Print View: CSSE4004 - Sem 1 2009 - St Lucia

2. Aims, Objectives & Graduate Attributes

2.1 Course Aims

The aims of the course is to provide students with a very good background in distributed and ubiquitous/pervasive systems with the emphasis on principles for building such systems.

2.2 Learning Objectives

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

1  Describe the role of middleware in distributed systems
2  Describe various types of transparencies in distributed systems
3  Describe interprocess communication issues in distributed systems and show what kind of communication semantics is applied in well known distributed computing systems
4  Describe process models used in distributed systems, models of interactions between processes, and models for code migration and software agents
5  Describe naming models applicable to distributed systems
6  Describe process synchronisation approaches used in distributed systems and evaluate their applicability to various types of applications
7  Describe and compare consistency and replication methods
8  Describe fault tolerance models for distributed systems
9  Describe approaches used in distributed file systems and in distribution, replication and caching in WWW
10  Describe approaches used in coordination based systems
11  Show how various principles of developing distributed computing systems are applied in the existing platforms (e.g. CORBA, .NET, Web Services, publish-subscribe based systems) for distributed computing
12  Design and implement distributed applications
13  Describe architectures of context-aware system and design and implement simple context-aware applications

2.3. Graduate Attributes

Successfully completing this course will contribute to the recognition of your attainment of the following UQ (Undergrad Pass) graduate attributes:

GRADUATE ATTRIBUTE	LEARNING OBJECTIVES
*A. IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THE FIELD OF STUDY*
A1. A comprehensive and well-founded knowledge in the field of study.	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
A4. An understanding of how other disciplines relate to the field of study.
A5. An international perspective on the field of study.
*B. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION*
B1. The ability to collect, analyse and organise information and ideas and to convey those ideas clearly and fluently, in both written and spoken forms.	4, 12, 13
B2. The ability to interact effectively with others in order to work towards a common outcome.
B3. The ability to select and use the appropriate level, style and means of communication.
B4. The ability to engage effectively and appropriately with information and communication technologies.
*C. INDEPENDENCE AND CREATIVITY*
C1. The ability to work and learn independently.	5, 7, 9
C3. The ability to generate ideas and adapt innovatively to changing environments.
C4. The ability to identify problems, create solutions, innovate and improve current practices.	3, 4, 5, 12
*D. CRITICAL JUDGEMENT*
D1. The ability to define and analyse problems.	1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 12
D2. The ability to apply critical reasoning to issues through independent thought and informed judgement.	3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13
D3. The ability to evaluate opinions, make decisions and to reflect critically on the justifications for decisions.	1, 2, 5, 6, 10, 11
*E. ETHICAL AND SOCIAL UNDERSTANDING*
E1. An understanding of social and civic responsibility.	13
E2. An appreciation of the philosophical and social contexts of a discipline.	13
E4. A knowledge and respect of ethics and ethical standards in relation to a major area of study.
E5. A knowledge of other cultures and times and an appreciation of cultural diversity.

Successfully completing this course will contribute to the recognition of your attainment of the following Engineers Australia graduate attributes:

GRADUATE ATTRIBUTE	LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Ability to apply knowledge of basic science and engineering fundamentals	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
2. Ability to communicate effectively, not only with engineers, but also with the community at large	12
3. In-depth technical competence in at least one engineering discipline	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
4. Ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution	1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13
5. Ability to utilise a systems approach to design and operational performance	1, 9, 11, 12
6. Ability to function effectively as an individual and in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams, with the capacity to be a team leader or manager as well as an effective team member
7. Understanding of the social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities of the professional engineer, and for the need for sustainable development
8. Understanding of the principles of sustainable design and development	11, 12, 13
9. Understanding of and commitment to professional and ethical responsibilities
10. Expectation and capacity to undertake life-long learning	11

5. Assessment

5.1 Assessment Summary

This is a summary of the assessment in the course. For detailed information on each assessment, see 5.5 Assessment Detail below.

Assessment Task	Due Date	Weighting	Learning Objectives
Programming assigment Assignment 1	27 Apr 09 14:00	22% Design and implementation of a distributed application	12, 13
Programming Assignment Assignment 2	25 May 09 14:00	13% Design and implementation of a distributed application	12, 13
Exam - during Exam Period (Central) Final exam	Examination Period	65% Two hour final examination	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13

5.2 Course Grading

Grade 1, Fail: Fails to demonstrate most or all of the basic requirements of the course: Grade of 1 will be awarded for 0-19 marks.

