Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies Higher Education

Unit of Study Outline HIT1301 Algorithmic Problem Solving & HIT2080 Introduction to Programming
Semester 1, 2012
16 February, 2012

Swinburne University of Technology, 2012 Except as provided in the Copyright Act 1968, this document may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the University.

HIT1301-HIT2080 Unit Outline

Semester 1, 2012

Unit of Study Outline

Unit of study code Unit of study name Semester & Year Total contact hours Prerequisites Corequisites Preclusions HIT1301 & HIT2080 Algorithmic Problem Solving & Introduction to Programming Semester 1, 2012 54 hours in total None None ( HIT1301 Algorithmic Problem Solving or HIT2080 Introduction to Programming ) and HIT1404 Introduction to Programming in .NET 12.5

Credit Points

Aims
This unit of study aims to introduce you to structured programming and design.

Learning Objectives
HIT1301 & HIT2080 Intended Learning Outcomes The above learning objectives will be assessed against the following Intended Learning Outcomes. These outcomes describe the tasks you need be able to demonstrate in order to pass the unit. 1. Read, interpret, and describe the purpose of supplied code, and identify (a) errors in syntax/logic, and (b) poor programming practices. 2. Describe the principles of structured programming, and relate these to the syntactical elements of the programming language used, and the way programs are developed using this language. 3. Write small programs making use of pointers, records, functions and procedures, and different parameter passing techniques. 4. Use modular and functional decomposition to break a problem down functionally, represent the resulting structure diagrammatically, and implement the structure in code as functions and procedures. HIT2080 Learning Objectives After successfully completing this unit, you will be able to: Solve engineering problems using the C language. Write numerical intensive applications in C. Use modular decomposition to reduce the complexity of engineering issues. Construct well structured C language programs. Describe the issues of the software development life cycle. Test and validate their software solutions.

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HIT1301-HIT2080 Unit Outline

Semester 1, 2012

Content
Imperative programming with procedural programming languages o Program creation o Function and Procedure declaration and use o Sequence, Selection, Repetition o Variables and constants o Pointers o Arrays o Simple data structures o Input and output Structured programming principles Program design, and diagrammatic representation Program testing and validation Software development life cycle Topics of interest o Multimedia and games programming for 2D games o Interacting with microcontrollers, and using serial communication o Network programming

Key Generic Skills for this Unit of Study

You will be provided with feedback on your progress in attaining the following generic skills: Communication skills Problem solving skills Ability to work independently

Learning and Teaching Structure

2-hour lectures and 2-hour laboratories each week, 2-hour workshop classes in the indicated weeks.

In a Semester, you should normally expect to spend, on average, twelve and a half hours of total time (formal contact time plus independent study time) a week on a 12.5 credit point unit of study.

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HIT1301-HIT2080 Unit Outline

Semester 1, 2012

Provisional Schedule
Week 1 2 3 4 5 Date Feb 27 Mar 5 Mar 12 Mar 19 Mar 26 Apr 2 - 4 6 Apr 5 - 11 Apr 12-13 7 8 9 10 11 12 Apr 16 Apr 23 Apr 30 May 7 May 14 May 21 May 28 Jun 4 Jun 11 Exam Period Custom Data Types (cont.) Pointers and Dynamic Memory Management File IO Introducing C Arrays and Custom Data Types in C Pointers and Memory Management in C Advanced Topics, and Portfolio Discussion Portfolio Interview Booking Test 3 Test Resit Weekly Exercises Test 2 Lecture and Laboratory Topic Compilers, Procedures, and Program Creation Storing and Using Data Control Flow Procedural and Structured Programming Arrays Custom Data Types Semester Break Weekly Exercises Test 1 Assessment

Portfolio Submission and Interviews

Teaching Staff
Name Andrew Cain Dr Clinton Woodward Role Convenor Moderator Room EN513B EN514C Phone 9214 5324 9214 5945 Email Address acain@swin.edu.au cwoodward@swin.edu.au

Resources and Reference Material

The following learning resources have been provided to assist your learning in this unit of study: Lecture notes can be downloaded from the Blackboard web site. These include details on the material you will need to read each week, as well as exercises for you to undertake. The exercises from these notes are to be submitted as the weekly exercises assignments as noted above. Podcasts from Swinburnes iTunes U are provided to introduce each topic.

