Course Title: Introduction to Programming

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Introduction to Programming

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
COSC1321	City Campus	Postgraduate	140H Computer Science & Information Technology	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 2 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 2 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 2 2008, Sem 1 2009, Sem 2 2009, Sem 1 2010, Sem 2 2010
COSC1519	City Campus	Undergraduate	140H Computer Science & Information Technology	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 2 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 2 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 2 2008, Sem 1 2009, Sem 2 2009, Sem 1 2010, Sem 2 2010, Sem 1 2011, Sem 2 2011, Sem 1 2012, Sem 2 2012, Sem 1 2013, Sem 2 2013, Sem 1 2014, Sem 2 2014, Sem 2 2015, Sem 1 2016, Sem 2 2016
COSC1519	City Campus	Undergraduate	171H School of Science	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2017, Sem 1 2018, Sem 2 2018, Sem 1 2019, Sem 2 2019, Sem 1 2020, Sem 2 2020, Sem 1 2021, Sem 2 2021
COSC1519	City Campus	Undergraduate	175H Computing Technologies	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2022, Sem 2 2022
COSC2429	RMIT University Vietnam	Undergraduate	140H Computer Science & Information Technology	Face-to-Face	Viet2 2007, Viet3 2007, Viet2 2008, Viet3 2008, Viet1 2009, Viet2 2009, Viet3 2009, Viet1 2010, Viet2 2010, Viet3 2010, Viet1 2011, Viet2 2011, Viet3 2011, Viet1 2012, Viet2 2012, Viet3 2012, Viet1 2013, Viet2 2013, Viet3 2013, Viet3 2014, Viet1 2015, Viet2 2015, Viet3 2015, Viet1 2016, Viet2 2016, Viet3 2016
COSC2429	RMIT University Vietnam	Undergraduate	171H School of Science	Face-to-Face	Viet3 2017, Viet1 2018, Viet2 2018, Viet3 2018, Viet1 2019, Viet2 2019, Viet3 2019, Viet1 2020, Viet2 2020, Viet3 2020, Viet1 2021, Viet2 2021, Viet3 2021
COSC2429	RMIT University Vietnam	Undergraduate	175H Computing Technologies	Face-to-Face	Viet1 2022, Viet2 2022, Viet3 2022, Viet1 2023, Viet2 2023, Viet3 2023
COSC2433	Taylors College KL	Undergraduate	140H Computer Science & Information Technology	Face-to-Face	Offsh 1 11
COSC2452	Open Learning Australia	Non Award	171H School of Science	Distance / Correspondence	OUASP2UG21, OUASP4UG21
COSC2452	Open Learning Australia	Non Award	175H Computing Technologies	Distance / Correspondence	OUASP1UG22, OUASP2UG22, OUASP3UG23, OUASP4UG23
COSC2709	RMIT Vietnam Hanoi Campus	Undergraduate	175H Computing Technologies	Face-to-Face	Viet2 2023

Flexible Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
COSC2680	OUA CSP	Undergraduate	171H School of Science	Internet	OUACSP2021 (All)
COSC2680	OUA CSP	Undergraduate	175H Computing Technologies	Internet	OUACSP2022 (All)
COSC2680	OUA CSP	Undergraduate	175H Computing Technologies	Internet	OUACSP2023 (All)

Course Coordinator: Dr Edouard Amouroux

Course Coordinator Phone: -

Course Coordinator Email: edouard.amouroux4@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: contact via email

Course Coordinator Availability: by appointment

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities:

• Capable of using the basic functions of an operating system, e.g. Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and UNIX.

Note it is a condition of enrolment at RMIT that you accept responsibility for ensuring that you have completed the prerequisite/s and agree to concurrently enrol in co-requisite courses before enrolling in a course.

For your information the RMIT Course Requisites policy can be found at Course requisites – 7.29.1.6: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=twx09y07zi1c

 

Course Description

Programming is acknowledged as a vital skill that enables problem solving through the use of computers across a range of varied disciplines. This course introduces you to basic concepts, syntax and control structures in programming. You will learn how to program in a step-wise problem solving fashion. 

For ON-CAMPUS students: You are expected to bring a laptop to the lectures for this hands-on course.   

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Program Learning Outcomes

This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) for BP162 Bachelor of Information Technology and BP232 Bachelor of Technology (Computing Studies):

PLO1. Enabling Knowledge: You will gain skills as you apply knowledge effectively in diverse contexts.

PLO2. Critical Analysis: You will learn to accurately and objectively examine and consider computer science and information technology (IT) topics, evidence, or situations, in particular to:

• Analyse and model requirements and constraints for the purpose of designing and implementing software artefacts and IT systems
• Evaluate and compare designs of software artefacts and IT systems on the basis of organisational and user requirements.

