Certificate in IT Syllabus
Software Development
Rationale:
Programming, using many styles and languages, provides solutions to a wide variety of
scientific, engineering and business problems. Programming is a core skill that will be
used throughout a computer practitioner’s career. It is a skill acquired largely by
practice and experience. Learning how to program requires a disciplined and structured
approach in order to encourage good practice and to assist in the development of
easily maintained systems. This module introduces candidates to the fundamental
concepts of programming with the emphasis being laid on the whole of the software
development process.
Aims:
To stress the importance of good design, documentation and usability
To emphasise skills in problem solving and algorithm specification rather than
just writing syntactically correct code
To introduce a systematic approach to algorithm development which will assist in
subsequent programming and system design modules
To introduce candidates to the environment in which software is developed and
to the tools that assist in this process
Objectives:
Distinguish between systems software and application software
Understand the phases of software development
Be able to develop and understand algorithms
Be able to develop code from algorithms in a visual or 3rd generation high level
programming language
Be able to follow 3rd generation high level code and apply modifications to it
Develop competence in the techniques of systematic problem analysis, program
construction and documentation
Gain an understanding of the basic concepts of good user-interface design
Be able to test and document programs
Gain an understanding of the principles of multiple module program construction
Understand the need for compilers, interpreters, code generators
Develop a knowledge and understanding of a range of fundamental algorithms
Prior Knowledge Expected:
None
Content:
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF THE PROGRAMMING PROCESS
Concept of an algorithm
Development and semi-formal specification of algorithms, based on a simplified
computer model
Development of code from an algorithm
PHASE-SPECIFIC ISSUES OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
Development techniques such as modular programming, defensive programming or
recursion
Approaches to software build, such as evolutionary prototyping or 4GL development
Objectives and principles of testing and test-case specification
Testing and debugging strategies including dry-running, white-box and black-box
Styles of software documentation, such as for users or support personnel
Content of software documentation such as GUI descriptions or maintenance details
INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING CONCEPTS
Types: numeric and non-numeric, elementary and derived, subtypes, and expressions
such as assignments, input/output
Control structures: selection and iteration
Subprograms: procedures and functions
Data structures: Arrays (1- and 2-dimensions), implementation of queues, stacks and
lists.
Concept of data abstraction
Sorting and searching algorithms: comparative effectiveness with respect to
computation and storage of scanning versus indexing methods
FILES: SEQUENTIAL, INDEX-SEQUENTIAL AND RANDOM ACCESS
Comparative effectiveness of storage and retrieval for applications such as batch
processing or on-line query or both
INTRODUCTION TO CONCEPT OF USER-INTERFACE DESIGN
User requirements and characteristics of user interfaces; principles and techniques of
dialogue control, navigation and selection
ROLE AND NEED FOR SYSTEM SOFTWARE
System software and its relation to application software
CASE STUDIES IN PROBLEM SOLVING/ALGORITHM ANALYSIS
Primary Texts:
Lesley Anne Robertson, Simple Program Design: A Step-By-Step Approach, Course
Technology Inc (5th Ed), 2006, ISBN: 1423901320
Not specific to any programming language or indeed to any single design method.
Quite simple approach. Uses pseudocode, flowcharts and Nassi-Schneiderman charts
(not widely used)
Bell, D. Software Engineering for Students: A Programming Approach, Addison Wesley
(4th Ed), 2005, ISBN: 0321261275
Recommended for reading more about software engineering and structured design
concepts in programming
Indicative Programming Texts:
Java Texts:
Goodrich, Michael, T, Tamassia, R., Data Structures & Algorithms in Java, John Wiley
and Sons, 2005, ISBN: 0471738840
Horstmann, C.S., Java Concepts 6/E for Java 7 and 8 International Student Version,
Wiley, 2010, ISBN: 978-0-470-56159-1
Deitel, H., Deitel, P Java How to Program, Pearson (8th Ed), 2010, ISBN: 0131364839
C/C++ Texts:
Savitch, W., Problem solving with C++, Pearson (7th Ed), 2009, ISBN: 0321549406
Uses object-oriented ideas with the software life cycle.
Gottried, B.S., Schaum’s Outline of Programming with C, McGraw-Hill, 1996, ISBN:
0070240353
Visual Basic Text:
McMillan, M., Data Structure & Algorithms Using VisualBasic.NET, Cambridge
University Press, 2005, ISBN: 0521547652
Schneider, D.I., Introduction to Programming Using Visual Basic 2008, Pearson (7th
Ed), 2009, ISBN: 0138149437
Pascal:
Findlay, W., & Watt, D., PASCAL, An Introduction to Methodical Programming, Taylor &
Francis (3rd Ed), ISBN: 0273021885
Although old and reliable, at the right level SECTION 4
Other Reading:
Other textbooks that describe introductory programming will be appropriate. The
computer trade press and the computing/IT supplements of newspapers will help to
give candidates both an understanding of the scope of the discipline and also introduce
new developments in the field.
