In this issue, I’ve got some great resources for app developers, as well as for user groups:

Get up to Speed on HTML, CSS3, and JavaScript

If you’ve done some web development, but want to kick your skills up a notch, check out Learn HTML5 with JavaScript & CSS3 Jump Start Training, a course from Microsoft Virtual Academy. The course covers HTML Semantic Markup, CSS3 Selectors, Layout and Animation, JavaScript Core and DOM Interaction, and more.

And once you’ve finished that course, you’ll be well-equipped to jump into the Windows Store App Development with HTML5 Jump Start course, which covers all the topics necessary to get started building great Windows Store apps with HTML and JavaScript.

Microsoft Virtual Academy also has an advanced course on Windows Store app development with HTML and JavaScript which should be online soon, so check the site frequently for updates.

Build for Both – Maximizing Code Sharing between Windows Store and Windows Phone 8

Lest the XAML developers out there feel left out, I’ve got another great resource from Microsoft Virtual Academy, this time a course called Build Apps for Both Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 Jump Start by Microsoft’s Ben Riga. Ben compares Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, covers the basics of ViewModels, and MVVM, and discusses strategies for sharing code between these platforms.

Windows Store apps for Absolute Beginners with JavaScript

Back to JavaScript, Bob Tabor has finished another great tutorial series on Channel 9, covering Windows Store apps for Absolute Beginners with JavaScript. This is just the latest in the Channel 9 Absolute Beginners series, which includes the following as well:

• C# Fundamentals – development for absolute beginners
  • Visual Basic Fundamentals – development for absolute beginners
    • JavaScript Fundamentals – development for absolute beginners

      • HTML and CSS3 Fundamentals – development for absolute beginners

        • Windows Store apps for Absolute Beginners with C#
        Definitely some great resources for learning these technologies from the ground up.

      The Patterns and Practices group has also gotten in the game with their end-to-end app guidance: Developing an end-to-end Windows Store app using JavaScript: Hilo, including sample code and a PDF ebook.

      User Groups – Get Sponsored by O’Reilly or Pluralsight

      Having spent as much time as I have with user groups, I know one thing that’s always important is finding sponsors. So if you’re looking for some great giveaways for your group along with other sponsorship benefits, check out the following sponsorship programs:

      • O’Reilly User Group Sponsorship Program

        • PluralSight User Group and Event Sponsorship
        Do you know about other sponsorship opportunities for community groups and events? Let me know below in the comments!

      Resources for Educators

      Are you a teacher or university professor? Well, I’ve got some resources for you as well:

      • YouthSpark – highlights many of the resources Microsoft makes available for students, organized by age groups.
        • Faculty Resource Center – repository of curriculum resources, including PowerPoint presentations, demos, videos, and more. The new Visual Search is a great way to drill down into what’s available based on criteria such as grade level, resource type, etc.

          • There are also some really good resources available at http://microsoft.com/education, including a whole bunch of stuff around Kodu, SmallBasic, Pex4Fun, and more at http://www.microsoft.com/education/en-us/teachers/Pages/technical_educators.aspx

            • And don’t forget Imagine Cup!

          Great Video Series for Unity Developers

          Last, but not least, if you’re a game developer working with Unity 3D (or want to learn Unity), I found a great video series over on 3dbuzz.com that provides absolute beginners with a nice tour of Unity, and provides a ton of information on the major features of this development tool. If you want to build 3D games, but never thought you’d be able to, you should definitely check this out. If you have any trouble viewing the videos on 3Dbuzz.com, they’ve also posted the series on YouTube.

          What Do You Want?

          I’m always open to feedback on what my readers want to see. If there are specific topics you’d like to hear more about, drop me a note, or let me know in the comments below.

          And if you’re an app developer, don’t forget to sign up for Generation App!