GCO1811 Computer programming - Semester 2 , 2007

Gippsland

• Madhu Chetty

Malaysia

• Mylini Munusamy

Gippsland

• tba

Malaysia

• tba

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this unit. You may not study this unit and CFR2128, CPE1001, CSE 1202, FIT1002, GCO9805, MMS 1801, MMS 1802, SFT1101 in your degree.

Relationships

GCO1811 is a first year unit in the BIT undergraduate degree program of Faculty of IT.

Unit leader

Lecturer(s) :

Tutor(s) :

Additional communication information

Dr. Madhu Chetty, Gippsland Campus

This unit will be delivered via two - 1 hour lectures.  Lecturers may go through specific examples, give demonstrations and present slides that contain theorectical concepts.  In tutorials students will discuss in-depth fundmental and interesting aspects about programming which will help them complete their practical work.  The tutorials are particluarly useful in helping student consolidate concepts and practise their problem solving skills.    Laboratory will be devoted to giving students handons on experience in implementing a programming solution to a practical problem.

Tutorial allocation

On-campus students should register for tutorials/laboratories using Allocate+.

Communication, participation and feedback

Monash aims to provide a learning environment in which students receive a range of ongoing feedback throughout their studies. You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This may take the form of group feedback, individual feedback, peer feedback, self-comparison, verbal and written feedback, discussions (on line and in class) as well as more formal feedback related to assignment marks and grades. You are encouraged to draw on a variety of feedback to enhance your learning.

It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem that is affecting your study. Semesters are 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.

Unit Schedule

Week	Topic	Key dates
1	Unit Administration and Introduction
2	Program Design
3	Variables and Data types	Assessible Lab 5%
4	Selection
5	Repetition
6	Arrays	Asessible Lab 5%
7	Methods
8	Objects and Classes I	TEST 1 (10%)
9	OO Design
10	Object Referencing & Array of Objects	Assessible Lab 10%
Mid semester break
11	Basic Inheritance
12	Topic of relevance and interest	Assessible Lab 10%
13	Exam Revision

Prescribed text(s) and readings

Malik D.S. : Java Programming - From Analysis to Design., Thomson Learning 2006, ISBN 0619216085

 

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.

Recommended text(s) and readings

For all students:

Malik D.S. : Java Programming - From Analysis to Design., Thomson Learning 2006, ISBN 0619216085

Robertson LA: Simple Program Design, 5th ed., Thomson/Nelson, 2007, ISBN 017010704-3

Required software and/or hardware

There are a number of Integrated Development Environments avaliable, such as:

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

Jcreator - jcreator LE v4.0 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.

jEdit - Text editor written in Java which can auto indent and provides syntax highlighting for more than 130 languages.

http://www.jedit.org/

BlueJ, Version 2.1.2 Programming Development Environment. Although available on CD, version 2.1.3 can be downloaded from

http://www.bluej.org

Eclipse (latest version) downloaded from

http://eclipse.org

Most likely students will be using JCreator.

Equipment and consumables required or provided

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.

Study resources

Study resources we will provide for your study are:

• The MUSO unit web site where lecture slides, weekly tutorial and practical requirements, assignment specifications, and supplementary material will be available
• Discussion groups via MUSO
• An electronic Unit Book containing a number of Modules covering certain topics
• This Unit Information outlining the administrative information for the unit

Additionally, students studying by Off-Campus Learning mode will receive:

• A CD-ROM sent at the start of the year, with software required for the unit

Library access

The Monash University Library site contains details about borrowing rights and catalogue searching. To learn more about the library and the various resources available, please go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au.  Be sure to obtain a copy of the Library Guide, and if necessary, the instructions for remote access from the library website.

Monash University Studies Online (MUSO)

All unit and lecture materials are available through the MUSO (Monash University Studies Online) site. You can access this site by going to:

1. a) https://muso.monash.edu.au or
2. b) via the portal (http://my.monash.edu.au).

Click on the Study and enrolment tab, then the MUSO hyperlink.

In order for your MUSO unit(s) to function correctly, your computer needs to be correctly configured.

For example :

• MUSO supported browser
• Supported Java runtime environment

For more information, please visit

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/downloadables-student.html

You can contact the MUSO Support by: Phone: (+61 3) 9903 1268

For further contact information including operational hours, please visit

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/contact.html

Further information can be obtained from the MUSO support site:

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/index.html

Unit assessment policy

The unit is assessed with a series of four laboratory exercises, a one hour test  and a three hour closed book examination. To pass the unit you must:

• achieve no less than 40% of the possible marks in the exam
• achieve no less than 40% for the test
• achive no less than 40% for the laboratory exercises
• achieve no less than 50% of possible marks

Assignment tasks

• Assignment Task

  Title :

  Assignment 1 - JAVA Basics

  Description :

  This assignment/laboratory exercise will test whether the students are able to write, compile and run a simple JAVA program.  Students will also be expected to solve simple problems and write their solutions in pseudo-code.