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HIT1301-HIT2080 Unit Outline

Semester 1, 2012

Blackboard Site for this Unit of Study

Important information concerning this unit of study is placed on the Swinburne course management system (Blackboard), accessible via http://ilearn.swin.edu.au/ It is your responsibility to access on a regular basis the Blackboard site for your unit of study, the Announcements section on Blackboard, and any emails sent by the teaching staff to your student email address via Blackboard. Swinburne student email is provided by Live@edu to give students email and calendaring services. To login navigate to http://outlook.com and use the following login details: Login: <studentID>@student.swin.edu.au Default Password: Date of birth (DDMMYY) Email Address: <studentID>@student.swin.edu.au

Assessment
a. Assessment Task Details: Task Weekly Exercises Tests Portfolio Team Size Individual Individual Individual Related Learning Objective(s) All All All Weight P/F P/F 100% Due Date Weekly Weeks 4, 7, and 11 Exam Period

P/F = Pass/Fail. This must be passed in order to pass this unit of study, and must appear in your portfolio.

b. Participation Requirements You are required to attend Test sessions, Lectures to submit your work from the Weekly Exercises, and the laboratory sessions to receive feedback on submitted work and to have your Portfolio work signed off. Participation in all teaching and learning activities is strongly encouraged. c. Minimum Requirements to pass this Unit of Study: In order to achieve a pass in this unit of study, you must: Pass all Tests, or if the Test is marked as Fix, have made the required corrections and had them checked before the portfolio submission. Submit a passable Portfolio, see the Assessment Criteria section for details. Further details of these requirements are shown in the following section on Assessment Criteria. d. Assessment Criteria: This unit of study uses portfolio assessment to determine your final grade. You are required to submit a portfolio that contains the following items: 1. Learning Summary Report that reflects on what you have learnt, and shows how your portfolio addresses the assessment criteria. 2. A number of pieces of work that demonstrate how you have met all of the units Intended Learning Outcomes. This must include: a. Your Tests. b. Your answers, code, and reports from the Weekly Exercises. c. Other pieces that demonstrate a good understanding of the unit's content. (For Credit and above.) d. A program of your own design. (For Distinction and above.) e. A research report. (For High Distinction.) The following sections and tables outline the criteria by which your Portfolio will be assessed.

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HIT1301-HIT2080 Unit Outline Grades Awarded

Semester 1, 2012

Table 1 shows the grades that will be awarded for successful completion of this unit of study. If the Pass criteria are not met satisfactorily then the final result will be between 0 and 44, resulting in a fail for this unit of study.
Table 1: Assessment Criteria Pass (D--) 50 (D-) 55 (D) 58 (D+) 60 (C-) 65 Credit (C) 68 (C+) 70 (B-) 75 Distinction (B) 78 (B+) 80 (A-) 92 High Distinction (A) 95 (A+) 98 (A++) 100

Evidence demonstrates the Intended Learning Outcomes to a minimally acceptable standard. Outcomes have poor coverage, no originality, and/or weak justifications of portfolio pieces.

Evidence shows a good understanding of all Intended Learning Outcomes. This must include at least one original piece that goes beyond the weekly exercises, and communicates a good understanding of the outcomes in a form other than source code. Outcomes have good coverage, with a suitable justification of portfolio pieces, and in-depth reflections on concepts learnt.

Evidence demonstrates a clear view of how the various aspects of the unit integrate and apply to software development. Evidence includes a soft2 ware solution of the students own design and implementation. All outcomes have good coverage, with clear and concise justification of portfolio pieces, and reflections on how the units concepts applied to the implementation of the software developed by the student. In addition to including the material required for Credit, the portfolio includes: A larger program of your own design and implementation

As in Distinction, with the addition of evidence showing the ability to research a question related to the concepts covered.

Portfolio includes : Learning Summary Report The Tests Completed versions of most Weekly Exercises

In addition to including the material required for Pass, the portfolio includes: Completed versions of all Weekly Exercises Multiple Extension Tasks from the Weekly Exercises, that demonstrate good coverage of the ILOs Other pieces to demonstrate good coverage of Intended Learning Outcomes

In addition to including the material required for Distinction, the portfolio includes: A research report

The letter grades (A-, A, A+, etc) are provided for the purpose of illustration only. Your final grade will be one of Fail, Pass, Credit, Distinction, or High Distinction.
2 3

See following description for the requirements for this software. Each of these is described in more detail in the following sections.

