FIT2034 Computer programming 2 - Semester 2, 2014

The emphasis in this unit is on the application of fundamental programming concepts using an object-oriented programming language. It also introduces more advanced object-oriented programming topics such as inheritance and polymorphism. It gives students a deeper understanding of programming and gives more practical skills in designing, building and testing larger computer programs, including ones having graphical user interfaces, and utilising file I/O.

Mode of Delivery

• Caulfield (Day)
• Gippsland (Off-campus)
• Malaysia (Day)
• South Africa (Day)

Workload Requirements

Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:

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

• Two hours of lectures
• One 2-hour laboratory

(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 8 hours independent study per week for completing lab and project work, private study and revision.

Unit Relationships

Prohibitions

CPE1004, CSE1203, CSE2305, GCO1812, FIT1007

Prerequisites

FIT1040 or FIT1002

Chief Examiner

Campus Lecturer

Your feedback to Us

Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit

Most unit evaluations in the past for this unit have rated the unit in the range 4-5. Not too much feedback has been received in recent offerings, and this semester the unit has undergone a significant redesign due to changes in the pre-requisite unit. However, changes we made in previous semesters as a result of feedback included:

1. To change the assignment weighting.
2. To focus on programming skills rather than the implementation of prototype features in all practical assignments.
3. To align the assessment requirements with students' undertanding of programming concepts rather than prototype features. The alignment was done by making individual labs assessed, and this assessment based on weekly learning objectives.

Academic Overview

Learning Outcomes

• implement basic programming concepts through designing and constructing simple programs using Java as the implementation language;
• explain object-oriented concepts such as inheritance, polymorphism, and abstract classes and interfaces and interpret how they are implemented in Java;
• apply the object-oriented design principles to a multiple-class object-oriented program;
• construct Java programs that include graphical user interface with event handling, collection classes, exception handling and files for persistent data storage;
• identify a range of modern tools to support the process of programming complex software systems.

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:

  Practical - Topic 2: Basic Console-Based Java Programs with Selection and Repetition

  Description:

  The practical exercises for the practical class on topic 2, which is done during week 2, will be assessed during the week 3 practical class. The work must be the result of your own individual efforts, with guidance given by your tutor (through answering questions you may have), or asked on the discussion forum.

  Weighting:

  4%

  Criteria for assessment:

  Broadly, the criteria used to assess your work will be:

  1. Your ability to write small programs in Java which successfully compile and execute.
  2. Your ability to use selection and repetition constructs to control a program.
  3. Whether the program meets the behavioural requirements as specified.

  Details on how grades are allocated will be explained in the specification.

  Due date:

  Week 3

  Remarks:

  For off-campus students, due dates of assessed practicals are Monday evening of the stated week. For on-campus students, you must submit to Moodle prior to the scheduled start time of the lab class of the stated week, as interviews will commence when the lab commences.

• Assessment task 2

  Title:

  Practical - Topics 3 and 4: Modularity with Methods and Classes

  Description:

  The practical exercises relating to topics 3 and 4 (Modularity with Methods and Classes, Object Orientation) will be assessed in the week 5 practical class.

  Weighting:

  4%

  Criteria for assessment:

  Broadly, the criteria used to assess your work will be:

  1. Your ability to write methods and basic classes, to create a small multiple class program that compiles and executes without errors.
  2. Your ability to explain how various object-oriented constructs have been incorporated into your program.
  3. Whether the program meets the behavioural requirements as specified.

  Details on how grades are allocated will be explained in the specification.

  Due date:

  Week 5

• Assessment task 3

  Title:

  Practical - Topic 6: Arrays and Aggregation

  Description:

  The practical exercises relating to topic 6 (Arrays and Aggregation) will be assessed during the week 7 practical class.

  Weighting:

  4%

  Criteria for assessment:

  Broadly, the criteria used to assess your work will be:

  1. Your ability to use programming constructs to demonstrate an understanding of arrays, and the ArrayList class.
  2. Your ability to explain how you used the programming constructs in your program.
  3. Whether the program meets the behavioural requirements as specified.

  Details on how grades are allocated will be explained in the specification.

  Due date:

  Week 7

• Assessment task 4

  Title:

  Practical - Topic 7: Inheritance and Polymorphism

  Description:

  The practical exercises relating to topic 7 (Inheritance and Polymorphism) will be assessed during the week 8 practical class.

  Weighting:

  4%

  Criteria for assessment:

  Broadly, the criteria used to assess your work will be:

  1. Your ability to use programming constructs to demonstrate an understanding of inheritance and polymorphism.
  2. Your ability to explain how you used the programming constructs in your program.
  3. Whether the program meets the behavioural requirements as specified.

