Synopsis for 04:547:202

Course description

The course introduces students to the principles of Object-Oriented Analysis, Design and Programming. The focus is on developing creative thinking for analyzing a problem domain and designing a solution, and on using an object-oriented programming language (Java seems the most appropriate at the moment) to implement it.

Objectives/Competencies

The student will:

Apply critical thinking to analyze the requirements of a simple application and build a model of the problem
Use the Unified Modeling Language (UML) and object-oriented design principles to develop a conceptual solution
Use the Java programming language to implement the designed solution
Use visual programming tools to sketch and build simple user interfaces
Apply testing and debugging to ensure the correctness and efficiency of the application

Topics

Introduction to programming and software engineering; object-oriented vs. procedural programming
Object-Oriented Analysis and Design
Java as a foreign language: syntax and grammar vs. conversation and language patterns
Classes – encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism
Programming concepts: variables and values, opearations, flow of control
Introduction to Graphical User Interface (GUI) design with Java
Deploying Java applets and applications

Class conduct

The class is a combination of lecture and lab:

new concepts are introduced and discussed based on a set of examples;
students try to solve a set of exercises; some of the solutions are discussed with the instructor;
students work on homework / coursework assigned by the instructor.

A number of classes will be used for revisions, tests, and assignment discussions.

We will follow the structure and content of the course textbook, staying with each topic until most students get it. If we move through the textook exceptionally fast, we'll spend some time using visual tools (Forte, Visual Studio) building graphical user interfaces (GUIs).

Advice.

Try to understand the concepts and principles of programming that underlie any good programs. Similarly to learning chess, get inspiration from good programs ! Study example programs and modify them. Practise !
Try not to fall behind ! As weeks pass, new concepts will be taught based on concepts discussed already in previous weeks.
This is a difficult course (the most difficult in the ITI program, according to student feedback). Plan to spend at least 5-8 hours per week outside class doing the readings and exercises.

Requirements.

You will do a lot of work based on the projects that come with the book on the CD, so you need to have the projects with you for every class. However, you will want to modify or expand the existing projects; therefore you will need to make a copy of the projects on writable media (jump-drive, floppy disk) or to work on the C: drive and FTP your files to eden (the network is occasionally down, so FTP-ing your files is not a reliable solution).

You will have a folder called 202 in your eden webspace (in public_html); you will upload there your projects, homeworks and, when instructed, assignments. You are responsible for setting the access permissions right, so that your work can be inspected.

You may be assigned a personal code for this course to protect your privacy when grades are posted and when you grade each other's work. Please keep it safe and do not share it with your colleagues.

Note. Don't mis-interpret the image. Food and drink are strictly not allowed in computer labs ! Also, the computer lab is not an Internet cafe; do not use email / chat software and do not surf the Web during class !

Out of politeness for your colleagues and I, please

turn off your mobile phones during class;
do not walk in and out of the lab during class, unless necessary;
do not talk among yourselves, unless asked to discuss an issue or to work together on a problem.

Grading

You will be graded based on assignments and, to a lesser extent, homeworks. The instructor may adjust the final grade according to the student's participation (not just presence) in class (positive or negative), and to extra-credit work.

You will occasionally be asked to grade each other's work. Each time you will be randomly allocated a colleague, whose work you need to evaluate; that person will not know that you are checking their work, unless you tell them. The instructors will randomly check the quality of your evaluation. This will count as class participation and it is also an occasion for you to train your attention and analytical skills.

Assignments

The assignments will attempt to test the students' understanding of object-oriented design principles and their practical skills in using these, as well as their creativity and problem-solving skills. Therefore, you will be allowed to consult the textbook, your lecture notes, your homework solutions, as well as any printed or online resources, in order to solve the assigned problems.

Note. The students will work and will be graded individually (although some discussion of the assignment requirements between students is acceptable). Please read carefully the University regulations on plagiarism and other forms of cheating.

Note. The assignments will have similarities (in terms of conceptual model) with projects discussed in the textbook and in class. Therefore, study these projects well and do your homework !

Grades

A numeric scale will be used for grading each assignment; this affords better granularity, and the possibility to compute a (weighted or not) average over the scores, and to include extra credits, class contribution, etc, into the final score. The final score will be rounded and coverted into one of the official grades on the scale F ... A.

Do not expect an A without outstanding assignment solutions and/or submission of optional extra-work and/or active class participation.

Read the ITI Student Handbook in order to be familiar with university rules and regulations.

Please read the University's Policy on Academic Integrity for Undergraduate and Graduate Students.