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HIT1301-HIT2080 Unit Outline Learning Summary Report

Semester 1, 2012

The Learning Summary Report consists of two parts: a reflection and a self-assessment. The reflection is a personal comment on what you have learnt in this unit, and how your knowledge and skills have developed. The self-assessment indicates how your portfolio aligns with the assessment criteria from Table 1. This report should be about 5 pages in length: half a page for an overview, around two pages for your reflection, and half a page to justify the portfolio pieces you have included to demonstrate each of the Intended Learning Outcomes. The reflective section of the learning summary report should, Elaborate on aspects that your found challenging/inspiring/interesting or different to your expectations and why? Include the approach that you used to solve problems and how what you have learnt in the unit helped. Compare and contrast new learning/information within the context of prior learning (as well as any previous assumptions or expectations with a discussion on how these have either been reinforced or changed). Present areas that you have personally explored beyond the expectations of the unit, as well as indication of the areas where you plan to learn further on your own and why? Highlight ideas/techniques/principles that can be generalised and used in other areas or for further learning (with a brief discussion to support the claim).

Note: The reflective section should not be a direct summary of the content covered in the unit.

Tests You must attend a number of tests as part of this unit. Each test will be marked as either Fail, Resit, Fix, or Pass and be returned to you during the semester. You must then include your test papers in your final portfolio, with any corrections and additions you wish to make. You may use the feedback you receive to improve your answers. It is a hurdle requirement of this unit that you must have a Pass grade for each of the tests in your final portfolio. Any test marked as Resit, must be re-sat during the semester; the final sitting for a test will not have a resit as a possible grade. Tests marked as Fix must be corrected before final submission. The questions that need to be addressed will be indicated. If these questions are not sufficiently addressed in the final submission the test result will be changed to Fail.
Table 2: Marks that will be awarded for the Tests

Test Result Pass Fix Resit Fail

Action Needed to Pass Test None, but remember to keep the test safe so that it can be included in your portfolio. You must address some issues with your existing answers. Your portfolio must include your test along with the corrections you have made to your answers. Only if the corrections made are sufficient will the test will be marked as pass. You must resit the test in order to improve its result. This will only be given on the final sitting of a test where your result is not sufficient to be graded as Fix or Pass.

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HIT1301-HIT2080 Unit Outline Work from the Weekly Exercises

Semester 1, 2012

Each week there will be a number of assessment tasks that you are required to attempt. These tasks are designed to help you understand the material presented, and to give you a chance to apply the concepts studied. Your portfolio must include your revised solutions to the weekly exercises. You may incorporate the feedback you get from the formative assessment during the semester. The following text outlines what is required to meet the Pass and Credit standards for the Weekly Exercises indicated in Table 1. ILO 1: Read, interpret, and describe the purpose of supplied code, and identify (a) errors in syntax/logic, and (b) poor programming practices. Pass: Satisfactorily pass the code reading questions of the Tests, and include several code reading exercises for both Pascal and C from the weekly exercises. Credit: Complete all code reading and analysis questions from the weekly exercises.

ILO 2: Describe the principles of structured programming, and relate these to the syntactical elements of the programming language used, and the way programs are developed using this language. Pass: An accurate description of structured programming. Credit: Description is in-depth, using code and figures to illustrate points, and discusses the differing views on these principles.

ILO 3: Write small programs making use of pointers, records, functions and procedures, and different parameter passing techniques. Pass: Working implementations of weekly exercise tasks that demonstrate the following: o Function and Procedure declarations and use o Use of Variables, Constants, Array, Pointers, and Parameters o Use of simple, looping, and branching statements o Use of records/structures to model data Credit: Completed versions of the Weekly Exercises, along with a selection of the extension tasks. You must include programming extension tasks that demonstrate the ability to: o Create several small programs of your own design o Work affectively with the programming artefacts and actions covered in the unit o Program with both the Pascal and C languages

ILO 4: Use modular and functional decomposition to break a problem down functionally, represent the resulting structure diagrammatically, and implement the structure in code as functions and procedures. Pass: Can use diagrams and design descriptions to implement weekly exercise tasks. Credit: Create diagrams and design notes that build upon existing designs documents.

To be eligible for a Credit or higher grade you must submit work regularly for feedback during the semester. Your progress on the Weekly Exercises should be submitted in the lecture each week.

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HIT1301-HIT2080 Unit Outline Additional Portfolio Pieces