Grade 2, Fail: Demonstrates clear deficiencies in understanding and applying fundamental concepts; communicates information or ideas in ways that are frequently incomplete or confusing and give little attention to the conventions of the discipline: Grade of 2 will be awarded for 20-44 marks.

Grade 3, Fail: Demonstrates superficial or partial or faulty understanding of the fundamental concepts of the field of study and limited ability to apply these concepts; presents undeveloped or inappropriate or unsupported arguments; communicates information or ideas with lack of clarity and inconsistent adherence to the conventions of the discipline: Grade of 3 will be awarded for 45-49 marks.

Grade 4, Pass: Demonstrates adequate understanding and application of the fundamental concepts of the field of study; develops routine arguments or decisions and provides acceptable justification; communicates information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the discipline: Grade of 4 will be awarded for 50-64 marks.

Grade 5, Credit: Demonstrates substantial understanding of fundamental concepts of the field of study and ability to apply these concepts in a variety of contexts; develops or adapts convincing arguments and provides coherent justification; communicates information and ideas clearly and fluently in terms of the conventions of the discipline: Grade of 5 will be awarded for 65-74 marks.

Grade 6, Distinction: As for 5, with frequent evidence of originality in defining and analysing issues or problems and in creating solutions; uses a level, style and means of communication appropriate to the discipline and the audience: Grade of 6 will be awarded for 75-84 marks.

Grade 7, High Distinction: As for 6, with consistent evidence of substantial originality and insight in identifying, generating and communicating competing arguments, perspectives or problem solving approaches; critically evaluates problems, their solutions and implications: Grade of 7 will be awarded for 85-100 marks.

5.3 Late Submission

Late submission of assignments will be penalised by the loss of 10% of the assignment value per working day (or part thereof). In the event of exceptional personal or medical circumstances that prevent on-time hand in, you should contact the lecturer concerned and be prepared to supply appropriate documentary evidence. Late submissions should be made to the lecturer or head tutor.

5.5 Assessment Detail

Assignment 1

Type: Programming assigment
Learning Objectives Assessed: 12, 13
Due Date:
27 Apr 09 14:00
Weight: 22%
Design and implementation of a distributed application
Task Description:

The course has two assignments which address design and implementation of distributed applications. The assignments are to (i) show how some of the principles of distributed systems are applied in existing solutions for distributed systems, (ii) give students experience in designing and implementing distributed applications using the existing environments for distributed computing, (and iii) give students experience in designing and implementing context-aware applications. Both assignments require programming in Java. The assignments are worth 25% and 15%, respectively. Exact assessment criteria will be specified with each assignment.

Please note that both assignments are individual work, however they allow group work for the design stage of the assignments.

Criteria & Marking: The assignment description will include a detailed allocation of marks to each component of the distributed application that the assignment requires to develop.
Submission: Assignment will be submitted via an electronic submission system. Students should keep a copy of their assignment submission. The required submission procedure for the assignment will be detailed on the handout for that assessment item. Students will have to state that the submission is their original work when submitting their assignments.

Assignment 2

Type: Programming Assignment
Learning Objectives Assessed: 12, 13
Due Date:
25 May 09 14:00
Weight: 13%
Design and implementation of a distributed application
Task Description:

Please note that both assignments are individual work, however they allow group work for the design stage of the assignments.

Criteria & Marking: The assignment description will include a detailed allocation of marks to each component of the distributed application that the assignment requires to develop.
Submission: Assignment will be submitted via an electronic submission system. Students should keep a copy of their assignment submissions. The required submission procedure for the assignment will be detailed on the handout for that assessment item. Students will have to state that the submission is their original work when submitting their assignments.

Final exam

Type: Exam - during Exam Period (Central)
Learning Objectives Assessed: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13
Due Date:
Examination Period
Weight: 65%
Two hour final examination
Perusal: 10 minutes
Duration: 120 minutes
Format: Short answer
Task Description:

A two hour final examination will be held during the final examination period. This exam will be open-book and will contain a number of questions. The final examination will test understanding of all the learning objectives except for the learning objective which addresses design and implementation.

Criteria & Marking:

The exam will have several questions - each of the questions will be assigned a number of marks. The total number of marks in the exam is 100.

6. Policies & Guidelines

This section contains the details of and links to the most relevant policies and course guidelines. For further details on University Policies please visit myAdvisor and the University Handbook of Policies and Procedures.

6.1 Assessment Related Policies and Guidelines

University Policies & Guidelines

An overview of the University’s assessment-related policies can be found on myAdvisor (http://www.uq.edu.au/myadvisor/index.html?page=2910).

