Software development principles and practice using the programming language Visual Basic.net:

1. Introduction to a software development system e.g. Visual Basic.net
2. Introduction to program design, using a suitable notation e.g. Pseudo code.
3. Development of graphical user interfaces for programs
4. The use of control structures to determine the way in which a program will run.
5. Introduction to reliability, robustness, testing and documentation
6. The software development lifecycle.
7. Use of suitable techniques for the design of event-driven systems.
8. Use of the advanced features of an event driven language.
9. Interfacing to standard drivers for database access and retrieval.
10. Software testing techniques.

Lectures will provide students with a broad overview of the indicative content and demonstrations of good practice in a variety of topics. Learning support material will be provided using a web site VLE such as Blackboard. The practical nature of the module is covered by practical tutorials each week.
Normally one hour lecture and two one hour practical sessions per week.
(1:n) (1:25)2

Part A - logbook weighted at 40% assessing Learning Outcomes 1, 2 and 3.
Part B - Programming Task weighted at 40% assessing Learning Outcomes 1, 2 and 3.
Part C - 1 hour in class test weighted at 20% assessing Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4.

None.

Introduction to Programming using Visual Basic.Net, David Schneider, Prentice-Hall 2003, ISBN: 0131785869
Software Engineering - A Practitioner's Approach, Pressman, McGraw Hill, June 2004, ISBN: 0071238409
Visual Studio.Net online Help files
www.Microsoft.com

1 PC per student providing internet access and appropriate software eg Windows XP and Visual Studio.net 2003.