  Details on how grades are allocated will be explained in the specification.

  Due date:

  Week 8

• Assessment task 5

  Title:

  Practical - Topic 9: File Input and Output

  Description:

  The practical exercises relating to topic 9 (File Input and Output) will be assessed during the week 10 practical class.

  Weighting:

  4%

  Criteria for assessment:

  Broadly, the criteria used to assess your work will be:

  1. Your ability to use programming constructs to demonstrate an understanding of file-based input and output.
  2. Your ability to explain how you used the programming constructs in your program.
  3. Whether the program meets the behavioural requirements as specified.

  Details on how grades are allocated will be explained in the specification.

  Due date:

  Week 10

• Assessment task 6

  Title:

  Major Assignment

  Description:

  In addition to the assessment of the preceding practical classes, there is a major assignment which will integrate concepts from many of the topics of this unit. The program will involve sorting and searching, graphical user interactions, inheritance and polymorphism, and file input and output.

  Weighting:

  20%

  Criteria for assessment:

  More specific criteria will be provided with the task specification document, but broadly, the criteria used to assess your work will include such things as:

  1. Your ability to perform problem solving to create a working computer program from a given problem description
  2. Your ability to apply object-oriented principles in designing a software solution.
  3. Your ability to use inheritance and polymorphism techniques.
  4. Your ability to implement association/aggregation.
  5. Your ability to use techniques of file input and output.
  6. Your ability to use a range of the Collections classes.
  7. Your ability to construct a simple graphical user interface.
  8. Your ability to appropriately deal with exceptions.
  9. Your ability to follow industry standards in terms of documenting your programs.
  10. Your ability to explain how you used various programming constructs in your program.
  11. Your ability to ensure that the program meets the behavioural requirements as specified.

  Details on how grades are allocated will be explained in the specification. A program which does not compile without errors will not be given a Pass or higher grade. A program which achieves all functional requirements but without using the expected programming constructs will not get a grade higher than a Credit.

  Due date:

  Major Assignment due 11:59pm on Friday in Week 12

  Remarks:

  You will not be given time during class to do this assignment. You will be able to start working on this assignment before the mid-semester break, although some aspects will not be taught until after the mid-semester break.

Examinations

• Examination 1

  Weighting:

  60%

  Length:

  3 hours

  Type (open/closed book):

  closed book

  Electronic devices allowed in the exam:

  None

Learning resources

Feedback to you

• Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
• Graded assignments with comments
• Interviews
• Solutions to tutes, labs and assignments
• Other: Staff responses to queries posted in discussion forums

Extensions and penalties

Returning assignments

Resubmission of assignments

Assignments may only be submitted once and considered once for assessment purposes.

Assignment submission

Online submission

You must submit all your work to the relevant "Assignment" within Moodle before anything will be marked.

Required Resources

Prescribed Software

You must have the Java SE 7 Software Development Kit (called the JDK) installed on your computer. This software can be downloaded for free from the internet by going to http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html and clicking on the 'download' button in the JDK column.

Note that some IDEs (see below) install their own version of the SDK - this is fine, provided that it is compatible to Java SE 7. Some IDEs require the SDK to be separately installed.

Prescribed text(s)

Stuart Reges and Marty Stepp. (2014). Building Java Programs: A Back to Basics Approach. (3rd Edition (2nd Edition also acceptable)) Addison Wesley (ISBN: 0-13-336090-3).

Recommended Resources

Useful Software

Whilst the JDK provides the compiler and runtime interpreter for the Java language, you will most likely want to make use of an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). You may use any IDE that you are comfortable with, but we strongly suggest you use Eclipse, because of the features included within it and its popularity within industry. Eclipse can be downloaded from:  http://www.eclipse.org/

Examination material or equipment

It is a closed book exam. No material or equipment besides pens/pencils is permitted.

Other Information

Policies

Graduate Attributes Policy

Student Charter

Student services

Monash University Library

Disability Liaison Unit

Other

Study Resources

Resources we will provide for your study are:

• This Unit Information Guide outlining the administrative information for the unit
• Weekly Study Guide modules, which include detailed objectives for each week's learning
• Weekly lecture slides and any sample programs used during lectures
• Weekly practical tasks and solutions
• Assignment specification (and later a solution)
• Links to additional electronic resources (such as Java API documentation)
• Discussion forums
• The FIT2034 web site on Moodle, where most of the above resources can be located
• Lectures from some campuses are recorded and available for access at http://mulo.monash.edu