Michael P. Rogers

Smart smartphone development: iOS versus android

In a remarkably short timeframe, developing apps for smartphones has gone from an arcane curiosity to an essential skill set. Employers are scrambling to find developers capable of transforming their ideas into apps. Educators interested in filling that void are likewise trying to keep up, and face difficult decisions in designing a meaningful course. There are a plethora of development platforms, but two stand out because of their popularity and divergent approaches - Apples iOS, and Googles Android. In this paper, we will compare the two, and address the question: which should faculty teach?

A hands-on comparison of iOS vs. android (abstract only)

This workshop is designed for faculty, considering teaching a course in mobile app development, who are unsure as to whether they should use iOS, Android, or both. To help them make an educated decision, in this workshop participants will build one app, to implement the game Pig, in both platforms. By so doing, they will be able to make a head-to-head comparison of the respective development environments, languages, and frameworks, guided by experienced instructors. Participants will need to bring (or share) a recent-vintage MacBook Pro / MacBook Air, with Xcode, Eclipse, and appropriate SDKs, installed prior to the workshop. Details, including installation instructions, may be found at androidios.goadrich.com. Laptop Required.

What to do about Comp Org?: (Abstract Only)

There is no doubt that Computer Organization (Comp Org) is not as central a topic as it once was. In the ACMs curricular guidelines, the number of hours devoted to Computer Architecture and Organization has fallen from 36 core hours in 2001 and 2008 to 16 tier 2 hours in 2013, and, incredibly, students are not always as enthralled with the subject as their instructor. Therefore, we are compelled to ask? what to do about Comp Org? How might we revamp it to make it more relevant and appealing? Should we concentrate on one ISA? Use CISC, RISC, or both? Do we need to use real, contemporary hardware, or stick with simulators? More radically, can micro-controllers, used for Internet of Things (IoT) platforms, be used to broaden the course, to weave together both traditional Comp Org topics and IoT?

Micro:bit Magic: Engaging K-12, CS1/2, and Non-majors with IoT & Embedded (Abstract Only)

Are you interested in a fun way to introduce a variety of students to significant contemporary CS topics, like wireless networking, robotics, and the Internet of Things (IoT)? Do you want to do so using a platform that is cheap, has a low barrier to entry, but where learning can translate to the real world and where advanced students can pursue advanced topics? If so, you need a micro:bit! The micro:bit is a platform developed by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to encourage children to pursue computing and electronics. Although designed for children, its capabilities are sufficient for a variety of postsecondary applications. It includes a 32-bit processor, lights, buttons, an accelerometer, digital I/O, and wireless communication, making it ideal for wearables and robotics. It also leverages some of the latest trends in introductory computing, like support for block-based languages (àla Scratch), while also being sophisticated enough for complex topics in Operating Systems and Networking. This workshop will introduce the micro:bit and focus on engaging, lightweight coverage of complex topics, including robotics, mesh networks, and IoT. Participants will work through classroom-ready exercises suitable for K-12 workshops, student recruiting events, CS1/2, or as bootstrap topics in IoT courses. The workshop will include some subjects not commonly covered in existing micro:bit material, like integration with mobile apps and IoT applications. Participants will be provided with hardware but will need a laptop with internet access and a mobile device (any OSes).

An IoT BOF (Abstract Only)

The recipe might not sound particularly exciting: take a microcontroller, garnish with sensors and various output devices, season with a bit of code, and then network until done: but the result -- the Internet of Things (IoT) -- is a rapidly burgeoning field that provides a novel and enticing context for sophomore to senior level students to hone their networking, coding, problem solving and presentation skills, exercise their creativity, and unleash their entrepreneurial spirit. In short, it is a perfect mid-to-upper division elective course. Faculty considering such a course are faced with a myriad of difficult decisions, however, including the appropriate class level, course structure, prerequisites, and platform choice. The purpose of this session is to bring together people who have taught, or are considering teaching, IoT, to discuss these issues. Topics may include: a) an overview of platforms and tools, b) appropriate course topics, c) platform acquisition, deployment, and costs, d) identification of support materials (e.g., classroom friendly materials/guides/documentation), e) appropriate prerequisites, f) IoT platform fidelity (i.e. will the experience translate to real-world IoT skills), and g) discussion of potential broader curricular advantages that come from including IoT topics..

