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Mobile CSP

Welcome to Mobile CS Principles!

Mobile Computer Science Principles (Mobile CSP) is an NSF-funded effort to provide a broad and rigorous introduction to computer science based on MIT App Inventor, a programming language for creating apps for mobile devices. Mobile CSP is a program of the National Center for Computer Science Education. Mobile CSP is an approved curriculum provider for the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles curriculum framework for introductory computer science.

In Mobile CSP you will learn computer science by building socially useful mobile apps. In addition to programming and computer science principles, Mobile CSP is project-based and emphasizes writing, communication, collaboration, and creativity.

The material on this site is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. CNS-1240841, CNS-1440947, CNS-1637601, CNS-1836990, CNS-1836983, CNS-1837112, and CNS-1837723. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

License: Unless otherwise noted, the materials on this site are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).

Table of Contents

• Assignments
• Resources

• 1. Getting Started: Preview & Setup
  • 1.1. Welcome to Mobile CSP
  • 1.2. Mazes Algorithms and Programs
  • 1.3. Google Account and Portfolio Setup
  • 1.4. App Inventor Setup
  • 1.5. Impacts of CS Blown to Bits BB
  • 1.6. Successful Learning in Mobile CSP
  • 1.7. Wrap Up
• 2. Introduction to Mobile Apps & Pair Programming
  • 2.1. Unit Overview
  • 2.2. I Have a Dream Tutorial
  • 2.3. Algorithm Basics
  • 2.4. I Have a Dream Part 2 Explore Curricular Activity
  • 2.5. Mobile Devices and Apps Hardware and Software
  • 2.6. The Internet and the Cloud Explore Curricular Activity
  • 2.7. I Have a Dream and Soundboard Projects
  • 2.8. What is Abstraction
  • 2.9. Binary Numbers
  • 2.10. Hardware Abstractions Logic Gates
  • 2.11. Impacts of CS The Digital Explosion
  • 2.12. Wrap Up
• 3. Creating Graphics & Images Bit by Bit
  • 3.1. Unit Overview
  • 3.2. Paint Pot Tutorial
  • 3.3. Representing Images
  • 3.4. Paint Pot Projects
  • 3.5. Paint Pot Refactoring and Procedural Abstraction
  • 3.6. Error Detection
  • 3.7. Parity Error Checking (optional)
  • 3.8. Map Tour Tutorial
  • 3.9. Map Tour With TinyDB
  • 3.10. Impacts of CS Electronic Documents
  • 3.11. Wrap Up
• 4. Animation, Simulation, & Modeling
  • 4.1. Unit Overview
  • 4.2. LightsOff Tutorial
  • 4.3. LightsOff Projects
  • 4.4. Logo Part I
  • 4.5. Coin Flip Simulation Tutorial
  • 4.6. Coin Flip Experiment (optional)
  • 4.7. Pseudo Random Numbers
  • 4.8. Real World Models
  • 4.9. Abstraction Inside the CPU (optional)
  • 4.10. Impacts of CS Privacy Explore Curricular Activity
  • 4.11. Wrap Up
  • 4.12. ASSESSMENT: AP Create 1
  • 4.13. ASSESSMENT: Non-AP Create 1
  • 4.14. ASSESSMENT: Midterm
• 5. Algorithms & Procedural Abstraction
  • 5.1. Unit Overview
  • 5.2. Logo Part 2
  • 5.3. Search Algorithms
  • 5.4. Sorting Algorithms
  • 5.5. Quiz App
  • 5.6. Quiz App Projects Loops with Lists
  • 5.7. Analyzing Algorithms
  • 5.8. Limits of Algorithms
  • 5.9. Parallel Computing
  • 5.10. Impacts of CS Web Searches
  • 5.11. Wrap Up
  • 5.12. Create PT Written Response Practice (optional)
• 6. Communication Through the Internet
  • 6.1. Unit Overview
  • 6.2. Computer Networking
  • 6.3. Network Architecture
  • 6.4. IP Addresses and Domain Names
  • 6.5. Caesar Cipher App
  • 6.6. Cryptography Basics
  • 6.7. Cryptography Securing the Internet
  • 6.8. Debugging Caesar Cipher
  • 6.9. Cybersecurity
  • 6.10. Impacts of CS Crowdsourcing with Citizen Science Apps
  • 6.11. Wrap Up
  • 6.12. ASSESSMENT: Non-AP Explore: Impact of Computing Innovation
• 7. Using and Analyzing Data & Information
  • 7.1. Unit Overview
  • 7.2. Big Data
  • 7.3. Visualizing Data
  • 7.4. Data Visualization Project
  • 7.5. Data Map App
  • 7.6. Clicker App with CloudDB (optional)
  • 7.7. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (REVISED 2021)
  • 7.8. Impacts of CS Who Owns the Bits
  • 7.9. Wrap Up
  • 7.10. Create PT Prep and Samples
  • 7.11. Create PT Written Response Practice
  • 7.12. ASSESSMENT: AP Create 2
  • 7.13. ASSESSMENT: Non-AP Create 2
• 8. AP CS Principles Exam Prep
  • 8.1. Unit Overview
  • 8.2. AP CS Principles Exam Prep
  • 8.3. AP CSP Vocabulary Review
  • 8.4. AP CSP Pseudocode
  • 8.5. Tracing Pseudocode Exercises
  • 8.6. Sample Exam Questions
  • 8.7. The Mobile CS Principles Quiz App
  • 8.8. Additional Resources
  • 8.9. Explore Project Samples
  • 8.10. ASSESSMENT: Exam
• 9. Beyond the AP CSP Exam
  • 9.1. Unit Overview
  • 9.2. Careers in IT and CS
  • 9.3. Films in Computer Science
  • 9.4. Transitioning to Text-Based Languages and CS A
  • 9.5. Magic 8 Ball Tutorial and Projects (Optional)
  • 9.6. Persisting Photos Tutorial and Projects (Optional)
  • 9.7. Where is North: A Compass App (Optional)
  • 9.8. My Directions Tutorial (Optional)
  • 9.9. The Pong Game (Optional)
  • 9.10. Debugging Pong (Optional)
  • 9.11. Multiple Choice Quiz App: List of Lists (Optional)
  • 9.12. No Texting While Busy Tutorial (Optional)
  • 9.13. Socially Aware App: Broadcast Hub Tutorial
  • 9.14. Map Tour Tutorial with Activity Starter and Google Maps
• 10. Additional Resources
  • 10.1. Video Solutions to Selected Exercises and Mini-Projects
  • 10.2. Resources

Mobile CSP is a CSforALL partner and is aligned under the K12 CS Framework.

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