FIT1040 Programming fundamentals - Semester 1, 2015

This unit will provide students with an overview of the fundamentals required to create programs. Students will learn to develop descriptions of algorithms and program logic using pseudocode which will be implemented as working software programs using a visual procedural programming language. The unit will explore a variety of application domains including: computer games, business and science applications, computer generated arts, computer-based simulations and the control of simple robots. The topics covered will include the fundamental concepts: data types and structures, basic types of input and output, program control structures, and modular design along with the basics of event-driven programming and objects. These topics will be covered while placing an emphasis on the need to design program code that is easy to maintain, readable, tested, and well documented.

At the end of the unit students will be expected to be able to apply the knowledge and skills learned in further units that cover software development using industry strength programming languages.

Mode of Delivery

• Caulfield (Day)
• Clayton (Day)
• Malaysia (Day)
• South Africa (Day)

Workload Requirements

Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:

(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:

• 2 hours of lectures
• One 2-hour laboratory
• One 1-hour tutorial

(b.) Study schedule for off-campus students:

• Off-campus students generally do not attend lecture and tutorial sessions, however should plan to spend equivalent time working through the relevant resources and participating in discussion groups each week.

(c.) Additional requirements (all students):

• A minimum of 7 hours independent study per week for completing lab and project work, private study and revision.

See also Unit timetable information

Unit Relationships

Prohibitions

FIT1002

Chief Examiner

Campus Lecturer

Tutors

Your feedback to Us

Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit

Changes made in S2/2014:

• Most of the tutes and labs were overhauled from a "walkthrough" approach to a problem-solving approach.
• An introduction to a real-world ("industrial") language - Java is introduced gradually, with examples gradually introduced alongside Scribble code...
• ... this takes the form of optional Advanced Lab questions throughout semester, before their formal assessment in Lab 11.

• The last two lectures were overhauled, to handle transition issues with later subjects. Overview of lecture content introduced:
• 1. how pseudo-code translates to other coding languages
  2. Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) and the syntax and debugging support they provide.
  3. Understanding how testing and good programming practice - can be applied in transitioning to real-world ('industrial') programming (with credits to Robert Merkel)
  4. Common issues faced in transitioning to a real-world language (e.g. syntax, debugging fears, etc)
  5. Get started with industrial programming using Java through a beginner-friendly IDE - BlueJ.
  6. Write simple programs using Java (using a 'template' based approach).
  7. Faithful translation from Scribble to Java (and vice-versa).
  8. Programming languages and paradigms
  9. Intro to class-based OO programming in Java, and how it differs from Scribble "cloning"
  10. Tools and techniques used in programming - design, source control, debugging, testing, profiling..
• The last assessable Lab and Tute was on translation between Java and Scribble (and vice versa)
• Expanded introductions to Scribble's primitive cloning (prototype-based approach)
• Included FIT1002 historical Java notes as extra reading, as it has been requested by students who want to try Java programming over the summer holidays. The intro to Java and real-world coding in Lectures 11 and 12 should be a good launchpad for this.
• The MADAM (Marking Admin and Distribution At Monash) grading system was used for marking A1 and A2 (thanks to Robyn McNamara; and implementation thanks to Phil Abramson). The rich feedback generated by MADAM was informative to help the students in improving their work for A2.

Comments from 2013-2014:

Student feedback about this unit - which is new - has been very positive. There will be minor adjustments to the presentation of the content. One irritation that students have noted is that the tutorial exercises took longer than the hour allocated. That will be adjusted in this offering.

Staff watched the progress of students who completed this unit closely. The unit provided to be an excellent introduction to programming for students undertaking further study in units with an "industrial" language in semester 2. Staff in subsequent units noted that students in those units were a little thrown when they first had to code by typing their code in an exact syntax.

The unit content will be adjusted to help students transition a more smoothly to a real-world language.

Academic Overview

Learning Outcomes

1. recognise the relationship between a problem description and program design;
2. implement problem solving strategies;
3. construct and test simple computer programs;
4. analyse and debug existing programs;
5. recognise the importance of programming and documentation;
6. apply good programming practices in accordance with industry standards and professional ethics.

Unit Schedule

*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your learning system.

Teaching Approach

Assessment Summary

Examination (3 hours): 60%; In-semester assessment: 40%

Assessment Requirements

Assessment Policy

Assessment Tasks

Participation

• Assessment task 1

  Title:

  Assignment 1: Programming Basics

  Description:

  This assignment will require the development of a software application with Scribble that reacts to user interface events, taking input from a user and then performing a complex calculation. The task will require creating a programming solution to a calculation-based problem, creating software that reacts to an event, makes decisions with a IF-THEN-ELSE logic, stores user input in variables, and makes calculations using variables. Students are expected to abide by good programming practice (including testing and documentation).

  Weighting:

  10%

  Criteria for assessment:

  1. The application must run correctly. Evidence of testing is required.
  2. The application must meet the problem specification.
  3. The application logic should be documented with pseudocode/flowchart.
  4. The application sprites and scripts should be constructed in a way that makes them easy to understand and maintain.
  5. Students should be able to answer questions about their own work.

  Detailed assessment criteria will be provided on the unit web site along with full details of the assignment task.