An IoTa of IoT (Abstract Only)

Internet of Things (IoT) devices -- networked microcontrollers with attached sensors and outputs (LEDs, actuators, etc.) -- are becoming ubiquitous in the home (e.g., smart light bulbs, security systems), on the road (e.g., smart parking meters, traffic control), in industry (e.g., equipment monitoring, asset tracking) and in healthcare (e.g., fitness monitors, drug monitors). Consequently, IoT provides an opportunity to demonstrate the pervasiveness and social relevance of computing. Moreover, todays hobbyist- oriented IoT platforms empower entry-level students to create meaningful, real-world IoT applications. This allows rich computer science topics, such as event driven programming, concurrency, networking, information representation, cloud computing, etc., to be introduced earlier in the curriculum. Most importantly, IoT examples provide a compelling context for students to hone their critical thinking skills while solving engaging, real-world problems. Faculty interested in including IoT topics face several challenges: selecting a suitable set of topics, identifying an appropriate pedagogical approach, and, perhaps most daunting, choosing a cost-effective platform that lends itself to classroom use. This workshop will introduce the basic terms and technologies in IoT, discuss issues that arise when including IoT topics in classes, compare and contrast the most popular platforms for IoT, and walk participants through several classroom-tested, hands-on examples using a classroom-friendly platform (Particles Photon) where they create both Wi-Fi-based IoT devices and corresponding web apps. Participants will need a laptop (any OS) with Internet access.

A Hands-On Introduction to the Internet of Things (Abstract Only)

The Internet of Things (IoT), considered by many to be the next big revolution in computing, refers to the trend to include networking and computing in a wide range of devices, such as watches, appliances, health monitors, toys, etc. Including IoT applications early in the curriculum may serve multiple pedagogical purposes, such as demonstrating social relevance, (e.g., health monitoring applications) and motivating other CS topics (e.g. distributed systems, networking, OOP, event driven programming, computer organization, and databases). This workshop will introduce participants to basic terms and technologies behind IoT. Participants will then work through a hands-on, classroom-ready exercise to build a complete IoT solution. The embedded portion of this solution, based on the popular Arduino platform (hardware provided), will be targeted at students who have completed CS1. The completion of a mobile app that interacts with the embedded devices will require CS2 skills. Participants should have an interest in IoT or be interested in engaging assignments for both introductory and upper level students. Participants are asked to bring a laptop computer and a recent mobile device, with appropriate software tools installed. Links to these tools, as well as a list of compatible mobile devices, will be provided. Most Android and iOS devices made within the last three years are suitable.

Solving the Cloud Computing Impasse with MBaaS (Abstract Only)

Students raised on tablets and smart phones have a lot of expectations: data that is instantly available on all of their devices; social media integration so they can share that data with their friends; and push notifications, so that responses from their friends get the attention that they deserve. Unfortunately, the vendor-specific technologies required to make this magic happen are daunting, to put it mildly, well beyond the scope of a beginning mobile computing course. However, the last 2 years has seen the emergence of a new technology, Mobile Backend as a Service (MBaaS), that is vendor-agnostic and suitable for novice developers. This workshop will provide a hands-on introduction to this technology. Participants will be provided source code for Pigs Ahoy!, an implementation of the famed dice game Pig that lacks cloud storage and social media integration. During the course of the workshop, participants will add that functionality, and in the process of doing so, acquire a sufficiently detailed knowledge of MBaaS that they can confidently incorporate it into their classes. Because MBaaS is vendor-agnostic, participants may work on either iOS or Android versions of Pigs Ahoy!: full instructions will be provided in both Swift and Java, as well as snapshots of Pigs Ahoy! at various stages of completion, so that no one need fear being left behind. There are multiple MBaaS providers, and they offer similar capabilities and approaches. We will concentrate on the most popular, parse.com.

The Great Objective-C Swift Migration of 2015 (Abstract Only)

Apple recently announced Swift, a new development language for iOS and OSX. While designed with developers in mind, it is also a boon to those who teach programming topics. Its relatively simple and familiar syntax; its integration in a scripting environment, Playgrounds, complete with built-in visualization tools; and the ability to incorporate live code in textbook form means that Swift is far better suited for teaching mobile app development than Objective-C. Indeed, the tools are so learner-friendly and the language so inviting that Swift might even find a place in a CS1 course. The language itself and the migration from Objective-C raise both logistical and pedagogical issues that will be addressed in this Birds of a Feather session.