Academic Integrity
It is the University's task to encourage ethical scholarship and to inform students and staff about the institutional standards of academic behaviour expected of them in learning, teaching and research. Students have a responsibility to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity in their work. Students must not cheat in examinations or other forms of assessment and must ensure they do not plagiarise.

Plagiarism
The University has adopted the following definition of plagiarism:

Plagiarism is the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work the ideas, interpretations, words or creative works of another. These include published and unpublished documents, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, computer codes and ideas gained through working in a group. These ideas, interpretations, words or works may be found in print and/or electronic media.

Students are encouraged to read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism policy (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25128) which makes a comprehensive statement about the University's approach to plagiarism, including the approved use of plagiarism detection software, the consequences of plagiarism and the principles associated with preventing plagiarism.

Feedback on Assessment
Feedback is essential to effective learning and students can expect to receive appropriate and timely feedback on all assessment. For a detailed explanation of the feedback you are entitled to, you should consult the policy on Student Access to Feedback on Assessment. (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25109)

As a student you have a responsibility to incorporate feedback into your learning; make use of the assessment criteria that you are given; be aware of the rules, policies and other documents related to assessment; and provide teachers with feedback on their assessment practices.

There are certain steps you can take if you feel your result does not reflect your performance. Please refer to the myAdvisor web site. (http://www.uq.edu.au/myadvisor/index.html?page=2953)

School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Assessment Guidelines

Misconduct

Further to the statement on academic integrity and plagiarism above, students are required to read and understand the ITEE policy on Student Misconduct (http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/about_ITEE/policies/student-misconduct.html).

Late Arrival or Non-attendance at Examinations

The policy and procedure for late arrival or non-attendance at centrally controlled and school-based examinations is set out in the University's Assessment policy (HUPP 3.30.1), section 4.8 at http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25109.

In the case that a student requests a special exam for a School-controlled exam, the request will be considered and, if allowed, the timing shall be determined by the course coordinator, in consultation with the School's Chief Examiner where necessary, and in accordance with HUPP 3.30.1. Unless otherwise indicated in the Course Profile, applications must be made in writing to the Head of School no later than 5 days after the exam. Late applications will not be accepted.

Examination Feedback

In addition to the advice above, students wishing to view examination answer scripts and/or question papers should consult with the School office (Room 217, General Purpose South Building [78], St Lucia) regarding arrangements. The ITEE policy on exam script viewing is available at http://study.itee.uq.edu.au/current_students/exam_script_viewing.html.

Supplementary Assessment

If you fail this course you may be eligible for supplementary assessment - see the general award rules and/or your program rules for details. You should note that even though you may be eligible for supplementary assessment under these rules, in some circumstances there may be no practical assessment that can be offered to allow you to meet the minimum passing requirements. These circumstances may include failure based on:

group or team based assessment;
attendance or class participation requirements;
laboratory-based assessment, where laboratories can't practically be made available after classes have finished;
project or thesis-based assessment, where a significant period of time would be required to undertake supplementary assessment;
progressive assessment, where subsequent assessment items build on earlier assessment items; or
multiple assessment items, where it is impractical to offer multiple supplementary assessment items.

If the course coordinator determines that there is no practical supplementary assessment that can be offered to allow you to improve your grade, then you will not be offered supplementary assessment and your grade will remain unchanged.

Calculators in Examinations

Some examinations in the School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering restrict the type of calculator that can be used. If this course profile does not specify any calculator restrictions, you should check with the course coordinator as to whether any restrictions apply. In some examinations, you may only be permitted to use an EPSA/EAIT approved and lablled non-programmable calculator. It is your responsibility to ensure you have a suitable approved and labelled calculator if required.

6.2 Other Policies and Guidelines

University Policies and Guidelines

Placement Courses
Students on a placement course – also known as a work placement, internship, industry study, industry experience, clinical practice, clinical placement, practical work, practicum, fieldwork, teaching practice – should refer to the University policy, Placement Courses (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25120) for detailed information.

Working with Children
Students whose studies include a professional/work placement, internship, clinical practice, teaching practice or other similar activity which involves them in regular contact with children should refer to the University policy, Working with Children Check - "blue card" (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25004) to find out how to apply for a ‘blue card’.

Students with a Disability
Any student with a disability who may require alternative academic arrangements, including assessment, in the course/program is encouraged to seek advice at the commencement of the semester from a Disability Adviser at Student Support Services. Refer to the University policy, Students with a Disability (Disability Action Plan) (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25122) and to the policy on Special Arrangements for Examinations for Students with a Disability (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25111

Where an adjustment is made to an accredited program, it is the responsibility of the relevant Faculty to liaise with professional and registration bodies regarding the acceptability of the change/s.

