Course Title: Model preferred system solutions

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2010

Course Code: COSC5330C

Course Title: Model preferred system solutions

School: 650T TAFE Business

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5194 - Diploma of Information Technology (General)

Course Contact : Paul Lewis

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 1615

Course Contact Email:paul.lewis@rmit.edu.au

Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Course Contact: Chandra Nannegari (Co-ordinator)
Phone: (03) 9925 1657
Email: chandra.nannegari@rmit.edu.au

 

Course Contact: Michelle Edwards (Teacher)
Phone: (03) 9925 5936
Email: michelle.edwards@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 30

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

No Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

Course Description

 This unit defines the competency required to model a design for a small business system. This will involve refining the model according to client requirements. Students will learn how design and build a database for a small business Website.

National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:	ICAA5046A Model preferred system solutions
Element:	Build and test model
Performance Criteria:	1. Develop model based on existing architecture 2. Document details of model according to agreed project or organisational standards 3. Develop model according to project deliverables and acceptance criteria and within a determined timeframe and project constraints 4. Test model against the test plan 5. Document test data to ensure test procedures accurately and thoroughly validate performance of model
Element:	Ensure that the model represents a workable solution
Performance Criteria:	1. Ensure a consensus view of key IT stakeholders is represented in the model 2. Ensure the model is checked by key IT stakeholders to confirm common understanding of the model and the proposed solution 3. Submit the model to appropriate person for sign-off
Element:	Resolve conflicts and inconsistencies
Performance Criteria:	1. Identify missed opportunities arising from previous and current model development 2. Identify bottlenecks, overlooked functionalities and other issues and resolve with client input as required
Element:	Review and confirm requirements information and any existing models
Performance Criteria:	1. Review requirements information and clarify areas that are not understood 2. Identify organisational standards for developing models, and check the model development method for consistency with organisational goals 3. Identify assumptions and incorporate into modelling process 4. Identify goals and resolve into tasks required to be performed to obtain the goals 5. Define internal tasks needed to perform identified goals

Learning Outcomes

Details of Learning Activities

Learning activities will include laboratory-based sessions on a variety of topics as shown in the Teaching Schedule below. Learning activities will  generally consist of practical computer exercises based on teacher handouts. Students should attend all sessions.

Students will also be expected to undertake work on a small database project and other activities for homework.

All Competency Elements *
All elements for this competency (elements 1 – 4) are covered each week.

Teaching Schedule

The total number of scheduled hours of teaching, learning and assessment involved in this course includes all planned activities including face to face classes, lectures, workshops and seminars; workplace visits, online learning and other forms of structured teaching and learning. The total scheduled hours also covers the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including observation of work performance, discussions with supervisors and others providing third party evidence and one on one and group assessment sessions with students.
Week - Beginning Monday	Topics / Learning Activities	AssessmentTasks / Elements Covered *
Week 1 – 8th Feb	Course introduction & overview. Database concepts. Single table databases.
Week 2 – 15th Feb	Primary keys & AutoNumber in Access. Web forms & database tables.	Project teams & topics selected
Week 3 – 22nd Feb	Business requirements. Intro to ERD’s. 1:M relationships & foreign keys.	Initial project specifications handed out
Week 4 – 1st Mar	More on ERD’s. M:N relationships & bridging tables.	Project Proposal due
Week 5 – 8th Mar	Referential integrity. Data entry for 1:M and M:N relationships
Week 6 – 15th Mar	Building up more complex ERD’s	Project Stage 1 due. Feedback on Stage 1
Week 7 – 22nd Mar	ERD’s & dependencies
Week 8 – 29th Apr	Redundancy, dependencies & normalisation	Project Stage 2 due. Feedback on Stage 2
VACATION	MID SEMESTER (EASTER) BREAK - 1st to 7th March
Week 8 – 5th Apr	Redundancy, dependencies & normalisation	Project Stage 2 due. Feedback on Stage 2
Week 9 – 12th Apr	Review of normalisation
Week 10 – 19th Apr	Data dictionaries. Database design improvements
Week 11 – 27th Apr	Intro to basic SQL including functions	Project Stage 3 due. Feedback on Stage 3
Week 12 – 3rd May	Two-table queries in SQL. Table aliases
Week 13 – 10th May	Action queries in SQL	Project Stage 4 due. Feedback on Stage 4
Week 14 – 17th May	Class work on project including SQL queries
Week 15 – 24th May	Final project due. Revision for final test	Final project due
Week 16 – 31st May	Final Graded Test conducted
Week 17 – 7th Jun	Location, time & date to be advised
Week 18 – 14th Jun	Course review. Assessment feedback

