Overview
In this unit, you will apply computational thinking to develop fundamental algorithms for specified problems and implement them using Python. It is assumed that you have little or no programming experience. You will apply problem-solving techniques such as decomposition and abstraction. You will learn about the parts of a program, including variables, types, control structures and methods. A key aspect of this unit is practical, hands-on development and testing, which you will do in an industry standard Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Anti-requisite: COIT29222 Programming Principles.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Unit coordinator reflection.
Attendance particularly in lectures has been poor.
Possibly automate attendance recording in large lectures. Contact students with poor attendance and identify them as being at risk.
Feedback from Unit coordinator reflection.
Academic misconduct has been a problem especially collusion.
Continue to educate students on the consequences of academic misconduct. Possibly employ third party software to detect such breaches. With such a large cohort it would be difficult to individualise the various assessment items.
Feedback from Student feedback.
Some students find the unit's advanced level challenging, particularly when Java is used as the primary programming language, which may not align with the interests of all students in future programming pursuits.
Consider introducing Python as the primary teaching tool, as it could provide a more approachable and engaging experience for students navigating the complexities of an introductory unit with advanced content in Java.
Feedback from Student feedback.
Students are happy with the teaching staff.
Continue employing experienced and dedicated teaching staff.
- Implement, document and refactor functions that use Python's syntax, data representations, scope rules, and procedural concepts including iterations and conditionals
- Devise algorithms using computational thinking techniques (decomposition and abstraction) and communicate algorithms (oral and written)
- Use industry tools to efficiently and ethically develop quality applications (Integrated Development Environment (IDE), debugger, linter, Generative AI and version control)
- Demonstrate secure coding practices (variable typing and scoping, testing and input validation)
- Develop modules that implement standard algorithms (searching, sorting), process hierarchical data (JSON), and adhere to design principles (coupling and cohesion) and construct applications that use modules and Python libraries.
The Australian Computer Society (ACS), the professional association for Australia's ICT sector, recognises the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). SFIA is adopted by organisations, governments, and individuals in many countries and provides a widely used and consistent definition of ICT skills. SFIA is increasingly being used when developing job descriptions and role profiles. ACS members can use the tool MySFIA to build a skills profile.
This unit contributes to the following workplace skills as defined by SFIA 8 (the SFIA code is included):
- Programming/Software Development (PROG)
- Testing (TEST)
- Methods and tools (METL)
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 30% | |||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 30% | |||||
| 3 - In-class Test(s) - 40% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | |||||
| 2 - Communication | |||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||||
| 4 - Research | |||||
| 5 - Self-management | |||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||||
| 7 - Leadership | |||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Textbooks
Python for Everybody: Exploring Data in Python 3
(2016)
Authors: Charles Russell Severance
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 978-1530051120
Additional Textbook Information
A free interactive version of the textbook is made available to students at https://books.trinket.io/pfe/index.html
An updated version of the textbook in PDF, with examples for Python 3.12, is made available to students at https://do1.dr-chuck.com/pythonlearn/EN_us/pythonlearn.pdf
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Visual Studio Code (latest version)
- JDK 21 (available from https://www.oracle.com/java/technologies/downloads or https://jdk.java.net/21/)
- Apache NetBeans IDE 20 (https://netbeans.apache.org/download/index.html)
- Python PyPI (pip) packages including black, pylint and requests
- Python 3.10 (or higher)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
w.kwan@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
1 Introduction & Programming Concepts
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
2 Python Fundamentals, e.g. Variables, If, For, Functions and Lists
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
3 Map, Filter, Else, Methods, Not
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
A1 Quiz 1 Conditionals…(6%)
Module/Topic
4 Dictionaries & Modules
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
A1 Quiz 2 Map…(6%)
Module/Topic
5 Nesting
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
A1 Quiz 3 Dictionaries… (6%)
Module/Topic
No classes
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
6 Algorithms
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
A1 Quiz 4 Nesting (6%)
Module/Topic
7 Requests and IDEs
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
A1 Quiz 5 Algorithms (6%)
Module/Topic
8 Mutability, e.g. modifying lists
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
9 Sorting
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
10 Files and Design
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
A2 Project (30%)
Module/Topic
11 From Python to Java (Part 1)
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
12 From Python to Java (Part 2)
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
In-Class Test
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
A3 In-class Test (40%)
In-class test will be run for all students on Wednesday 9 October, 2024, morning from 9-12. On-campus students will be required to attend on their campus on that day to complete the test in class. Online (Distance) students will be required to undertake the test at the same time under supervised conditions. Additional details will be provided before the test.
