BSc Computer Science and Mathematics

This course unit is all about teamwork, communication, and active learning: in your team and with your tutor, you work on various tasks, thereby gaining valuable experience in teamwork and developing useful skills around communication, reflection, self-organisation, time management, independently acquiring new knowledge and skills, professional behaviour, project organisation, etc. The tasks teams work on include understanding ethical frameworks for computer science professionals, intellectual property issues, and the development of a web-based information system.  

The main aim of this course unit is to help students develop a range of non-technical skills within a context that is both relevant and engaging: a project to create a web-based application. These skills are intended to support success not only during the students’ time at university but also in their future professional careers.

Although there are lectures, they do not provide step-by-step instruction on how to build a complete web-based application. Instead, the lectures focus on introducing core web technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, MySQL, and APIs. Students are free to use any web-based technologies they choose in their projects, and this flexibility is supported by the Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) approach, which encourages them to identify what they need to learn and seek out appropriate resources.

The project is designed to broaden students' experience through a series of events and deliverables that develop capabilities such as teamwork, peer learning, goal setting, progress tracking, innovation, and design. These elements are carefully phased to ensure that students can manage each stage of the project effectively.

Each group, typically consisting of 6 to 9 students, is supported by a tutor or facilitator who they meet with weekly. Early in the course, the tutor provides structured guidance. As the project progresses, this support becomes more tailored and responsive, allowing groups increasing freedom and responsibility based on their development and needs.

• reflect on their experience in independently acquiring new knowledge and skills particularly in programming, debugging and web development, ethical and professional issues and intellectual property rights relevant for the field of computer science, and different frameworks that have been developed for these.

• reflect on their group working and project-management skills.

• act as a responsible member of a team, communicate with team members, and contribute to the project.

• analyse and compare different frameworks that have been developed for ethical and professional issues and intellectual property rights relevant for the field of computer science.

• plan and develop a functioning, substantial, web-based information system as a member of a team.

• give technical presentations and prepare suitable material, as a member of a team.

• write technical reports and reflect on their learning and professional development.

 

• Phase 0: Introduction [registration week]
• Phase 1: Professional Issues - Software Patents [2 weeks]
• Phase 2: Professional Issues - Ethics [3 weeks + reading week]
• Phase 3: World-Wide What? [6 weeks]
• Phase 4: Building a Web Application [11 weeks]

Lectures

1 hour per week (in most weeks), including guest lecturers

Laboratories

1 hour per week

Tutorial Meeting

1 hour per week

The course emphasises group work, guided by weekly face to face meetings with your tutor. There are several individual and group presentations, which are assessed by your tutor and at least one other member of staff, and an opportunity for peer review within your tutorial group.

COMP10120 reading list can be found on the Department of Computer Science website for current students.

Course unit materials

Links to course unit teaching materials can be found on the School of Computer Science website for current students.

Links related to COMP10120

• Video of first years talking about their group project experience