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Course Handbook
BSc Web Design and
Development
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Contents
Contents ... 2
Welcome to Adam Smith College ... 3
Information about your course ... 3
Your Curriculum Head ... 4
Your attendance at college and part-time employment ... 4
Your learning ... 5
The aims of your course ... 6
The structure of your course ... 7
The content of your course ... 7
Cheating and plagiarism ... 15
Support for your learning ... 16
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Welcome to Adam Smith College
This is the Course Handbook for the BSc Web Design and Development. On behalf of the Course Team I would like to warmly welcome you to Adam Smith College. We feel sure that you will enjoy your time spent here.
To help you make the most of your time at College and to familiarise you with your course we have produced this course handbook. In here you will find information about the structure of your course, the teaching and learning styles used and the ways in which your work will be assessed and graded.
There is a considerable amount of information contained in this handbook, some of which will be of greater relevance to you as you work through the course than it is at the start of your studies in the College. However, we recommend that you read this Course Handbook through carefully now, then keep it safely - you will need to use it through your course.
We hope you will find the handbook a useful guide to your course and wish you every success in your studies.
Mark McPhee
Curriculum Head: BSc Web Design and Development
Information about your course
Your course is: BSc Web Design and Development Your Curriculum Head is: Mark McPhee
His/Her office is: Mezzanine Floor, Nairn Campus His/Her telephone number is: 01592 223719
His/Her email address is: markmcphee@adamsmith.ac.uk
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Your Curriculum Head
Each course in the Adam Smith College is assigned a Curriculum Head, whose role is to provide you with advice and support through your course of study. This falls roughly into two categories – guidance related to your studies and pastoral care to help you deal with any difficulties you might encounter of, for example, a personal, financial or health-related nature.
At the beginning of your course you will agree your learning targets with your Curriculum Head. These will be recorded on your Learner Agreement which both of you will sign. Throughout your course, your Curriculum Head will monitor your progress and meet with you regularly during the year to discuss how you are getting on.
Your Curriculum Head will also be available at a set time each week when you can meet if there’s something you need to discuss. However, if something comes up which has to be dealt with urgently, you can ask to speak to your Curriculum Head at any time. He/she might not be able to meet you immediately – Curriculum Heads have classes to teach and other students to look after – but he/she will offer you an appointment as soon as possible or refer you to another appropriate member of staff.
Your Curriculum Head may not always be able to personally provide you with the sort of help or support you need, in which case he/she might recommend that you are referred to a member of the College’s Guidance or Learning Support staff.
So, if at any time throughout your course, you experience difficulties which are affecting your progress as a student, your Curriculum Head should be your first contact. Please remember that unresolved problems rarely just go away. On the contrary, they tend to get worse the longer they’re not dealt with. So, speak to your Curriculum Head sooner rather than later.
Your attendance at college and part-time employment
Your success as a student depends on full and regular attendance at all classes. You should inform your Curriculum Head as soon as possible if you have problems with attendance. Our records show that students who do not attend all their classes have a very high risk of failure.1
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We recognise that you may need to undertake part-time work, but we strongly advise you not to take employment of more than 15 hours a week if you are a full time student. Should you need to take employment of more than 15 hours per week we recommend you register as a part time student. A full time student is expected to follow their timetable and negotiate work times around it.
Your learning
Your College course will provide you with constant opportunities to learn new skills and acquire knowledge in your chosen subject areas. In order to make the most of all the opportunities available, you need to organise and plan your learning and also to manage your time effectively.
You must attend all your timetabled classes. You also need to study in your own time and you should plan to spend several hours a week to fulfil your commitment as a full-time student. You need to allocate time for this in your diary.
Prepare for lectures and tutorials by doing any reading or exercises in advance. Always make some notes – there is usually a handout provided. Review these after the class and ask your lecturer if there is anything you do not understand.
Note assignment deadlines and exam dates in your diary and remember to begin assignments early. You will enjoy researching and planning your work if you allow yourself plenty of time. Make sure you understand what you need to do and plan how you are going to tackle it. Seek advice from your lecturer or Curriculum Head if there is anything that needs clarification.
For full details of regulations about attendance, see the College Attendance Policy and Procedure.
In summary:
v plan your learning strategy v allocate enough time v attend all of your classes
v start assignments well in advance v seek advice and help
v use the learning resources offered v enjoy the learning experience!
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The aims of your course
This course prepares students for entry into a fast-moving and ever-changing environment requiring both creative and development skills. It provides a set of skills that we know are in demand by the industry. With a working knowledge of current techniques you will be able to quickly adopt future emerging technologies. You will create a portfolio of work that demonstrates your capabilities to potential clients or employers.