You must achieve 25% in the test to pass the unit.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Unit coordinator is Associate Professor Paul Kwan (w.kwan@cqu.edu.au). Contact best by email.
1 Practical Assessment
There are five quizzes. You will be assessed on key concepts in programming such as variables, types, control structures and methods. You will apply fundamental algorithms for specified problems and implement them using Python.
Weeks 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
Immediate feedback
This assessment consists of small programming activities. Each question will be marked on aspects such as functionality, coding style, documentation of code and testing, error handling, no use of banned language features, variable naming, code reuse and referencing.
- Implement, document and refactor functions that use Python's syntax, data representations, scope rules, and procedural concepts including iterations and conditionals
- Devise algorithms using computational thinking techniques (decomposition and abstraction) and communicate algorithms (oral and written)
- Use industry tools to efficiently and ethically develop quality applications (Integrated Development Environment (IDE), debugger, linter, Generative AI and version control)
- Demonstrate secure coding practices (variable typing and scoping, testing and input validation)
2 Portfolio
You will develop a Python application using the language features covered throughout the term. Your application will be modular. As an example, you might be asked to create wrapper modules for a web service. For the application, it will need to safely request and validate data from the web services and then analyse and report the data retrieved.
You must complete the project alone or in groups of 2 or 3 people. You will be responsible for creating your own groups. All group members must be identified in the groupwork artefacts. Evidence must be provided that all group members contributed adequately to the final submissions. All group members must submit via the unit website. The moderation process might allocate group members different marks. Sharing of artefacts, for example, code, between groups is not permitted.
Week 10
Feedback will be provided within 2 weeks of the due date.
You will be marked on aspects such as evidence of contribution to your group, functionality, coding style, quality of test plan, documentation of code and testing, ease of use, error handling, no use of banned language features, variable naming, code reuse and referencing, etc.
- Implement, document and refactor functions that use Python's syntax, data representations, scope rules, and procedural concepts including iterations and conditionals
- Devise algorithms using computational thinking techniques (decomposition and abstraction) and communicate algorithms (oral and written)
- Use industry tools to efficiently and ethically develop quality applications (Integrated Development Environment (IDE), debugger, linter, Generative AI and version control)
- Demonstrate secure coding practices (variable typing and scoping, testing and input validation)
- Develop modules that implement standard algorithms (searching, sorting), process hierarchical data (JSON), and adhere to design principles (coupling and cohesion) and construct applications that use modules and Python libraries.
3 In-class Test(s)
In-class test will be run for all students on Wednesday 9 October, 2024, morning from 9-12. On-campus students will be required to attend on their campus on that day to complete the test in class. Online (Distance) students will be required to undertake the test at the same time under supervised conditions. Additional details will be provided before the test. You must achieve 25% in the test to pass the unit.
The test is closed book. No calculators or phones are permitted. You must bring your student card for identification. Distance students must organise their own exam including the location, computer resources and supervisor who will be vetted by the unit coordinator.
In-class test on Wednesday 9 October, 2024
Feedback will be returned on the Certification of Grades day.
This assessment consists of activities such as programming, documentation and testing. Each question will be marked on aspects such as functionality, coding style, documentation of code and testing, error handling, no use of banned language features, variable naming, code reuse and referencing.
- Implement, document and refactor functions that use Python's syntax, data representations, scope rules, and procedural concepts including iterations and conditionals
- Devise algorithms using computational thinking techniques (decomposition and abstraction) and communicate algorithms (oral and written)
- Demonstrate secure coding practices (variable typing and scoping, testing and input validation)
- Develop modules that implement standard algorithms (searching, sorting), process hierarchical data (JSON), and adhere to design principles (coupling and cohesion) and construct applications that use modules and Python libraries.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