PLO3. Problem Solving: Your capability to analyse problems and synthesise suitable solutions will be extended as you learn to:

• Design and implement software solutions that accommodate specified requirements and constraints, based on analysis or modelling or requirements specification.

PLO4. Communication: You will learn to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences through a range of modes and media, in particular to:

• Present a clear, coherent and independent exposition of software applications, alternative IT solutions, and decision recommendations to both IT and non-IT personnel via technical reports of professional standard and technical presentations.

PLO5. Team Work: You will learn to work as an effective and productive team member in a range of professional and social situations, in particular to:

• Work effectively in different roles, to form, manage, and successfully produce outcomes from teams, whose members may have diverse cultural backgrounds and life circumstances, and differing levels of technical expertise.

PLO6. Responsibility: You will be required to accept responsibility for your own learning and make informed decisions about judging and adopting appropriate behaviour in professional and social situations. This includes accepting the responsibility for independent life-long learning. Specifically, you will learn to:

• Effectively apply relevant standards, ethical considerations, and an understanding of legal and privacy issues to designing software applications and IT systems.

 

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of basic concepts, syntax and control structures in programming.
2. Devise solutions to simple computing problems under specific requirements.
3. Encode the devised solutions into computer programs and test the programs on a computer.
4. Demonstrate understanding of standard coding conventions and ethical considerations in programming.    

Overview of Learning Activities

The learning activities included in this course are:

• Students are expected to read and listen to the relevant materials before the class.
• Key concepts will be demonstrated in lectures. Lecturer will also solve a number of problems while thinking aloud. Students will be spending the rest of the time solving programming problems, taking quizzes and doing class tests using their own laptops.
• Students are expected to bring their laptop to the lecture and may be required to submit their class tests and quizzes online.
• Tute-lab sessions focus on problem solving for specific requirements while providing hands-on practices on various programming tasks. Students will also do some programming tests during the tute-lab.   

A total of 120 hours of study is expected during this course, comprising:

Teacher-directed hours (48 hours): lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions. Each week there will be 2 hours of lecture plus 2 hours of tute-lab session (a combination of tutorial and laboratory session). You are encouraged to participate during lectures through asking questions and presenting solutions to in-class exercises. In tute-lab sessions, you will do hands-on programming exercises under the guidance of the tutor to consolidate your understanding of what you’ve learnt during lectures. 

Student-directed hours (72 hours): You are expected to study in a self-directed manner outside class. Whenever encountering problems, you can use discussion forums in the course Canvas to get timely help from the teaching team and/or your study peers.    

 

Overview of Learning Resources

Computer laboratories and relevant software will be provided by the School during tute-labs. However, you are required to bring a Wi-Fi enabled laptop to the lecture, which will be the primary means for the experiential learning used in this course. You will be able to access course information and learning materials through the Canvas learning management system. Lists of relevant reference texts, resources in the library and freely accessible Internet sites will be provided. 

Overview of Assessment

There are no hurdle requirements in this course.

Students will be advised at the start of the teaching period which schedule applies to their cohort. 

Schedule A

Assessment Task 1: Timed Programming Challenge
Weighting: 20%
Description: This is an in-class programming challenge. Each student will be given a set of coding tasks to complete with-in class. This programming challenge will be held in week 5.
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3

Assessment Task 2: Programming Project Assignment 1
Weighting: 40%
Description: Students are to develop a small program.
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4

Assessment Task 3: Programming Project Assignment 2
Weighting: 40%
Description: Students are to develop a small program.
This assessment supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4

Schedule B

Assessment Task 1 - Week 4 Programming Project
Weighting: 10%
Description: Write a program to meet requirements of a program specification demonstrating knowledge of good coding practices covered in specific class materials covered up to this academic week. Students will need to explain their implementation decision-making process. The submission will be made via Canvas.
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3

Assessment Task 2 - Week 8 Programming Project
Weighting: 20%
Description: Write a program to meet requirements of a program specification demonstrating knowledge of good coding practices covered in specific class materials covered up to this academic week. Students will need to explain their implementation decision-making process. The submission will be made via Canvas.
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4

Assessment Task 3 - Week 12 Programming Project
Weighting: 35%
Description: Write a program to meet requirements of a program specification demonstrating knowledge of good coding practices covered in specific class materials covered up to this academic week. Students will need to explain their implementation decision-making process. The submission will be made via Canvas.
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4

Assessment Task 4 - weekly Independent Investigative Effort
Weighting: 35%
Description: Follow steps in the specification sheet to complete smaller programming activities of the week with the help of the student's tutor. These will provide knowledge towards completing the major assessments. Marks will be awarded for demonstrating relevant engagement and investigative effort on the exercises.
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4