This course will help you become a successful web designer/developer, able to create rich, dynamic and innovative Internet applications either on your own or as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
The interactive media industry requires professionals whose knowledge extends across a wide range of subjects, you will gain the expertise to create impressive and effective web sites that people find engaging and that deliver with a punch. You will become a valuable professional with a well-balanced approach to developing modern Internet applications.
Design and development on its own is not enough. Many great Internet applications are never completed because planning goes wrong. We encourage you to take a structured approach to planning, development and managing web sites and business solutions.
The line between web applications and traditional programs is becoming increasingly blurred, and organisations are seeking graduates who can help them meet these challenges. The course is designed to provide you with the skills that are in greatest demand by local employers and major studios.
v This course prepares students for entry into a fast-moving and
ever-changing environment requiring both creative and development skills.
v It provides a set of skills that we know are in demand by the
industry.
v With a working knowledge of current techniques you will be
able to quickly adopt future emerging technologies.
v You will create a portfolio of work that demonstrates your
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The structure of your course
The following tables show which units you will study over the duration of your course.
The units you will study in Semester 1 are: Semester 1
Unit Code Unit Title Credit
CE0901G Software Project Management 1
CE0933G Designing Rich Internet Applications 1
CE0937G Advanced Web Scripting 1
CE0931G Database and Internet Application 1 The units you will study in Semester 2 are:
Semester 2
Unit Code Unit Title Credit
MK0905G Customer Profiling and Relationship Building 1
CE0902G Group Project 1
CE0935G Developing Rich Internet Applications 1 CE0932G Server Side Internet Development 1
The content of your course
Here are brief descriptions of the units which make up your course: CE0901G: Software Project Management
Brief Description
Students will study the software development process and then work in groups of 4 5 to develop a software product.
Aim
The aim of this Module is to provide the student with: an opportunity to address the issues inherent in collaborative development of a software product.
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Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module the student should be able to:
1. Select and use appropriate project management techniques. 2. Create initial project planning documentation in response to an
invitation to tender.
3. Present with supporting evidence that is credible and appropriate and suggests fitness for purpose.
Indicative Content 1. Project Principles
Why projects fail, success factors, need for management and good process.
2. Understanding the project
Project justification; role of organisational/project team politics; project priorities, requirements specification.
3. Planning the project
Risk management; assumptions and constraints; planning for quality.
4. Defining the project
Typical deliverables; defining scope; work breakdown structure. 5. Requirements
Requirements illicitation, analysis and specification 6. Managing time and resources
Finding the critical path; identifying milestones; Gantt charts; Pert charts. Estimation; resource smoothing; project budgeting.
7. Running the project
Leadership; Building and motivating the team; tracking progress; managing change; Outcome framing; team management; listening; gathering information; running effective meetings. 8. Client management
Building client expectations, client team management; acceptance process
9. Quality Assurance
Quality plan, documentation standards, controls and
responsibilities, International and British standards, professional standards.
10. Tenders
Inviting to tender; Responding to a tender. CE0902G: Group Project
Brief Description
This module involves completing a software development or other technical investigation project as part of a group of students. Each group will produce a requirements specification document from which a software product or technical solution will be developed. The nature of the project must be relevant to the programme studied by the student.
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Aim
The aim of this Module is to provide the student with the opportunity to develop a software product or technical solution by applying design, development and evaluation principles in a team environment.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module the student should be able to:
1. Analyse customer requirements to produce a requirements specification and related documents;
2. Apply planning, design, implementation and testing techniques in the development of a software product or other technical investigation;
3. Evaluate a completed software product against original requirements;
4. Demonstrate a developed product or technical solution to a number of stakeholders;
5. Support colleagues while working as a team to solve a technical problem;
6. Evaluate their contribution to a team working situation. Indicative Content
1. Orientation
Establishment of project teams and target problem. 2. Project Principles
Why development methodologies are required during product production.
3. Documentation
The importance and content of a requirements specification and related documentation
4. Design
The role of design during project development. 5. Implementation
Implementation issues and approaches 6. Testing and Evaluation
Testing and evaluation methods and execution. 7. Communication
Oral and written communication and demonstration of software product
8. Project planning and team working
Planning the project, organising a team, supporting colleagues, devising weekly plans, keeping progress records
9. Self evaluation
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CE0931G: Database and Internet Application Design Brief Description
Practical web and SQL applications are integrated with conceptual database and internet design theory.
Aim
The aim of this module is to provide the student with a skillset for designing and implementing internet solutions using data stores.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module the student should be able to:
1. Analyse application requirements and design appropriate conceptual database models.
2. Manipulate SQL queries in a database management and internet environment.
3. Evaluate and implement the preliminary planning stages of database driven internet solutions.
Indicative Content
1. Database Design – EERM
Enhanced Entity Relationship Modelling and mapping, normalisation
2. Normalisation
Using rules of Normal Form to test whether a database is well designed. Comparison of normalisation and ERM.