Occupational Health and Safety
Undergraduate Students (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25055) and Postgraduate Students (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25057) should be familiar with the University policies on occupational health and safety in the laboratory.

Other School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Guidelines

Ethical Clearance

If your course involves assignment or project work involving human subjects or human-related materials, you must investigate the need for ethical clearance and obtain it when required. Information on ethical clearance can be found at http://www.uq.edu.au/research/orps/index.html?page=5064&pid=5256.

Learning Summary

Below is a table showing the relationship between the learning objectives for this course and the broader graduate attributes developed, the learning activities used to develop each objective and the assessment task used to assess each objective.

Learning Objectives

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment & Learning Activities

	Learning Objectives
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
Learning Activities
Weekly lectures (Lecture)
Weekly tutorials (Tutorial)
Practicals (Practical)
Assessment Tasks
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Final exam

Graduate Attributes

Successfully completing this course will contribute to the recognition of your attainment of the following UQ (Undergrad Pass) graduate attributes:

Learning Objectives

Graduate Attributes

A IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THE FIELD OF STUDY

A1. A comprehensive and well-founded knowledge in the field of study.

A4. An understanding of how other disciplines relate to the field of study.

A5. An international perspective on the field of study.

B EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

B1. The ability to collect, analyse and organise information and ideas and to convey those ideas clearly and fluently, in both written and spoken forms.

B2. The ability to interact effectively with others in order to work towards a common outcome.

B3. The ability to select and use the appropriate level, style and means of communication.

B4. The ability to engage effectively and appropriately with information and communication technologies.

C INDEPENDENCE AND CREATIVITY

C1. The ability to work and learn independently.

C3. The ability to generate ideas and adapt innovatively to changing environments.

C4. The ability to identify problems, create solutions, innovate and improve current practices.

D CRITICAL JUDGEMENT

D1. The ability to define and analyse problems.

D2. The ability to apply critical reasoning to issues through independent thought and informed judgement.

D3. The ability to evaluate opinions, make decisions and to reflect critically on the justifications for decisions.

E ETHICAL AND SOCIAL UNDERSTANDING

E1. An understanding of social and civic responsibility.

E2. An appreciation of the philosophical and social contexts of a discipline.

E4. A knowledge and respect of ethics and ethical standards in relation to a major area of study.

E5. A knowledge of other cultures and times and an appreciation of cultural diversity.

Successfully completing this course will contribute to the recognition of your attainment of the following Engineers Australia graduate attributes:

	Learning Objectives
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
Graduate Attributes
1. Ability to apply knowledge of basic science and engineering fundamentals
2. Ability to communicate effectively, not only with engineers, but also with the community at large
3. In-depth technical competence in at least one engineering discipline
4. Ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution
5. Ability to utilise a systems approach to design and operational performance
6. Ability to function effectively as an individual and in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams, with the capacity to be a team leader or manager as well as an effective team member
7. Understanding of the social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities of the professional engineer, and for the need for sustainable development
8. Understanding of the principles of sustainable design and development
9. Understanding of and commitment to professional and ethical responsibilities
10. Expectation and capacity to undertake life-long learning

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CSSE4004 - Sem 1 2009 - St Lucia - Internal

1. General Course Information

1.1 Course Details

1.2 Course Introduction

1.3 Course Staff

1.4 Timetable

2. Aims, Objectives & Graduate Attributes

2.1 Course Aims

2.2 Learning Objectives

2.3. Graduate Attributes

3. Learning Resources

3.1 Required Resources

3.2 Recommended Resources

3.3 University Learning Resources

3.4 School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Learning Resources

4. Teaching & Learning Activities

4.1 Learning Activities

4.2 Other Teaching and Learning Activities Information

5. Assessment

5.1 Assessment Summary

5.2 Course Grading

5.3 Late Submission

5.5 Assessment Detail

6. Policies & Guidelines

6.1 Assessment Related Policies and Guidelines

University Policies & Guidelines

School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Assessment Guidelines

6.2 Other Policies and Guidelines

University Policies and Guidelines

Other School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Guidelines

Learning Summary

Learning Objectives

Assessment & Learning Activities

Graduate Attributes

A. S. Tanenbaum and M. van Steen, Distributed Systems: Principles and Paradigms, Prentice Hall – 2007. 2nd edition.