Building a Mobile App
Objective
Students will be able to create a mobile app, demonstrating research research conducted about O.W. Best Middle School and District 7, using a web based application.
I can create a live mobile app.
METS
CI.2- Create a project using a variety of applications and formats.
RI.1- Use a variety of digital resources to locate information.
CC.3- Identify effective uses of technology to support communication with peers, family, or school personnel.
You are going to create a mobile app to show others
about all of the great things that Best Middle School and District 7 has to offer. This app will be compatible with IOS, Android, Windows Phone, Windows 8 and HTML5 devices.
For this assignment, we will be using the program AppsBar.
Below are a couple of other great (and free) sites that you can use to create mobile apps.
1. If you are an iPad user and would like to create an app while on your iPad,
2. For those of you with Android devices there is an excellent creator tool from MIT called App Inventor or Appmakr.
3. BuzzTouch is a FREE "app engine" that powers tens of thousands of iPhone, iPad, and Android applications.
Locating Pictures For Your Mobile App
Using Google Images, you will need to locate at least 10 pictures that represent your school, district and/or community (i.e. friends, sports,
students, teachers, schools, etc.). Once you find an image, you will need to click on the picture, right click, & Save Image As to your My Pictures folder.
Instructions:
1. Creating an Account and Setting Up Your App:
· Click on Sign Up Free and create your account. **Make sure you write your username and password down on your Username & Password Log In Sheet.
· Click on Create New App
Under Select App Type, select Educational & then click Next
2. Customize Your App:
App Commerce: Make sure this is set to No
App Name: This should be something short like Jamie M OWB
App Icon: Select or upload an icon that will represent your app.
App Splash Screen: Select a background that will represent your app.
App Theme: Select a theme that will represent your app.
Click Continue
3. Delete the Following Pages: Professors, Appointments & Videos
Requirements For Your Mobile App
(You will have a total of 9 completed menu items)
1). Photo Gallery: Click on Create New Page, select Photo Gallery and click Next. Title the page Photo Gallery, select a Page Icon or upload an image to represent this app page. Click Continue.
Select List Layout (the second layout from the left). Upload at least 5 pictures of your school, district and/or community (i.e. friends, sports, students, teachers, schools, sports, things to do etc.) You must also include a Photo Name for each photo, describing each of your uploaded pictures.
When you are done, click on Save Photo Info and then click on the Pages title at the top left.
2). Schedule (Events-> Click on Edit): List at least 3 events that are coming up along with a minimum of 3 pictures/images advertising Best and/or the surrounding community.
Start Date & End Date: If it's a one-day event, both dates should be the same.
Start Time & End Time: If you don't know the start and end times, just make them up.
Location: List the city and state of the event location.
Venue: The exact place the event is taking place (i.e. O.W. Best Middle School). If there is not a specific location, type None.
3). Link (Click Create New Page & select Links): Create a link to our school website.
Page Name: Best MS
Page Icon: Select an icon or an image to represent this page.
4) About/Syllabus: This will be a Welcome page that shows and tells people what your app is all about. It should contain a brief (1-3 sentences) summary of the app and be written in a way that would make someone want to download your app. (i.e. Welcome to the O.W. Best Middle School App! This app is designed to show you why Best Middle School and Dearborn Heights School District 7 is truly the BEST). You will also need to upload at least 1 picture/image advertising Best and/or the surrounding community.
5) Social (Click on Edit for the Social page on your page manager):
Social Link: Click the drop-down arrow and select Facebook.
Click Add Social Link
Social Name: Best Middle School's Facebook Page
Link to the O.W. Best Middle School Facebook page by copying and pasting the URL below.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/OW-Best-Middle-School/364253167049433?ref=hl
6) Contact: Best Middle School Contact Information (this information can be found on our school website).
· Contact: Principal's Name
· Address: Best Middle School's Address
· Phone Number: Best's Phone Number
· Email: Principal's Email Address: molletaa@dhsd7.net
· Website: O.W. Best's Middle School's website:
http://owbmsdhsd7.sharpschool.com/
7) Link (Click Create New Page & select Link): Create a link to Your Electronic Portfolio: You should title this Portfolio. So that you can show everyone all of the AMAZING and accelerated things you are doing in your Computer Technology class.
8) Games (Click Create New Page, select a game & follow the instructions to create your game- REMEMBER, your game should have something to do with O.W. Best Middle School and/or Dearborn Heights District 7): Create a simple game for your app, just for fun :-). Make sure you do your best to associate your game to Best Middle School.
9) **DO NOT DO**RSS: RSS stands for "Rich Site Summary, " but is more commonly referred to as "Really Simple Syndication." RSS is method of providing website content such as news stories or software updates and a way of publishing frequently updated information: blog entries, news headlines, audio, video, etc.
**Remember we are showing the world how AMAZING District 7 is,
with a focus on Best Middle
School! Don't forget to upload an icon or photo for each section of
your app.**
Publishing Your App
When your App is complete:
Click on Publish to make your app go "Live." Your app will be live and available to download in 1-2 days.
Click Continue to Publish
When the Publishing Properties loads, copy (CTRL+C) and paste (CTRL+V) the following information:
Application Description: Promoting the BEST school, O.W. Best Middle School and Dearborn Heights District 7.
Application Category: Education
Keywords (Tags)- Make sure you include commas: Middle School, Mrs. Maurus, O.W. Best Middle School, District 7, Dearborn Heights
Copyright: Your First name and the year your app was created (i.e. Jamie 2016) **DO NOT put your last name anywhere on this app**
User Agreement: Check the Box
Click Publish
Sharing Your Mobile App
You must share your app with me in order to get a grade
Once your app has been successfully published, go back to App Manager.
Click on Test Your App (upper right corner)
Copy the link underneath the QR Code
Log into your Gmail.
Click Compose
Enter Ms. Maurus' email in the To box: maurusja@dhsd7.net
The Subject of your app should be Your Name App (i.e. Blake's App)
Paste the link to your app in the body of the email.
Click Send
Linking Your Mobile App to Your Electronic Portfolio
(Once Your App is "Live")
Under App Manager, Click Test Your App & copy the link to your app.
Log into your Electronic Portfolio.
Click on the Gear (Settings) button (top right) and select Edit Site Layout
Click Navigation on your Sidebar on the left side of your website
Select Add URL (bottom right corner)
Text to Display: My Mobile App
URL or Email: Paste the URL to your Glog
Click OK, OK, Close
To Access Your App on Your Mobile Device
In order to add your Mobile App to your mobile device, you MUST have a Smartphone and you MUST download a
QR Code Reader to your smartphone
(there are a ton of free apps for this in your app store on your phone).
Once your published mobile app has been approved, access the App Manager for the mobile app you created.
Click on the hand icon (Appcatch Market Information).
A link to your published app will appear. Click on that link, you will be redirected to the Appcatch Marketplace.
Click on Launch on Phone (the QR Code).
Using your QR Code Reader, scan the QR Code that appears.
iPhone Users must then click on the Safari icon on the bottom of your phone screen to open you app in Safari. Click on the button that displays the arrow that is pointing up on the bottom of your phone screen and select Add to Home Screen.