3. SQL
Data manipulation using the Structured Query Language 4. DDL
Creation of databases using the Data Definition Language 5. Strategic Planning
Analyse the application space to produce effective data and process architectures.
6. Internet Architecture
Explore techniques of ensuring the separation of tiers. Management of sites to allow interface changes without affecting the processing or database.
7. Prototyping
Design prototypes that illustrate the implementation of the application and prove the satisfaction of requirements. 8. Information Architecture
Content organisation and structural design, competitive analysis, writing specifications, strategies for storage, formats and
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CE0932G: Server Side Internet Development Brief Description
To extend the ability of students who have developed basic dynamic Internet pages to the development of complex database driven Internet applications using a variety of technologies.
Aim
The aim of this Module is to provide the student with the necessary skills to enable them to develop complex database driven Internet solutions employing server side technologies.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module the student should be able to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of server side functionality using different server side technologies
2. Demonstrate an understanding of effective supporting database interaction using server based Database Management Systems 3. Design and build a complex standards compliant Internet
application utilising a back end engine that integrates parsed HTML and information from data stores
4. Critically evaluate and explain different options available in building complex database driven Internet solutions
Indicative Content
1. Application Architectures
Explore the 3 tier architecture and techniques of ensuring the separation of these tiers. Management of sites to allow interface changes without affecting the processing or database.
2. Server Side Scripting
Use of at least two server side parsed HTML technologies
(ColdFusion, PHP, investigation of a minority option). Evaluation of these different technologies.
3. Effective Use of Databases
Implementation databases to support a dynamic web site. Making effective use of internal database processing. 4. State Management
Use of session, client and application management in dynamic Internet applications. Consideration of different techniques for managing state.
5. Optimisation
Development of publishing models for efficient delivery of
content. Use of client side, cached or ‘compiled' files rather than server side.
6. Security
Examination of the major threats to the security of web
transactions and an analysis of techniques for improving that security.
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CE0933G: Designing Rich Internet Applications Brief Description
As web mediated applications become more complex and server applications become integrated with desktop applications, the type of interaction changes. This module considers these new generation applications and interaction styles.
Aim
The aim of this Module is to provide the student with an appreciation of Rich Internet Applications, the principal differences from traditional web applications and the different interaction styles used
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module the student should be able to:
1. discuss the principal characteristics of Rich Internet Applications and evaluate the differences from conventional applications 2. evaluate the benefits of using interface components that are not
available in conventional web applications
3. critically appraise new interaction techniques and styles used by RIA
4. evaluate the degree to which an application may be suitable for deployment as a Rich Internet Application
Indicative Content
1. Concepts of Rich Internet Applications
RIA v conventional web applications. The need for new ways of delivering content and providing a different user experience. Considering the shift from database driven applications to process driven apps
2. Engaging Content and Delivery
How RIA can make customer interactions compelling, dynamic, useful and engaging.
3. The Business Case for RIA
Are RIA worth the investment and how can we assess their true value. Analysing whether current RIAs are effective and whether they support the case for future RIA projects.
4. Enhancing Interaction
How user interaction with RIA differ from that of conventional web applications.
5. Blurring of Boundaries
Merging desktop and Internet environments to get the best of both worlds.
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CE0935G: Developing Rich Internet Applications Brief Description
The aim of this Module is to provide the student with an overview of the development of Rich Internet Applications
Aim
The aim of this Module is to provide the student with an overview of the development of Rich Internet Applications.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module the student should be able to: 1. Analyse concepts related to RIA development.
2. Design and develop an RIA enhanced web projects for a case study with student defined elements
3. Critically appraise a RIA enhanced web project Indicative Content
1. Rich Internet Application Environments
Investigation of development environments and technologies, design and code views, components, projects, imports, images 2. ActionScript 3.0
Variables, functions, objects, classes. 3. Events
Inline, change, creationComplete, mouseDown, mouseUp, resize, rollOut and rollOver
4. Data Binding
Basic, tag, multiple sources, competing sources 5. Application Layout
Percentage, pixel, editing in design view, containers, CSS. 6. Forms Validation
Forms, String, email, phone number. 7. Data Gathering
List, Array, complex, xml 8. Interaction
List selection, drag and drop 9. Navigation
Tabs, states 10. Behaviours
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To extend the ability of students who have an understanding of client side scripting to more complex and extensive techniques.
