FIT1002 Computer Programming , Unit Information Guide (Semester 1, 2006)

ASCED Discipline Group classification: 020103 Programming.

This unit will provide students with an overview of programming and its role in problem-solving and strategies for meeting user requirements and for designing solutions to programming problems. The fundamental programming concepts of the memory model, data types, declarations, expressions and statements, control structures, block structure, modules, parameters and input and output will be applied within the context of objects, attributes, methods, re-use, information-hiding, encapsulation, event-handling and message-passing. Software engineering topics include maintainability, readability, testing, documentation and modularisation.

At the completion of this unit students will have a theoretical and conceptual understanding of:

• The relationship between a problem description and program design;
• The management of problems using recognised frameworks;
• The use of design representations;
• The semantics of imperative programs;
• The object oriented paradigm as represented by Java;
• Event-driven programming;
• The sequence of steps that a computer takes to translate source code into executable code;
• Primitive data types and basic data structures.

At the completion of this unit students will have developed attitudes that enable them to:

• Adopt a problem-solving approach;
• Recognise the importance of programming and documentation conventions;
• Appreciate quality parameters in program development;
• Accept the code of professional conduct and practice;
• Act in accordance with best practice, industry standards and professional ethics.

At the completion of this unit students will have the practical skills to:

• Use diagrams to design solutions for programming problems;
• Apply problem solving strategies;
• Use pseudo-code to design algorithms;
• Design object oriented solutions to simple problems using multiple user-defined classes;
• Create and test programming solutions to problems using the Java programming language;
• Edit, compile and execute a computer program;
• Analyse and debug existing programs;
• Write a test plan.

At the completion of this unit students will demonstrate the communication skills necessary to:

• Produce formal documentation for a program;
• Explain an existing program.

Required text(s)

For students enrolled at Gippsland:

Text books are available from the Monash University Book Shops. Availability from other suppliers cannot be assured. The Bookshop orders texts in specifically for this unit. You are advised to purchase your text book early.

Software requirements:

For students enrolled at Gippsland Campus:

All software ( except JCreator) listed below is provided to you on a CD labelled GSIT Unit Software.

BlueJ, Version 2.1.2 Programming Development Environment. Although available on CD, it can be downloaded from

http://www.bluej.org

Java Development Kit, Version j2sdk-1_5_0_06 or later, Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Jcreator - jcreator LE v3.5 is a powerful IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for Java and is strongly recommended. It can be downloaded from the Web Site:

http://www.jcreator.com/

You should download the freeware version. You have no need for the fuller facilities provided in JcreatorPro, and would have to pay for it as well.

Hardware requirements:

Students studying off-campus are required to have the minimum system configuration specified by the faculty as a condition of accepting admission, and regular Internet access. On-campus students, and those studying at supported study locations may use the facilities available in the computing labs. Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook. You will need to allocate up to 12 hours per week for use of a computer, including time for newsgroups/discussion groups.

For Gippsland Campus and South African students:

Savitch W. : Absolute Java 2nd Ed., Addison Wesley 2006

Study resources for FIT1002 are:

For Gippsland Campus students:

• A printed Unit Book containing 12 Study Guides (The last two modules are not yet ready).
• This Unit Information outlining the administrative information for the unit
• A CD-ROM sent at the start of the year, with software required for the unit
• The unit web site (location to be updated soon), where lecture slides, weekly tutorial requirements, assignment specifications, sample solutions and supplementary material will be posted.
• Newsgroups/discussion groups that can be linked to from the Unit Homepage

The timetable for on-campus classes for this unit can be viewed in Allocate+

Assessment for the unit consists of n assignments with a weighting of 40% and an examination with a weighting of 60%. Read this section VERY carefully.

To pass this unit you must:

For Gippsland and South African students:

To pass this unit you must:

• attempt all assignments and the examination
• score at least 50% of the possible marks for the unit
• achieve no less than 50% of the total available marks for the assignments overall, and the examination.

Your score for the unit will be calculated by:

The relevant formula(if any) will be announced soon

Assessment Requirements

Assignment specifications will be made available . Information about assignments will be published on the Unit's Notices Newsgroup.

ONLY for students enrolled at Gippsland:

Assignments will be submitted electronically to webface assignment submission system. The URL for webface system is:

http://wfsubmit.cc.monash.edu.au

Late submission of assignments

For students enrolled at Gippsland and South Africa:

Assignments received after the due date will be allotted a penalty of 5% per day or part thereof up to one week late. Assignments received later than one week after the due date will not normally be accepted.

This policy is strict because comments or guidance will be given on assignments as they are returned, and sample solutions may also be published and distributed, after assignment marking or with the returned assignment.

This policy is strict because comments or guidance will be given on assignments as they are returned, and sample solutions may also be published and distributed, after assignment marking or with the returned assignment. 

Extensions

It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. 

For students enrolled at Gippsland and South Africa:

It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions.

Requests for extensions must be made by email at least two days before the due date. You will be asked to forward original medical certificates in cases of illness, and may be asked to provide other forms of documentation where necessary. A copy of the email or other written communication of an extension must be attached to the assignment submission.

Grading of assessment

Assignments, and the unit, will be marked and allocated a grade according to the following scale:

We will aim to have assignment results made available to you within two weeks after assignment receipt.

You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This feedback may be provided through your participation in tutorials and class discussions, as well as through your assignment submissions. It may come in the form of individual advice, marks and comments, or it may be provided as comment or reflection targeted at the group. It may be provided through personal interactions, such as interviews and on-line forums, or through other mechanisms such as on-line self-tests and publication of grade distributions.

You will be asked to provide feedback to the Faculty through a Unit Evaluation survey at the end of the semester. You may also be asked to complete surveys to help teaching staff improve the unit and unit delivery. Your input to such surveys is very important to the faculty and the teaching staff in maintaining relevant and high quality learning experiences for our students.

It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem with your study. The semester is short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.

Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating  has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with Student Rights and Responsibilities and the Faculty regulations that apply to students detected cheating as these will be applied in all detected cases.

In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work. 

When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer. 

Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.

Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.

Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.

For students enrolled at Gippsland:

expect you to maintain the following sequence while facing any problem related to this unit:

1. Always post your problems in the appropriate newsgroup first. You must also provide your own views regarding the problems so that others can join the discussion at least by commenting on your views.
   
• To encourage peer discussion, I prefer not to answer your newsgroup postings immediately unless situation demands.
  
• I shall be attending the newsgroups only on Tuesday and Friday.
  
2. If you are unhappy with the responses from the newsgroups or in case of emergency, e-mail to me at madhu.chetty@infotech.monash.edu.au.
   
3. If you are unhappy still, you may contact me at my following office address (preferably with prior appointment):
   
   Room No. 4N-260
   GSIT, Monash University
   Churchill Vic 3842, Australia
   Tel: +61-3-9902-6962
   Fax: +61-3-9902-6842
   

For students enrolled at gippsland and South Africa:

Notices related to the unit during the semester will be placed on the Notices Newsgroup in the Unit Website. Check this regularly. Failure to read the Notices newsgroup is not regarded as grounds for special consideration.

Consultation Times

For Gippsland students: Monday:- 12:00 till 1:00 and Friday:- 2:00PM till 4:00PM

For South African students : Thursday; 2:30 till 4:30PM and Friday; 2:30 till 4:00PM

If direct communication with your unit adviser/lecturer or tutor outside of consultation periods is needed you may contact the lecturer and/or tutors at:

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All email communication to you from your lecturer will occur through your Monash student email address. Please ensure that you read it regularly, or forward your email to your main address. Also check that your contact information registered with the University is up to date in My.Monash.