Semester 1, 2012

In order to achieve a Credit grade, or higher, your portfolio must demonstrate a good coverage of all the Intended Learning Outcomes. This must include at least one piece that goes beyond the weekly exercises to communicate your understanding of the concepts covered. The additional piece(s) can include things such as short reports, blog entries, a reflective journal, concept maps, glossaries, and others. You are strongly encouraged to be creative. Short Report A Short Report aims to capture your understanding of a topic area. It should include at least 1 or 2 references, and be around 3 or 4 pages in length. The content should be divided into sections including an Intro4 duction, Summary, References and other appropriate sections. Blog Entries / Reflective Journal A selection of entries from a blog or journal that records your learning experiences during the unit can be a valuable portfolio piece. This should not be a diary of routine activities, but a reflection on your experiences applying the concepts covered in the unit to programming tasks. Record any new insights you have gained, and any experiences you feel have changed the way you approach software development or problem solving in general. Concept Maps Print and include concept maps that show the key concepts, techniques and/or principles related to the unit. You may use mind-maps, visual diagrams, freehand illustration, etc. to communicate this map. Where necessary it may be accompanied by a short textual description to highlight its main points. Glossaries You can include a glossary of the terms covered in the unit. This would need to be sufficiently in-depth, and should relate the concepts to each other, and provide details on their application to practical problems. Others You may include any other work you feel demonstrates your knowledge in areas related to the Intended Learning Outcomes. Feel free to be as creative as you like. Pieces such as videos, poems, illustrations, interpretive dance, and others may all be included if they relate to the ILOs. Custom Program In order to achieve a Distinction grade, or higher, your portfolio must demonstrate your ability to apply the concepts learnt to the design and development of a custom program. In collaboration with the teaching staff, you must propose a program that you will design and implement using the techniques learnt in the unit. Your submission will include the code you have developed for your program, along with a design report. The Design Report must capture the structure and key elements of a program. It must contain text and appropriate diagrams to communicate both the static structure and dynamic behaviour of your program. It should be written for knowledgeable developers. Focus the report on clearly communicating the core aspects of the solution's structure. You must reflect on how the unit's concepts related to the design and implementation of your program in your Learning Summery Report. This reflection should indicate aspects of the design or implementation you are particularly pleased with, and the aspects that you could improve upon. Research Report In order to achieve a High Distinction grade your portfolio must demonstrate your ability to research a question related to the unit's concepts, and to document your findings in a research report. A Research Report aims to communicate your research undertaking, the results, and their significance. It is expected to be around 6 pages in length, and divided into sections including an Abstract, Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion, Conclusion and References. It is expected that all research reports will contain at least 4 to 5 relevant references and make use of figures and/or tables to help convey their message.

All reports should use the Harvard reference and citation notation as outlined in Swinburnes Citation Guide available from http://www.swinburne.edu.au/lib/researchhelp.

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HIT1301-HIT2080 Unit Outline e. Submission of Assignments:

Semester 1, 2012

The assessment items due during the semester must be submitted in the lecture session of the week presented in the assessment task details section above. You submission will be assessed, and your tutor will provide you with feedback on your progress, and help you to improve your work for the final submission in your portfolio. Copies of each of the assessment items must be submitted as part of your portfolio. The copies that you submit should incorporate the feedback that you have received on the work when submitted during the semester. You are required to submit and present a portfolio for assessment in the examination period. Your portfolio will consist of reflections on your learning, programs, assignment work, test results, reports you have written, and other items that demonstrate the depth of your learning. In the final week of semester you need to arrange a time to present your portfolio to the assessment panel during the examination period. In this presentation you will discuss the items you have included and illustrate how these address the learning objectives stated above. You are required to bring a printed and bound copy of your portfolio to the assessment panel, along with one electronic copy that contains all reports and programs on a CD or DVD. It is advised that you work consistently throughout the semester on the assessment tasks, and that you collect evidence of your learning for your portfolio. A learning diary, or blog, is a useful tool for recording these details as you progress with the unit. Please ensure that you backup all work throughout the semester to avoid any issues should your storage media be damaged, lost, or stolen. f. Extensions and Late Submissions: In cases where you have been unable to complete the item on time due to illness or other circumstances, you may submit the item to the lecturer directly, along with a medical certificate or similar. If you require further extensions you will need to discuss your progress with the unit convenor. Please note that the purpose of these assessment items is for you to gain feedback on your progress. You may resubmit items in your laboratory sessions if you would like additional feedback and there is sufficient time. You can also make appointments with the convenor to go over your work outside of class times. Extensions will only be granted in exceptional circumstances on medical or compassionate grounds. Extensions must be applied for in advance of the assignment's due date and the convener of the appropriate unit must sign the extension certificate on the assignment cover sheet. Assignments or projects which are submitted after the due date and time will attract a penalty of 10% of the total marks available per working day late, up to a maximum of five working days. Assignments submitted after five working days past the published deadline will be graded with zero marks. Feedback or comments from the marker will generally not be available on assignments which are submitted after five working days past the published deadline.

g. Assessment Results: Your results for the assessment items submitted during the semester will be provide by your tutor. You will be provided with feedback that you can use to inform your further study and can be incorporated to improve your work. Students must retain all assessed material that contributes to the final result up until such time as the final results are published. h. Group Work Guidelines: A group project is the collective responsibility of the entire group, and if one member is temporarily unable to contribute, the group should be able to reallocate responsibilities to keep to schedule. In the event of longerterm illness or other serious problems involving a member of a project group, it is the responsibility of the other members to make the project supervisor aware of the situation straight away. All group members must be satisfied that the work has been correctly submitted. Any penalties for late submission will apply to all group members, not just the person who submitted.

