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Unit Outline: ITEC802 - Object Oriented Technology

Semester 2, 2011

Convenor: Gaurav Gupta
Email: gaurav.gupta@mq.edu.au
Phone: 9850-6346 (x6346 within the university)

About ITEC802

ITEC802 provides a hands-on journey through the process of object oriented software analysis, design and development. We place correctness and reusability as principal aims as we identify the core concepts of object oriented technology, with a focus on application development using Java. ITEC802 is not a just programming unit or just a design unit, it is both. Students passing this course will have strong programming abilities, equipping them for most of the programming required in later units. Students will also gain skill and experience in the software analysis and design process using UML.

Teaching Staff

As mentioned above

Classes

The lectures will be held on Mondays 6:00pm to 8:00pm in room E7B164 starting week 1. The practicals will take place in room E6A127 on Mondays 8:00pm to 10:00pm in E6A127 starting week 2. Access codes to the practical lab will be provided in the first lecture. For more details of days, times and rooms consult the timetables webpage.

Unit Webpage

The Unit webpage is located at http://www.comp.mq.edu.au/units/itec802. However, most of the learning material will be made available via iLearn. Students will be given usernames and passwords to access their iLearn accounts.

Recommended Text

1. Head First Design Patterns Elisabeth Freeman, Eric Freeman, Bert Bates & Kathy Sierra [2004]. O'Reilly Media, Inc. ISBN 0596007124.
2. Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, John Vlissides. Addison Wesley. ISBN: 9780201633610
3. Refactoring: Improving the design of existing code Martin Fowler. Addison Wesley. ISBN: 9780201485677
4. Applying UML and patterns Craig Larman. Prentice Hall PTR; 3 edition (October 30, 2004). ISBN-10: 0131489062
5. Thinking in Java Bruce Eckel [2002]. Prentice-Hall. AVailable for free from http://www.mindview.net/Books/TIJ/
6. UML 2.0 in a Nutshell Dan Pilone & Neil Pitman [2005]. O'Reilly Media, Inc.; 2nd ed. Edition. ISBN 0596007957.

Learning Outcomes

A student completing the unit should have:

• Ability to perform object oriented analysis & design;
• Knowledge of Design patterns and when to use them;
• Ability to draw UML diagrams and document them, and understand where they fit in the OO software development process;
• Ability to write object oriented programs in Java;
• Ability to design and program systems using design patterns;
• Ability to program with the Java API; and
• Ability to turn UML diagrams into Java code.

In addition to the discipline-based learning objectives, all academic programs at Macquarie seek to develop students' generic skills in a range of areas. One of the aims of this unit is that students develop their skills in the following:

• Foundation skills of information technology;
• Self-awareness and interpersonal skills;
• Communication skills;
• Critical analysis skills;
• Problem-solving skills;
• Creative thinking skills.

Teaching and Learning Strategy

ITEC802 is taught via lectures and practical sessions in the laboratory. Lectures are used to introduce new material, give examples of the use of analysis, design and programing methods and techniques and put them in a wider context. While lectures are largely one to many presentations, you are encouraged to ask questions of the lecturer to clarify anything you might not be sure of. We will also include lots of group break-out discussions during the lectures. You will be given problems to solve each week during the lecture and/or prac; solving these problems is important because it will allow you to discuss the problems effectively with your peers and the lecturer and maximise the feedback you get on your work. Practical classes give you an opportunity to practice your analysis, design and programming skills under the supervision of a practical demonstrator. Each week you will be given a number of problems to work on; it is important that you keep up with these problems as doing so will help you understand the material in the unit and prepare you for the work in assignments. Each week you should:

• Attend and participate in lectures.
• Attend the practical session, do as many of the practical problems as you can and seek feedback from the lecturer and your group.
• Read appropriate sections of the text, add to your notes and prepare questions for your lecturer and/or group.
• Prepare answers to next week's questions.
• Work on any assignments that have been released.

Lecture notes will be made available each week but these notes are intended as an outline of the lecture only and are not a substitute for your own notes or the textbook. The following weekly structure is an estimate only and there will be deviations during the semester.

Relationship between Assessments and Learning Outcomes

• Ability to perform object oriented analysis & design: Assessed in the group discussions, assignments and exam.
• Knowledge of Design patterns and when to use them: Assessed in the assignments and exam.
• Ability to draw UML diagrams and document them, understand where they fit in OO software development process: Assessed in the assignments and exam.
• Ability to write object oriented programs in Java: Assessed in the assignments and exam.
• Ability to design and program systems using design patterns: Assessed in the assignments.
• Ability to program with the Java API: Assessed in the assignments.
• Ability to turn UML diagrams into Java code: Assessed in the assignments.

Assessment Task List

Grading scheme for ITEC802 is as follows:

Pass: At least 40% in CA*, at least 40% in final exam and at least 50% overall

Credit: At least 60% in CA, at least 60% in final exam and at least 65% overall

Distinction: At least 75% in CA, at least 75% in final exam and at least 75% overall

High Distinction: At least 85% in CA, at least 85% in final exam and at least 85% overall

CA - continuous assessment (assignment 1 + assignment 2 + practicals)

All assignments should be handed in via the online iLearn system by the time specified in the assignment description. All work submitted should be readable and well presented. Late work will be accepted with a penalty of 10% of the marks for the assignment per day submitted late. Hence, an assignment submitted five days late will get at most half the marks. If you cannot submit on time because of illness or other circumstances, please contact the lecturer before the due date.

Examinations

The university examination period can be seen at http://www.handbook.mq.edu.au/PDFs/2008/ug-dates.pdf You are expected to present yourself for examination at the time and place designated in the University Examination Timetable. The timetable will be available in Draft form approximately eight weeks before the commencement of the examinations and in Final form approximately four weeks before the commencement of examinations. You are advised that it is Macquarie University policy not to set early examinations for individuals or groups of students. All students are expected to ensure that they are available until the end of the teaching semester, which is the final day of the official examination period. The only exception to not sitting an examination at the designated time is because of documented illness or unavoidable disruption. In these circumstances you may wish to consider applying for Special Consideration. Information about unavoidable disruption and the special consideration process is available on the web (PDF). If a Supplementary Examination is granted as a result of the Special Consideration process the examination will be scheduled after the conclusion of the official examination period. For details of the Special Consideration policy specific to the Department of Computing, see the Department's policy page.

Plagiarism

Please refer to the Department of Computing Plagiarism Policy for the definition of plagiarism, advice on avoiding it and the penalties in place if you are found to have submitted plagiarised work.

University Policy on Grading

Academic Senate has a set of guidelines on the distribution of grades across the range from fail to high distinction. Your final result will include one of these grades plus a standardised numerical grade (SNG). On occasion your raw mark for a unit (i.e., the total of your marks for each assessment item) may not be the same as the SNG which you receive. Under the Senate guidelines, results may be scaled to ensure that there is a degree of comparability across the university, so that units with the same past performances of their students should achieve similar results. It is important that you realise that the policy does not require that a minimum number of students are to be failed in any unit. In fact it does something like the opposite, in requiring examiners to explain their actions if more than 20% of students fail in a unit.

Student Support Services

Macquarie University provides a range of Academic Student Support Services. Details of these services can accessed at http://www.student.mq.edu.au. If you have exhausted all other avenues, then you should consult the Director of Teaching (Dr Steve Cassidy) or the Head of Department (Assoc. Prof. Bernard Mans). You are entitled to have your concerns raised, discussed and resolved.