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

There is no prescribed textbook for this course.

References

Pratt, P & Adamski, J (2008), Concepts of Database Management, 6th edn, Thomson Course Technology	1423901479
McFadden, F & Hoffer, J (2008), Modern Database Management, 9th edn, Prentice Hall Publishing Company	0136003915

Other Resources

Students may also refer to various Websites (as indicated their teacher).

Overview of Assessment

Assessment may incorporate a variety of methods including technical requirements documentation, homework, assignments, group and/or individual projects, and in class exercises, written tests, practical problem solving exercises, presentations, practical tests and a final exam.
Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met. Students will be provided with feedback throughout the course to check their progress.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task – Week Due	Assessment Task Description	Percentage or Grade Allocated
Project Proposal - Due Week 4	Initial draft of proposal outlining business operations, business rules & project requirements.	CA/NYC
Project Stage 1 - Due Week 6	Initial draft of Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) created in VISIO.	CA/NYC
Project Stage 2 - Due Week 8	Database with Relationships created in Access. Some sample data inserted into tables.	CA/NYC
Project Stage 3 - Due Week 11	Relationships in Access updated with tables fully normalised. Data dictionary finalised.	CA/NYC
Project Stage 4 - Due  Week 13	Data entry completed. SQL quries as specified	CA/NYC
Final Project - Due Week 15	Final version of project, including fully-updated documents for all of the above. Refer to breakdown of percentages below.	70%
Final Graded Test	This will be an in-lab practical assessment. Students will be required to work on Access databases. Questions will also cover theoretical aspects.	30%

Assessment Matrix

ICAA5046B – Model preferred systems solutions	Project Proposal 10%	Entity Relationship  Diagram 10%	Access Relationships 20%	Data Dictionary & Data Entry 15%	Required SQL Queries 15%	Final Graded Test 30%
Element 1: Review and confirm requirements information and any existing models	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Element 2:  Resolve conflicts and inconsistencies			Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Element 3:  Build and test model		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Element 4:  Ensure that the model represents a workable solution	Yes			Yes	Yes	Yes

Other Information

Competency Requirements and Grading Information

To be deemed competent students must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of this competency. Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over multiple tasks.

Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
All assessments for this course must be completed in order to achieve a CA (Competency Achieved) award.

Each competency-based assessment task will also carry a numerical weighting to be used for grading purposes. The grade applied will only be awarded if a CA has been achieved in all compulsory assessment tasks.

If a student has been assessed as NYC (Not Yet Competent) in any of the assessment tasks, the weighting will carry no value until the student has obtained a CA. If a CA is achieved on re-assessment, a maximum mark of 50% of the original weighting will be granted for that assessment.

Reassessments will only be granted to students who were either unsuccessful in the first attempt, or have an approved application for special consideration.

A final examination worth 30% will be offered to students who have achieved CA.

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In adherence with RMIT’s commitment to sustainability, course teachers will seek to incorporate environmental concerns in the facilitation of this course. These include, but are not limited to:

•  Conserving natural resources
•  Using recycled materials wherever possible
•  Minimising pollution
•  Applying energy savings measures
•  Reducing waste

Students are encouraged to identify and follow environmental and resource efficient ways of working whilst studying this course.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview