COMP SCI 7207 - Web and Database Computing

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2024

A modern introduction to designing and creating web-based applications. The course covers client-server architecture, database fundamentals, and the principles behind writing software that functions over networks. Widely used web development languages and environments are compared and will be used by students to implement their own applications.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code COMP SCI 7207
    Course Web and Database Computing
    Coordinating Unit Computer Science
    Term Semester 1
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 6 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Assumed Knowledge COMP SCI 7202; or equivalent
    Restrictions Master of Computing and Innovation, Graduate Diploma in Computer Science and Graduate Certificate in Computer Science students only.
    Course Description A modern introduction to designing and creating web-based applications. The course covers client-server architecture, database fundamentals, and the principles behind writing software that functions over networks. Widely used web development languages and environments are compared and will be used by students to implement their own applications.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Manish Gupta

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

     
    1 Understand and apply web application architecture
    2 Design and implement accessible and user friendly graphical user interfaces
    3 Manipulate data from databases and web applications
    4 Identify and discuss basic security and confidentiality issues in the development of web applications
    5 Interpret online web programming documentation (e.g., APIs)
    6 Design and implement a web application
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    1-6

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    1,2,3,5,6

    Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills

    Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.

    2,6

    Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness

    Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.

    2,4,6

    Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency

    Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.

    2,4,6

    Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency

    Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.

    2,4,6

    Attribute 7: Digital capabilities

    Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.

    1-6

    Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

    Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.

    2,4,6
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    All required resources for this course will be provided online via the MyUni platform.

    Recommended Resources
    Interactive Textbook from zyBooks; Signup details available in MyUni.

    Online Learning
    This course involves significant online activities both within and outside of contact time. We request you bring a device with internet access to all scheduled activities.

    Full details of the course including all assessments, notes, schedule, etc can be found by following the appropriate semester link at https://myuni.adelaide.edu.au
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    Each week's concepts are introduced through a series of short pre-recorded videos.
    Building on these, the course has two contact activities: lectures and workshops.

    Lectures are delivered live online and provide opportunity to engage with the concepts through interactive demonstrations and discussion of web systems, databases and other material. You should expect to attend all of these and participate in small discussions and activities.

    Workshops are are an in-lab activity session where you can seek assitance with course concepts, work on the weekly assignments or work on your group project, while receiving feedback from workshop supervisors who are stationed around the lab area. Completing the practical tasks will help set you up to successfully complete the project and final assessment.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    Students are expected to spend 10-12 hours per week on this course.

    There will be 3-4 hours contact time for learning and teaching activities and students will be working in groups and individually 7-8 hours to carry out the required learning and teaching activities for acquiring the expected knowledge, understanding and skills in this course.

    Learning Activities Summary
    Each week consists of approximately 1 hour of concept videos, a 1-2 hour live lecture/discussion and a 1-hour workshop session. Subsequent weeks build on the concepts from earlier weeks.

    The outline of course content is:
    Week 1: Introduction to HTML
    Week 2: Style and CSS
    Week 3: Client Side JavaScript and DOM
    Week 4: Client-Server interactions and architecture
    Week 5: Relational Database Schemas and SQL
    Week 6: UX and Accessibility
    Week 7: Client-side frameworks and APIs
    Week 8: Server-side architecture and requests
    Week 9: Authentication and Server-side APIs
    Week 10: Web Application Database Integration
    Week 11: Web Security
    Week 12: Web Application Architecture and Review
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Weighting (%) Individual/ Group Formative/ Summative
    Due (week)*
    Hurdle criteria Learning outcomes CBOK Alignment**
    Weekly Quizzes: 5 Individual Formative Weekly 1, 3, 4, 5,  1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1
    Practical Assignmets: 20 Individual Formative Weekly 1 - 6 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4
    Web Application Project**: 30 Group Summative 9, 13 2, 3, 5, 6 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4
    Take-home Assessment: 45 Individual Summative 14 40% 1, 2, 3, 4 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.4, 5.4
    Total 100
    * The specific due date for each assessment task will be available on MyUni.

    ** Postgraduate students will have additional assessment as part of their group project.
     
    This assessment breakdown complies with the University's Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy.
     
    This course has a hurdle requirement. Meeting the specified hurdle criteria is a requirement for passing the course.

    **CBOK is the Core Body of Knowledge for ICT Professionals defined by the Australian Computer Society. The alignment in the table above corresponds with the following CBOK Areas:

    1. Problem Solving
    1.1 Abstraction
    1.2 Design

    2. Professional Knowledge
    2.1 Ethics
    2.2 Professional expectations
    2.3 Teamwork concepts & issues
    2.4 Interpersonal communications
    2.5 Societal issues
    2.6 Understanding of ICT profession

    3. Technology resources
    3.1 Hardware & Software
    3.2 Data & information
    3.3 Networking

    4. Technology Building
    4.1 Programming
    4.2 Human factors
    4.3 Systems development
    4.4 Systems acquisition

    5.  ICT Management
    5.1 IT governance & organisational
    5.2 IT project management
    5.3 Service management 
    5.4 Security management
    Assessment Related Requirements
    *Hurdle Requirement: If your overall mark for the course is greater than 45 F but, your mark for the take-home assessment is less than 40%, your overall mark for the course will be reduced to 45 F.
    Assessment Detail
    Weekly Quizzes are short weekly knowledge check quizzes, each contributing 0.5% to the final grade, with the best 10 scores used.

    Practical Assignments are programming and web development activities to practice concepts from each week's topics, each contributing 1-4% to the final course grade.

    The Web Application Project is group project in which group members bring together and apply their knowledge and experience to plan and develop a complete web application.

    The take-home assessment is a take-home-exam style assessment done over a 32h timeframe with theory and practical questions from across the course content.

    Submission
    Submission details for all activities are available in MyUni but the majority of your submissions will be online and may be subjected to originality testing through Turnitin or other mechanisms. You will receive clear and timely notice of all submission details in advance of the submission date.

    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.