing automated instrumentation tests on an Android device.

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 ● Creating code to display Banner and Interstitial ads in an app.
● Publishing your application.

Prerequisites
Even when the capstone project is accessible to everyone, we recommend to start
it after completing the four courses of the MicroMaster program, you will need the
knowledge and skills gained in each course to complete this final course and a
virtual presentation using Skype or Google hangout.

Course Length
This course is in Self-paced mode, do not follow a set schedule and is open for 12 months. End
course date is Oct 23, 2018.

Course Outline

Note: all the information and everything the student needs to do will be available from
the start, however, we suggest this Course Outline.

Phase 1: Planning my App (2 weeks)

A ) Mobile app project proposal
● Pick an app to build based on a set of technical requirements and write a
proposal (no more than 3-5 pages) with the definition of your app idea that
clearly explain what it will do, describe the functionality of the application, what
problem it solves, analyze and define the target audience for your application,
make a plan, design the UI concept (sketch out how you envision your interface
and how your application workflow might develop) before writing any code.
B) Application of Monetize
● Pick a strategy and model of monetization, describe each of them, advantages
and disadvantages of the chosen model, What do you need to implement them
on your App, make a mockup of what you expect.

Phase 2: Developing your App (4 weeks)

A) Architecture decisions, coding, testing
● Using the UI concept (prototype the student did in phase one) work toward
development solutions to reach the application. This will involve choices such
as how you will create a graphical user interface (GUI), how you will use intent
filters and intent resolution to register activities, and what functionality to include
in the app, clearly define your technical specifications, create version 1.0 of
your app. Test it with potential users and get their feedback.

Remember that a software Development project produces software as one of

the assessable outcomes. It is a main distinction from a research project.
B) (Make your app stand out)

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 ● Implement the chosen monetization strategy and model, according to your
mockup code the necessary lines in your App program and take screenshots
or a short screencast of the functioning.

Grading Policy

● Deliverable 1 (Phase 1 part A and B) + virtual presentation (25%)

● Deliverable 2 (Phase 2 part A) + virtual presentation (40%)
● Deliverable 3 (Phase 3 part B) + virtual presentation (25%)
● Final version of the capstone (10%)

Passing Grade

You must score 70% or above to pass the course

Audit Learners just can see the description of the capstone project, the access to
graded materials are available just for verified learners as well as the academic
support. This means, the course will not have a passing grade for audit learners. Look
figure 1.

Figure 1.

The ID verified learners will have to complete the two phases of the capstone project.
In each phase, the learners will produce a deliverable and make a virtual presentation
using Skype or Google hangout that will be reviewed and assessed by a staff member.
The feedback and grade will be given by a member of the staff.

Virtual presentation using Skype or Google hangout

A virtual presentation and defense are the final steps in each project´s phase. The
purpose is to provide an opportunity for the students to (1) share the fruits of their
efforts with a member of the Staff, (2) practice their oral presentation skills, (3) answer
questions and receive verbal feedback, and (4) demonstrate knowledge and skills they
have acquired as a result of completing each phase.

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The student should prepare an appropriate presentation of the deliverable, keeping in
mind that the staff member has already received the completed work. The presentation
should include audio-visual aids as necessary. The entire time for a student’s
presentation is approximately 1 hour (20 minutes Q&A) using means as skype and
hangouts, and will be scheduled with the student via email.

To Earn a Certification

To earn a verified certificate for this course, you need to be enrolled as part of the
verified track, complete identity verification and earn a passing grade. If you are
auditing the course, you will not receive a certificate or a passing grade.

If you're seeking a verified certificate the Verified Upgrade Deadline is Oct 13, 2018,
once you got your verified certificate you have until the end of the MOOC (Oct 23,
2018, 23:30 UTC) to complete the capstone project—there is no weekly deadline for
each one, as long as you earn a passing grade by the end date you will be eligible for
the certificate.

A 100-90
B 89-80
C 79-70
Certification earned with 70 or higher

D 69-60
F 59-00

Communication policies

Tutors are dedicated to answer the discussion forums. However, the same is not true
with email. It is recommended to only use the forums as a single channel of
communication to write doubts or support your peers; respect the established
categories. It is important to avoid creating new forums as much as possible.

● You are expected to communicate in a professional and friendly manner.

Offensive or inappropriate language is subject to the policies of edX and may
result in removal from the course.
● You are responsible for ethically contributing to the course. Your submissions
in this course must be an accurate and true representation of your own work.

Using Forums (Guidelines)

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Forums are a unique opportunity to interact with students from all over the world. The
community is diverse in experience, knowledge, language and culture. Forums are an
excellent means of communication to post your doubts, comments or concerns. They
provide us with an incredible resource of different points of views, but remember you
are the one who enriches the forums, with your participation and makes the community
of this course stay active.

Respect the categories established in the course, for example, if you have doubts
about how planning your project, write your doubt at forum created for that purpose
this way, your questions will be solved by a member of the course team or a classmate
quickly.

What do we expect from you?

● Submit an original work

● Not submit someone else's project, or a modification of that project, with or
without that person's Knowledge.
● Participate actively and support your peers, participate at least once a week
and always keep in mind the rules of netiquette.

Project assignment will be checked with plagiarism detection software.

What can you expect from the course team?

This is the largest project in the Professional Android Developer MicroMasters

program. Verified learners will have access to greatly increased staff coaching to help
complete the project.

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