FIT1008 is a core unit in the Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS) and the Bachelor of Software Engineering (BSE). It was introduced as part of the faculty restructure for 2006. Previously these degrees had a core unit CSE1303. FIT1008 is based on the late CSE1303 but has been substantially revised due to changes in the pre-requisite units and other core units in the degrees. In particular, it replaces some Computer Systems material now taught in the code FIT1001 with new OO material previously in CSE2305.

18/05/2021 - Admin: Adding reasons for change. Currently this unit has 7 teaching hours due to the amount of content covered and the number of assignments required in this unit. The workload is too high for both the students and the teaching team. Moving forward, the idea is to combine the tutorial and laboratory in long term and reduce the number of weekly tests required in this unit. For Semester 2, 2021 it is proposed to run 6 hours of classes (2hr workshop, 2 hr tutorial and 2 hr laboratory) and then decrease the number of teaching hours further in Semester 2, 2022.

18/02/2021: increased workshop hours from 1 to 2 following student feedback. Removed Mid-Semester Test to decrease student and staff workload.

25/09/2020 Admin: Update to include new assessment and teaching approach fields as per Handbook requirements.

16/09/2020 Admin - Update to include new assessment and teaching approach fields as per Handbook requirements.

29/6/2020: Under "Workload Requirements". The lecture is flipped and prepared by students at home. We have one 1-hour workshop with new activities instead. To not lose too much contact hours, we increase the tutorials to two hours. To not increase the workload, we will not ask students to prepare tutorials any longer.

19/9/2019: Admin - update exam duration to include additional 10 minutes as per new University requirement.

04/02/2019: Admin - adding reasons for change. Update to hurdle requirements.

28/26/2018: Admin - updating assessment to remove the 30 minutes reading and noting time and request a 3 hour exam on behalf of the CE.

30/11/2017 - Updating prerequisites to include the new programming unit.

4/1/2017: Updated examination to 2 hours plus 30 minutes reading/noting time as requested by Julian Garcia with new assessment procedures for 20167. Effective S1 2017.

5/12/2016: Admin - updated learning outcome 1 following feedback from UGPC Chair - approved by CE via email.

01/11/2016: Admin - adding Reasons for Change - CE updated workload requirements for timetabling and modified the learning outcomes. Effective Semester 1, 2017.

23/06/2016: update to learning outcomes and changing the assessment % to better reflect the content.

SEPT 2015: This unit has been updated as part of the new BCS degree being introduced in 2016.

13/04/15 - The UnitObjectives/Objectives have been made simpler. This should make the mapping of the outcomes to the assessment outcomes and graduate attributes easier.

5/2/15 - Updated to reflect the current offering.

19/05/14 - Added FIT2085 (new 2nd year version of FIT1008 for BSc students completing a computational science major) as prohibition. For 2015 implementation.

14/05/14 - Admin update: minor change to learning outcomes (as approved by ADE).

15/11/13 - Learning outcomes updated.

Sem 2 2013: The language has been changed to Python. OO pars have been eliminated (objects and classes still used but without inheritance; could be done through modules rather than classes)

March 2013: Added ECE2071 as an alternative prerequisite to FIT1040 for 2013 for students enrolled in the Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering (who complete ECE2071 instead of FIT1040 in first year).

September 2012: Added FIT1040 as an alternative prerequisite to FIT1002 for 2013. Approved by CE (Graham Farr) via email 5/09/2012.

Feb 2012: added hurdles (which have been applied since 2006 but somehow where not included in Monatar).

Feb 2011: removed FIT2034 from prohibitions after discussions with CE where it was determined that cross-over was approx 50%.

This unit has been updated as part of a 2009 review and comparison of data with current Handbook, Syllabus + and Callista data.

This is a core unit in the BCS and BSE degrees at the Clayton campus.

From S2 2016 offering: This is a core unit in the BCS degree. It builds on the introduction to algorithms and programming begun in BCS core unit FIT1045. Its most important role is to introduce major themes from the discipline of computer science, namely, Algorithms and Data Structures. This selection of topics allows students to understand how problem solving in computer science involves different levels of abstraction, from high-level algorithms and programming down to the machine level. It gives the students practice in various aspects of problem solving, including developing, applying and implementing simple algorithms and data structures, and encourages them to reason about their properties. Finally, it uses the Python programming language to implement the aforementioned algorithms.

For S1 2016 offering and earlier: It builds on the introduction to computer programming begun in the faculty core unit FIT1040 Programming Fundamentals. Its' most important role is to introduce some major themes from the discipline of computer science, namely, Algorithms and Data Structures. This selection of topics allows students to understand how problem solving in computer science involves different levels of abstraction, from high-level algorithms and programming down to the machine level. It gives the students practice in various aspects of problem solving, including developing, applying and implementing simple algorithms and data structures, and encourages them to reason about their properties. Finally, it uses the Python programming language to implement the aforementioned algorithms.

The unit is related to FIT1029 Algorithmic Problem Solving in that it looks at some of the algorithms already discussed in FIT1029 at the level of pseudocode. FIT1008 gives more depth to these algorithms by going from pseudocode to actual code, reasoning about different alternative approaches and possible optimisations, and determining time complexity in more detail.

At the completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. translate simple problem statements into algorithms, implement them in a high level programming language and test them.
2. summarise and compare the properties of basic abstract data types such as stacks, queues, lists, trees, priority queues, heaps and hash tables.
3. evaluate different algorithms and implementations of basic abstract data types.
4. analyse algorithms by determining their best case and worst case big O time complexity.
5. deconstruct simple high-level code into assembly code such as MIPS R2000.

020109

This unit introduces students to core problem-solving, analytical skills, and methodologies useful for developing flexible, robust, and maintainable software. It covers a range of conceptual levels, from high-level algorithms and data-structures, down to the machine models and simple assembly language programming. Topics include data types; data structures; algorithms; algorithmic complexity; recursion and translation to assembly language.

Recommended resources

Technological requirements

On-campus

Lecture and/or tutorials or laboratory classes This teaching and learning approach helps students first encounter the information at lectures, discuss and explore them at length during tutorials, tests them via quizzes, and enables them to practice in a hands-on environment during laboratories.

Peer assisted learning We use peer assisted learning during the lectures by asking questions about the material and holding short discussions among peers. A web-browser will be used to gather some of the students answers in a quick and anonymous way.

We also use peer assisted learning during code review pracs, which contain a face-to-face group activity where students in each group compare and discuss solutions to one of the problems solved during the prac.

Examination (3 hours and 10 minutes): 60%; In-semester assessment: 40%.

Justification: a longer exam (3 hours) is needed given the amount of material in FIT1008 as it has 3 hours of lectures a week and more time is needed in the exam to assess the students knowledge.

1. Interview Pracs - 26% - ULO: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
2. Solo/Colab Pracs - 14% - ULO: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
3. Examination - 60% - ULO: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:

(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:

(b.) Additional requirements (all students):

Laboratories must follow tutorials. The workshop(s) in Sunway follow those in Clayton (day after or a few hours after).

FIT

((One of FIT1040, ECE2071, FIT1002) and FIT1029) or FIT1045 or FIT1053