  Due date:

  Sunday 11:59pm Week 7

• Assessment task 2

  Title:

  Assignment 2: Advanced Programming Application

  Description:

  This assignment will require the development of a software application or game with Scribble. The task will require creating an abstraction of its internal state, and changing that state as the user interacts with the application. This will require the creation of appropriate data structures to store the internal state, the user's interaction path (e.g. moves for a game, or commands issued to an app), and scripts that represent the program logic (e.g. game rules or app constraints). The software will make decisions with IF-THEN-ELSE logic, process data using loop-based logic, and display appropriate UI/status updates (e.g. for a game - state of play, wins, losses; or for an app - output, errors, prompts).
  
  Students will be asked to answer questions about their own work during an interview scheduled outside the lab class in Week 12. Students are expected to abide by good programming practice (including testing and documentation).
  

  Weighting:

  10%

  Criteria for assessment:

  1.  The application must run correctly. Evidence of testing is required.
  2. The application must meet the problem specification.
  3. The application logic should be documented with pseudocode/flowchart.
  4. The application sprites and scripts should be constructed in a way that makes them easy to understand and maintain.
  5. Students should be able to answer questions about their own work during an interview scheduled outside the lab class.

  Detailed assessment criteria will be provided on the unit web site along with full details of the assignment task.

  Due date:

  Sunday 11:59pm Week 11. Interviews held in Week 12

• Assessment task 3

  Title:

  Laboratory work and short tutorial quizzes

  Description:

  In Weeks 2 to 11 students will be expected to write and execute code to perform tasks specified at the start of their Laboratory session. The specified coding tasks will come from a Laboratory task specification sheet released prior to each Laboratory session allowing for preparation.
  
  Students will be expected to complete a very short quiz at the end of each Tutorial session. They will assess student knowledge of the lecture material for the week the Tutorial is based on.

  Weighting:

  20%

  Criteria for assessment:

  Laboratory work will be assessed during the Laboratory session. Full marks will require both working code and good coding style with the latter carrying more weight.

  Tutors will mark tutorial short quizzes after the tutorial. The questions will examine both conceptual and practical working knowledge covered in the lecture slides relevant to the tutorial.

  Due date:

  The end of the tutorial or laboratory session in Weeks 2 to 11 in which the work is performed.

Examinations

• Examination 1

  Weighting:

  60%

  Length:

  3 hours

  Type (open/closed book):

  Closed book

  Electronic devices allowed in the exam:

  None

Learning resources

Reading list

Armoni, M. and M. Ben-Ari (2013) Computer Science Concepts in Scratch. Weizmann Institute of Science. [on-line] http://stwww.weizmann.ac.il/g-cs/scratch/scratch_en.html.

Gaddis, T. (2012) Starting out with programming logic and design. 3rd Edition. Addison Wesley.

Lane, A., B. Meyer and J. Mullins (2012) Generative Art with Scribble: A Project Based Introduction to Programming. Monash BlockBooks Series. [on-line] via Apple iTunes Store and http://monash-blockbooks.appspot.com

Lane, A., B. Meyer and J. Mullins (2012) Simulation with Cellular: A Project Based Introduction to Programming. Monash BlockBooks Series. [on-line] via Apple iTunes Store and http://monash-blockbooks.appspot.com

Lane, A., B. Meyer and J. Mullins (2012) Robotics with Enchanting and LEGO® NXT: A Project Based Introduction to Programming. Monash BlockBooks Series. [on-line] via Apple iTunes Store and http://monash-blockbooks.appspot.com

Sprankle, M & J. Hubbard (2012) Problem solving and programming concepts. 9th Edition. Prentice Hall.

Venit, S. & E. Drake (2011) Prelude to programming: Concepts and design. 5th Edition. Addison Wesley.

Feedback to you

• Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
• Graded assignments with comments
• Interviews
• Test results and feedback
• Quiz results
• Solutions to tutes, labs and assignments

Extensions and penalties

Returning assignments

Assignment submission

Online submission

Recommended Resources

BYOB (Build Your Own Blocks), “Scribble” Edition. This free software development tool is available for MacOS, Windows. It is available for download at: http://monofonik.github.com/scribble/

Other Information

Policies

Graduate Attributes Policy

Student Charter

Student services

Monash University Library

Disability Liaison Unit

Other

Recognition of Prior Learning

Prior to the start of semester, students who have advanced programming skills are invited to attempt an on-line based assessment of their existing skills, knowledge and ability. Students who obtain a pass grade may choose to enroll in a more advanced programming unit in place of FIT1040 and receive an exemption (but not credit) for FIT1040.

The on-line test can be found at http://dsslab.infotech.monash.edu.au:8080/moodle/

Engineers Australia Stage 1 competencies

This unit is a core unit in the Bachelor of Software Engineering accredited by Engineers Australia. Engineers Australia Accreditation Policy of Professional Engineering Programs requires that programs demonstrate how engineering graduates are prepared for entry to the profession and achieve Stage 1 competencies. The following information describes how this unit contributes to the development of these competencies for the Bachelor of Software Engineering. (Note: not all competencies may be emphasised in this unit).

Relationship between Unit Learning Outcomes and BSE Course Outcomes

Relationship between Unit Learning Outcomes and Assessments