Forth coming Corona textbook - what do you want?

General (non-technical) K-12 / University
#1

Not to self-promote (okay, self-promoting a little), I am finishing up a textbook to be used for teaching Corona in the classroom.

I plan to publish an edition that is not a textbook for the general Corona community and an edition that is a textbook for students and teachers.
What features do you expect/want in the textbook?
At this time I plan to include in/with the textbook:

  • Projects/Assignments at the end of each chapter
  • Powerpoints (available for teachers) for each chapter
    I have moved to 100% project-based classes with no tests. However, I am willing to create test-banks if there is enough demand/interest.
    I am also considering making a moodle/blackboard course that could be downloaded and used with the book. Is there any interest in this? [import]uid: 6551 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 312903[/import]
#2

For me it would be personally use. I would like to see just the understanding off the Lua language. I would rather read it out of a Corona Text Book than a Lua book. Mostly like what the functions do, and what happens if you don’t include some important code. I think the Hello World stuff is really easy, but maybe focus on some of the more advanced coding. Like actually real world examples, like saving, internet access, multiplayer (would be awesome), navigation, arrays, lua tables, math functions. Hope this helps. Also don’t make the book to expensive.

Regards,
Jordan Schuetz
Ninja Pig Studios [import]uid: 29181 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 47415[/import]

#3

Thank you Jordan.
I’m including a lot of material on Lua. Hopefully it is in a format that you will find helpful!
I won’t have multiplayer in this book but it will be in my next one. Everything else that you mention is in this one. [import]uid: 6551 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 47597[/import]

#4

Okay, I take back the comment on multiplayer. It MIGHT have multi-player included. I’m working on a second game concept and it seems ripe for a multi-player implementation. [import]uid: 6551 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 48895[/import]

#5

i would like to see more information and practical examples of using tables in corona and proper explaining of every thing that matters in tables like arguments and so on

i hope to read your textbook soon enough) [import]uid: 16142 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 48896[/import]

#6

Cover in Chapter 13 (which will be in the full release later this month)! [import]uid: 6551 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 48901[/import]

#7

Sounds Great,

Especially the Moodle shell with assignment. We have a computer programming class at our school that uses Corona, that would greatly benefit from something like this.

Regards,

Derrick Lord
Myron B. Thompson Academy [import]uid: 43097 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 50084[/import]

#8

any progress on this? [import]uid: 7856 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 57194[/import]

#9

Do not waste your time on Powerpoints! They have a tendency to put the kids to sleep in a hurry. Small hands-on exercise ideas that when assembled build a program. I have seen too many textbooks that are just tutorials or typing exercises. For it to be a textbook there needs to be exploration, trial and error, research, guided discovery and problems that require the students to think and solve. [import]uid: 23256 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 57311[/import]

#10

Yes! I just added chapter 13 to the early release of the book. Just 3 more chapters to go.

The early release currently comprises chapters 1-13, 17, and 2 appendices. [import]uid: 6551 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 62773[/import]

#11

game design. game design. game design.

make a simple game. and build functionality on top of the base game.
scoring, a.i., level, adding random variables to change levels. etc…

i understand the simple few lines of code “examples”( i get the snippets from the corona website)
but integration the code snippets into a WHOLE program is my present weakness.

just my thoughts…

[import]uid: 11094 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 62891[/import]

#12

Hi,

I have the book (ebook) and all I can say WOW! great job. I still have to read the all thing so maybe you already wrote about this but I would love to see the following:

1- In-app purchase

2- Social features like Twitter, facebook

3- Open Feint (leadership and achievements)

4- Pubnub full game example like a checker game

5- network feature like POST/GET

I know that it is possible to look in this forum for most of the thing above but it cannot beat having all these important subjects gathered in one place.

Thanks again for the book. Cannot wait to see the rest of the chapters especially the one about network…

Mo [import]uid: 49236 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 62898[/import]

#13

Thank you for your thoughts!
There is already one game (space explorer) covered in chapters 9 & 10, and there will be a second game in chapter 16 that is a tower defense.
I don’t know that they are exactly what you are looking for, but should be in the right general direction.
I have started developing another book that will be the entire process of developing a game in Corona: concept to art pipeline to programming concepts to finished product. I hope to have it out over the Christmas break. [import]uid: 6551 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 62904[/import]

#14

@lemsim,
I am actually writing on all of those concepts right now! They will be covered in chapter 14 of the book on networking. I HOPE to have this chapter available in the early release by Nov. 1. [import]uid: 6551 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 62905[/import]

#15

Great chapter! Thank you very much. Cannot wait!

Mo [import]uid: 49236 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 62908[/import]

#16

Right now it is only available as an eTextbook. I am using print on demand, so I don’t know how much of a used textbook demand there will be. We will see! [import]uid: 6551 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 73985[/import]

#17

If it is done I would actually buy one. I have a prelim copy from early last year. I assume there have been some revisions. I used the prelim for about a half of a semester with some sharp high school kids with good results. Next year I will go for a full semester depending on the kids I get. [import]uid: 23256 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 73991[/import]

#18

I’m currently finishing the last chapter. You can get the updated text from my website. [import]uid: 6551 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 74004[/import]

#19

The book is now in final form! I will be adding a few more educational resources to the textbook over the next couple of weeks, but the other book, “Mobile App Development with Corona: Getting Started” is finished and available!

http://www.BurtonsMediaGroup.com/books

Thank you everyone for your suggestions!

Brian Burton, Ed.D. [import]uid: 6551 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 85630[/import]

#20

Quick update: The the textbook is now finished as well.

I have started a 3rd book that is for the absolute beginner (i.e. no programming background). This will only be available as a textbook (but anyone can purchase a copy).

The new textbook is tentatively titled “Learning Mobile Application Development” and should be available early this summer.

Thank you everyone for your support of my first two books!

Brian G. Burton, Ed.D. [import]uid: 6551 topic_id: 12903 reply_id: 94165[/import]