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HIT1301-HIT2080 Unit Outline i. Plagiarism:

Semester 1, 2012

Swinburne University of Technology defines Plagiarism as the action or practice of taking and submitting or presenting the thoughts, writings or other work of someone else as though it is your own work. Plagiarism includes any of the following, without full and appropriate acknowledgment to the original source(s): (i) The use of the whole or part of a computer program written by another person; (ii) the use, in essays or other assessable work, of the whole or part of a written work from any source including but not limited to a book, journal, newspaper article, set of lecture notes, current or past students work, any other persons work, a website or database; (iii) the paraphrasing of anothers work; (iv) the use of musical composition, audio, visual, graphic and photographic models, (v) the use of realia, that is objects, artefacts, costumes, models and the like. Plagiarism also includes the preparation or production and submission or presentation of assignments or other work in conjunction with another person or other people when that work should be your own independent work. This remains plagiarism whether or not it is with the knowledge or consent of the other person or people. It should be noted that Swinburne encourages its students to talk to staff, fellow students and other people who may be able to contribute to a students academic work but that where independent assignment is required, submitted or presented work must be the students own. Enabling plagiarism contributes to plagiarism and therefore will be treated as a form of plagiarism by the University. Enabling plagiarism means allowing or otherwise assisting another student to copy or otherwise plagiarise work by, for example, allowing access to a draft or completed assignment or other work. j. Assessment and Appeals Policy and Procedure The information outlined in the Assessment sections above is covered in more detail in Swinburnes Assessment and Appeals Policy and Procedure. Students must be familiar with the Policy and Procedure, found at: The Policy and Procedure provides details about: Assessment issues such as the conduct of examinations, plagiarism policies and details explaining how to apply for a review of results and other appeals, and Student progress issues such as unsatisfactory academic progress and early intervention procedures, and Information for students with disabilities and special needs and procedures for applying for special consideration.

Students should make themselves familiar with all aspects of the Policy and Procedure, as failure to do so is not grounds for appeal. Students are advised to seek advice from the staff at the Swinburne Student Amenities Association SSAA (http://www.swinburne.edu.au/ssaa/) if they require assistance with advocacy for Sections 12 (At-Risk and Progress Review) and 13 (Appeals) of the Policy and Procedure (http://policies.swinburne.edu.au/ppdonline/).

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HIT1301-HIT2080 Unit Outline

Semester 1, 2012

Student Feedback:
Swinburne seeks student feedback in a number of ways, including through periodic Student Feedback Survey, as part of the universitys approach to quality assurance and improvement. Possible improvement based on both student and staff feedback is considered by Unit Convenors, Unit Panels made up of relevant teaching staff, Program Panels, Faculty Academic Committees, and the Academic Programs Quality Committee, as appropriate. Recent updates and improvements made to this unit of study include: Clearer learning objectives, designed to show what is the intended outcomes from studying the unit. A clear separation of formative and summative assessment, designed to provide maximum feedback. Portfolio assessment to encourage deep approaches to learning and wider variety of student backgrounds and interests. Greater participation of students in the design activities in the unit. Newly structure learning material to support a variety of learning styles and enhance the depth of learning. This includes new lecture notes, exercises, and podcasts.

Safety Standards and Conduct Requirements:

The University executes safety drills without warning. Be prepared to follow instructions from staff and/or wardens to evacuate the building in a safe and orderly manner. All students are expected to respect the rights and sensibilities of their fellow students and teaching staff. This also applies in respect of the content of video and audio work submitted for assessment. The University has rigorous anti-discrimination and harassment policies and procedures. Students should refer to Swinburne Anti Discrimination Policy & Procedure, at http://policies.swinburne.edu.au/ppdonline/. Safety procedures in laboratories must be followed. Open-toed shoes are not permitted in certain laboratories. Drink or food is not permitted in teaching spaces. The supervisor is authorised to exclude students for dangerous or disruptive behaviour which would result in forfeiture of all marks for the laboratory activity. The playing of computer games is not allowed in the computer labs.

Special Needs
If you have special needs you should advise your Faculty and the Unit of Study Convenor by the end of the second week of the teaching period. In addition, you are recommended to notify the Equity Office if you have not already done so. See also the Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Section of the Assessment and Appeals Policy & Procedure, at: http://policies.swinburne.edu.au/ppdonline/

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