When we launched on-demand access to the Appcelerator Platform, we also introduced App U to provide an on-demand learning channel for developers. App U was a collection of videos and tutorials that provided orientation across a range of mobile topics and Platform features. What App U wasn’t however, was a curriculum, or set of courses that built towards something bigger or resulted in a certification. To get that type of learning, you needed to engage one of our training partners for a multi-day, on-site course.
While face-to-face delivery will always have its place, we wanted to provide greater access to devs around the world, and a more flexible option for those who didn’t have the luxury of being able to step away from their day jobs to focus exclusively on training.
So, to complement the video and blog tips and all resources available via our Developer Portal, we’re now opening a revamped App U which provides professionally-produced Learning Paths for developers to build solid mobile skills and receive certifications. A quick thumbnail sketch of what the new App U brings:
- Your Learning, Your Way – Designed to support real-world schedules, the flexible Learning Paths are broken into content modules you can consume in the order and pace that fits your needs. Modules can be revisited at any time to answer a question or hone your knowledge of a specific topic. Certification is awarded upon completion of all the modules of a given Learning Path.
- Immersive Content – Modules contain professional video-based content, hands-on lab exercises, and an assessment to let you know if you’ve mastered the concepts.
- Showcase your expertise – Whether you’re a developer looking to demonstrate expertise for your next role or an enterprise that wants your mobile team to hit the ground running, you can see learning progress with badges earned for each module and Learning Path completed. Badges are based on the Mozilla Open Badge Specification, so they are portable and can be displayed in Appcelerator Dev Link or other internal or external sites.
The first available Learning Path is SDK Fundamentals, which focuses on how to build mobile apps with Titanium. Students will learn how to develop, test and debug cross-platform apps, understand the UI and UX differences between major platforms, and other key mobile app development tactics. Consisting of 30 modules, it covers areas like app configuration strategies, geo-location, debugging, Arrow DB and app performance and optimization.
New Learning Paths will be added over the coming months, with Arrow and Hyperloop next out of the gates. We are continuing to build-out and refine our developer resources, both paid and freely available, so you’ll have the right tools and expertise. For more information on content and cost, or to sign up for our SDK Fundamentals course, visit Appcelerator University.
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