Aim
The aim of this Module is to provide the student with: the necessary skills to enable them to incorporate complex client side scripting into web applications.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module the student should be able to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of advanced client side functionality that can provide well structured and usable applications
2. Demonstrate an understanding of combining client side and server side scripting to optimise the user experience
3. Design and build a standards compliant Internet application utilising advanced scripting techniques
4. Critically evaluate and explain different options available in developing web applications that use complex scripting Indicative Content
1. ECMAScript
Investigating how advanced client side scripting can provide enhanced user interaction
2. Working With The Document Object Model
Navigating the DOM to manipulate page content 3. Scripting for Design
Using scripts to manipulate page content and CSS in reaction to browser ability and user interaction
4. Regular Expressions
Using regular expressions to process form data, etc. 5. Performance
Identifying bottlenecks in scripts, measuring performance and optimizing scripts
6. Asynchronous Behaviour
Improving the user experience using AJAX and application communication techniques
7. Accessibility
Assessing the degree to which client side scripting is accessible, and implementing techniques that enhance accessibility
8. Scripting Frameworks
An introduction to development frameworks that can enhance and speed up development of client side interaction.
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MK0905G: Customer profiling and relationship building Aim
The aim of this Module is to provide the student with: the ability to analyse the contribution of customer profiling and basket analysis to business performance and to determine the strategies and approaches appropriate in specific situations.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module the student should be able to:
1. identify and assess the significance of key features of customer profiling and relationship building.
2. plan and evaluate a Direct Marketing campaign and critically discuss its implication for customer retention.
Indicative Content 1. Customer Profiling
Segmenting and targeting existing customers, the impact of retention and development on profitability. Segmenting by profile and behavioural data. FRAC and LTV.
2. Maintaining the customer base
The importance of customer loyalty. Maintaining loyalty through interaction. The role of pricing strategies and incentives.
Developing customers through cross selling and up selling. The role of loyalty schemes.
3. Extending the customer base
Identifying new prospects: profiling existing customers, list
building communications. Direct Marketing offers and customer acquisition contact programmes for customer recruitment. 4. Developing and delivering a campaign
Developing Direct Marketing strategies for recruitment and retention. Delivering Direct Marketing strategies.
5. Managing and controlling relationships
Cheating and plagiarism
There are various forms of academic dishonesty but in the student's context it means cheating in examinations or presenting work for assessment which is not your own.
Plagiarism as a form of cheating takes place when the student 'borrows' or copies information, data or results from an
unacknowledged source, without quotation marks or any indication that the presenter is not the original author or researcher.
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If carried out knowingly, cheating and plagiarism have the objective of deceiving examiners and this threatens the integrity of the
assessment procedures and the value of your award.
Work produced by someone else may be summarised or repeated providing it is referenced to the original author. As well as text, work such as diagrams, maps and charts must also be acknowledged. In addition to the use of quotation marks when quoting from original sources and secondary material, full reference for both quotes and paraphrases or summaries of published material must be given. All references should then be included in a bibliography at the end of the piece of work. Appropriate references for web-based material must also be given, including the relevant URL.
Any student found to have used unfair means in any examination or assessment procedure will be penalised.2
Support for your learning
The College has a positive policy of supporting students with learning difficulties or disabilities and their interests are represented by the Diversity Committee which reports directly to the Principals Group. The College has a Learning Support team, which can provide help and advice on all aspects of learning support and coping with learning difficulties.
The College offers support in making alternative arrangements for exams and assessment, support with study skills and advice with applications for the Disabled Students Allowance. Support and advice can also be provided in the specification and purchase of specialist equipment and the use of Information Technology.
In order to ensure that you are provided with the appropriate advice and support from the start of your studies it is important that you discuss any difficulties and special requirements with the Learning Support Manager, or with your Curriculum Head, as early as possible.
2 For full details of the College’s regulations on cheating and plagiarism, see the College
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Your comments, complaints or compliments
Naturally, we hope that your experience at the Adam Smith College will be an enjoyable and rewarding one. However, we do recognise that sometimes things can go wrong and encourage you to make your comments or complaints known to us so that we have the opportunity to resolve the problem and improve our services to you. Problems are often most quickly and easily sorted by being dealt with informally. So we would ask that, in the first instance, you raise the matter with the appropriate member of staff. If you’re not satisfied with the outcome, you can discuss the matter with your Curriculum Head.
Comments or complaints can also be put forward through your course representatives.
Where informal methods have failed to resolve the problem, you can make a formal complaint through the College’s Complaint Form, which is available at Reception on all College campuses and in outreach centres or through the Students’ Association.
It’s always good to hear about what you think we do well and we encourage you to use the Compliments Form available at Reception. Every compliment received will be passed on to the person or department it’s about.
