Prior Study of Software Fundamentals (COCS40732) and Computer Systems Development (COCS40728)

You will need access to these resources:

The VLE
An ICT Workplace environment. A Work-Based Learning Agreement will be completed for this module to ensure that the student will have access to the required resources in the workplace.

The Internet and office software
Staffordshire University has subscriptions to electronic book services such as Safari Tech Books, Ebrary and Netlibrary. There are titles in each of the collections that will support students studying this module.

Visual Studio
Modelling tool such as ArgoUML or Microsoft Visio

Module Launch (30 hours)
There will be a module launch during which 10 hours of face to face contact will be devoted to undertaking tasks which are designed to provide useful insights into the module content and purpose.

Guided Learning (22 hours)
A module tutor who is part of the teaching team of the module will be allocated to you and you will meet them during the launch. Following the launch, there will be some materials on the VLE which are designed to guide your learning. Additionally, there will be at least two hour long sessions per week of contact time for the eleven weeks following the launch. This will be used for learning guided led by your module tutor. It will be a face to face presentation if you are on day release. For online learners it will be flipped classroom approach with group (up to 20) seminars.

Reviews:
• Tutorial reviews for online learners (1 hour per student)
Online learners will have 2 tutorial sessions with their module tutor during the course of the module. These will be individual or small group sessions during which your module tutor will be able to answer any queries that you have regarding module work. The review weeks are listed in the module handbook and mentors will be invited to join the call and provide feedback.

• Tutorial sessions for day release learners (at least 1 hour per student)
There will scheduled tutorial sessions (up to 20 students) during the 11 weeks following the launch which will take the place of the tutorial reviews for day release students

Independent learning (247 hours)
The module leader will provide resources through the virtual learning environment which will include videos and presentations as well as links to useful websites. Other academic learning will be achieved through reading around the subject area. Module tutors will suggest useful texts, though many others will be suitable and can be found in our e-library. If you require help understanding any of the concepts, you may contact your module tutor for assistance.

Part of your independent learning will take place in your workplace under the guidance of your mentor. You will complete a work-based learning agreement to ensure that arrangements are in place at your workplace to facilitate this work-based learning. You are encouraged to endeavour to apply your growing academic knowledge to improve your work practice and to reflect on your work-based experiences to improve your learning.

You will be required to complete assignment work during independent learning time. Assignment work for a 30 credit module at level 5 should take around 120 hours to complete

Additional help with learning
You will have access to the departmental librarian. As a student, you are more than welcome to visit the university at any time and to use the resources. During time at the university, you may arrange to meet your module tutor or academic coach for additional help.

Design patterns, including how to model them with UML:
• Delegation vs. inheritance
• O-O design patterns
• GOF type - managing behaviour
• Other O-O patterns to include
o DAO, grasp, singleton, bridge, template method, factory method, composite, visitor, command, strategy, chain of responsibility adapter, proxy, decorator

Applying patterns to application domains - refactoring
Data source patterns - decoupling applications from databases

Two pieces of Coursework

Assignment 1
Weighted at 50% meeting learning outcomes 1,3 ,4
Working on your own, use the USDP and the UML to design a solution to a specified problem. Implement and test your solution. Write a brief report (1000 words) critically evaluating the quality of your solution.

Assignment 2
Weighted at 50% meeting learning outcomes 2,3
You will be given the design and code for a software solution to a specified problem. Working on your own, select and apply a range of design patterns to the software solution. This will include: using the UML to design amendments; refactoring the code to apply the planned changes; testing the refactored code.

KAK, C. (2014) Designing: with Objects : Object-Oriented Design Patterns Explained with Stories from Harry Potter, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated ISBN: 9781118581209 eBook ISBN: 9781118903421

BOOCH, G.; RUMBAUGH, J.; JACOBSON, I. (2005), The Unified Modelling Language User Guide, 2nd ed., Addison-Wesley, ISBN: 978-0321267979

1. FOLLOW A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO DESIGN, IMPLEMENT AND DOCUMENT OBJECT-ORIENTED SOLUTIONS TO SPECIFIED PROBLEMS.
Application
Communication
Problem Solving

2. SELECT AND APPLY, WITH JUSTIFICATION, A RANGE OF DESIGN PATTERNS FOR USE IN SOLVING SPECIFIED PROBLEMS.
Analysis
Knowledge & Understanding

3. APPLY DIFFERENT TESTING TECHNIQUES TO ENSURE THAT FUNCTIONAL AND NON-FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET.
Application

4. CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE QUALITY OF A SOLUTION TO A SPECIFIED PROBLEM.
Analysis
Reflection
Communication