Foundation Year Programming

• Credit value: 15 credits at Level 3
• Convenors: Gordon McIntyre, Dr Keith Mannock
• Assessment: two visual programming projects - one of 10 hours (30%) and one of 25 hours (70%)

This module establishes a strong understanding of the core concepts of programming through a novel, blocks world and visual programming approach, emphasising a creative computing approach to learning these fundamentals.

You will be able to approach complex problems with a structured mindset and translate them into code in an engaging programming environment. A 'creative computing approach' highlights problem-solving over the usual syntax-driven approach to learning programming.

Indicative syllabus

• Getting started with visual programming
• Changing position and appearance
• Adding elements of control
• Sensing
• Working with operators
• Broadcasting
• Introducing data elements with variables
• Bringing it all together
• Reflection and review

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• create simple and effective computer programs
• communicate basic computational logic effectively
• understand and implement the three basic constructs of programming logic: sequence, iteration and decision
• create and update variables
• use mathematical and relational operators in a programming context
• send messages between programming objects
• analyse and improve existing computer programs
• develop logical thinking and reasoning skills
• analyse and solve programming problems effectively
• use a block word, visual programming environment.