  Weighting :

  5%

  Criteria for assessment :

  1. All programs must compile and run correctly. Evidence of testing is required.

  2. Programs must met the problem specification. 

  3. JAVA code should be readable and maintainable.

  4. Programs should be documented. 

  5. All algorithms should follow the style presented in lectures and be correct.

  Due date :

  by the end of the laboratory session in week 3

• Assignment Task

  Title :

  Assignment 2 - Using Java Control Structures 5%

  Description :

  This assignment/laboratory exercise will require students to design a solution to a set of small problems that require problem solving skills and the use of the three JAVA control structures - sequence, selection and repetition.

  More advance exercises will cover nested selection and nested loops.

  Weighting :

  5%

  Criteria for assessment :

  1. All programs must compile and run correctly. Evidence of testing is required. 2. Programs must met the problem specification. 3. JAVA code should be readable and maintainable. 4. Programs should be documented. 5. All algorithms should follow the style presented in lectures and be correct. 6. Appropriate control structures used and justified.

  Due date :

  End of laboratory session week 6

• Assignment Task

  Title :

  Assignment 3

  Description :

  This assignment/laboratory exercise will require students implement simple classes that contain special methods such as: constructors, mutators and assessors.  Classes will need to be tested using driver classes.

  Weighting :

  10%

  Criteria for assessment :

  1. All programs must compile and run correctly. Evidence of testing is required. 2. Programs must met the problem specification. 3. JAVA code should be readable and maintainable. 4. Programs should be documented. 5. All algorithms should follow the style presented in lectures and be correct. 6. Program should be able to create objects and all methods of that object tested.

  Due date :

  End of laboratory week 10

  Remarks ( optional - leave blank for none ) :

  1. All programs must compile and run correctly. Evidence of testing is required. 2. Programs must met the problem specification. 3. JAVA code should be readable and maintainable. 4. Programs should be documented. 5. All algorithms should follow the style presented in lectures and be correct. 6. Program should be able to create objects and all methods of that object tested.

• Assignment Task

  Title :

  Assignment 4 - Designing a JAVA application

  Description :

  In assignment 4 students will be expected to design a more substantial JAVA application.  This application will involve processing an array of objects and inheritance.

  Weighting :

  10%

  Criteria for assessment :

  Due date :

  End of laboratory week 12

Examinations

• Examination

  Weighting :

  60%

  Length :

  3 hours

  Type ( open/closed book ) :

  closed book

  Remarks ( optional - leave blank for none ) :

  visit http://www.lib.monash.edu.au for access to past exam papers

Assignment submission

Upload zipped Java files via MUSO Assignment tool.

Multiple uploads will be allowed. The last upload will contain the work that is marked.

Assignment coversheets

Due dates and extensions

The due dates for the submission of assignments are given in the previous section. Please make every effort to submit work by the due dates. 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. Students are advised to NOT assume that granting of an extension is a matter of course.

Requests for extensions must be made to the unit lecturer 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.

Late assignment

Late submissions will not be accepted.

Once the MUSO assignment tool deadline has passed upload will be disabled.

Return dates

Students can expect assignments to be returned within two weeks of the submission date or after receipt, whichever is later.

Assessment for the unit as a whole is in accordance with the provisions of the Monash University Education Policy at:

http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/assessment/

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

Plagiarism, cheating and collusion

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 (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/about/committees-groups/facboard/policies/studrights.html) 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.

Register of counselling about plagiarism

The university requires faculties to keep a simple and confidential register to record counselling to students about plagiarism (e.g. warnings). The register is accessible to Associate Deans Teaching (or nominees) and, where requested, students concerned have access to their own details in the register. The register is to serve as a record of counselling about the nature of plagiarism, not as a record of allegations; and no provision of appeals in relation to the register is necessary or applicable.

Non-discriminatory language

The Faculty of Information Technology is committed to the use of non-discriminatory language in all forms of communication. Discriminatory language is that which refers in abusive terms to gender, race, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or nationality, ethnic or language background, physical or mental ability, or political or religious views, or which stereotypes groups in an adverse manner. This is not meant to preclude or inhibit legitimate academic debate on any issue; however, the language used in such debate should be non-discriminatory and sensitive to these matters. It is important to avoid the use of discriminatory language in your communications and written work. The most common form of discriminatory language in academic work tends to be in the area of gender inclusiveness. You are, therefore, requested to check for this and to ensure your work and communications are non-discriminatory in all respects.

Students with disabilities

Students with disabilities that may disadvantage them in assessment should seek advice from one of the following before completing assessment tasks and examinations:

• Faculty of Information Technology Student Service staff, and / or
• your Unit Coordinator, or
• Disabilities Liaison Unit

Deferred assessment and special consideration

Deferred assessment (not to be confused with an extension for submission of an assignment) may be granted in cases of extenuating personal circumstances such as serious personal illness or bereavement. Special consideration in the awarding of grades is also possible in some circumstances. Information and forms for Special Consideration and deferred assessment applications are available at http://www.monash.edu.au/exams/special-consideration.html. Contact the Faculty's Student Services staff at your campus for further information and advice.