ITSE 2317 - STRUCTURED PROGRAMMING IN JAVA

PALO ALTO COLLEGE SYLLABUS

 
PART 1: COURSE GOALS AND METHODS

COURSE NUMBER: ITSE 2317 (3 credit hours with an embedded 1 hour lab)

COURSE TITLE: Structured Programming in JAVA

PREREQUISITE: COSC1300 or COSC1301. Recommended: COSC 1318 or COSC1315

CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
Introduction to JAVA programming with object-orientation. Emphasis on the fundamental syntax and semantics of JAVA for applications and web applets.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The primary goal of this course is to develop in the student an understanding of fundamental programming logic and programming techniques. The JAVA programming language will be used as the medium in which the student will express these techniques. A second goal , therefore is for the student to learn JAVA at the elementary level and be able to express his/her programming logic in that language. A third goal is for him/her to attain enough familiarity with the specific hardware and software environment in our labs so that he/she can successfully edit and test programs on a real machine. Finally, the student will learn to write appropriate program documentation.

STUDENT COMPETENCIES:
As per Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, if an accommodation is needed, contact Services to Special Populations Coordinator in Palomino Center Room 119 or call 210-921-5287.

If the goals of the course are achieved, the student should be able to exhibit the following competencies :

1. The student should be able to explain the meaning and use of such elementary programming techniques as sequential output, sequential input, data transfer, computation, looping, conditional branching and arrays; together with fundamental algorithms such as counting, accumulating, array traversal search and sorting.
2. The student should be able to explain the use of JAVA statements needed to accomplishing all of the above; together with making use of structured aspects of JAVA language.
3. The student should be able to write complete working JAVA programs, with appropriate documentation, incorporating the techniques that he/she has learned.

METHODS OF ASSESSMENT:
For purposes of formally assessing and recording the student's level of success in the above competencies, examinations will be given and various assignments will be made. Other factors may also influence the course grade, as explained below. There will be unit exams at intervals through the semester (each covering some unit of the course material), as well as a final exam during finals week. The number of unit exams given, amount of material covered in each, type or types of questions employed on exams, number of assignments made, and type of assignments made, are at the individual instructor's discretion (some departmental restrictions may apply). Note: for this course, some use of hands-on testing is suggested. See Part II of this syllabus for details.

EVALUATION:
The evaluation of individual graded items is at the discretion of the instructor. (The only departmental requirement is that every grade the student receives must be based on the familiar scale of 0 to 100, unless the instructor explains some different system on part II of the syllabus.) The weighing of various graded items in the final course grade, however, is done according to a policy developed by the instructor within certain limits imposed by college and department regulations. The instructor must publish his/her policy on Part II of this syllabus so determination of a grade equivalent may be determined; please consult that section for details. Part II must also include the following: instructor's name, office hours, phone number, classroom number, class meeting time, course requirements, and textbook used. The following department and college regulations for ITSE 2317 are published here for reference:

1. Category 1: Assignments (prepared out-of-class) 30-50%
Restriction: Not less than 20% hands-on computer assignments.

2. Category 2: In-class examinations and/or participation 30 - 50%
Restriction: Not more than 15% unannounced quizzes.

3. Category 3: Final examination (at least partially comprehensive): 15-25%

Within this framework, the individual instructor will determine what weight each factor is to receive. Please notice that "assignment", as in Category I above, ordinarily means something prepared outside of class. If lab scheduling permits ITSE 2317 to meet in the lab room, then a limited amount of class time may be used, at the instructor's discretion, to allow the student to work on assignments. However, the student should plan to do the assignments primarily on his/her own time. The college will schedule open lab hours in order to facilitate this.

GRADING SCALE:
The grading scale used to determine the course letter grade will be the traditional one. Thus:

90 - 100 A
80 - 89 B
70 - 79 C
60 - 69 D
0 - 59 F