Area of Study 1- Software development: programming

In this area of study, students interpret the requirements and designs for developing working software modules. Students use a common OOP language and undertake the problem-solving activities of manipulation (programming), validation, testing and documentation in the development stage.

The working software modules should focus on a range of features within the OOP language. Students are expected to fully develop the working software modules in accordance with the given requirements and designs. This includes the development of a graphical user interface for at least two of the four modules. The working software modules will prepare students for creating a complete software solution in Unit 4, Area of Study 1. Validation is applied within relevant modules to ensure input data can be accepted and processed. Debugging and testing techniques are applied to all software modules to ensure they operate as intended and internal documentation is written to explain the functionality of each module. Students justify the use of the selected features of the OOP language and algorithms in the development of their working software modules.

Students apply computational thinking skills when interpreting given solution requirements and designs, and when developing them into the working software modules.

Outcome 1

On completion of this unit the student should be able to interpret teacher-provided solution requirements and designs and use appropriate features of an object-oriented programming language to develop working software modules.

Assessment

• Practice Exercises

• In-class tests

• School-assessed Coursework: Programming SAC  (10% of total score)

Area of Study 2 - Software development: analysis and design

In this area of study, students prepare for the development of a software solution that meets a student-identified problem, need or opportunity. This is the first part of the School-assessed Task, involving analysis and design, with the second part undertaken in Unit 4, Area of Study 1.

Students are expected to independently identify a problem, need or opportunity for developing a software solution from within their community. They prepare a project plan that includes both student-determined and teacher-provided milestones in a Gantt chart that includes all stages of the problem-solving methodology covered in Unit 3, Area of Study 2 and in Unit 4, Area of Study 1. Details of the relevant problem-solving methodology specifications are on pages 18–23. Throughout Unit 3, Area of Study 2 and Unit 4, Area of Study 1, students monitor and modify their project plans as required. They do not have to use dedicated project management software.

A range of methods are used to collect data for analysis. Analysis tools and techniques are used to depict the relationships between users, data and systems and to document the solution requirements, constraints and scope as part of a software requirements specification.

Students generate and document two to three design ideas for creating their solution using ideation tools. Evaluation criteria are developed by the students to determine which of the ideas will be used as the basis of the preferred design. These ideas are then fully developed into detailed designs using a range of design tools, addressing the appearance, structure and functionality of the solution. The same evaluation criteria are then used in Unit 4, Area of Study 1 to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the software solution.

Students apply computational thinking skills when analysing a problem, need or opportunity and apply design thinking skills when designing the solution.

Outcome 2

On completion of this unit the student should be able to document a problem, need or opportunity, formulate a project plan, document an analysis, and generate design ideas and a preferred design for creating a software solution.

Assessment

• Practice Exercises

• School-assessed Task (SAT) Part 1: Analysis and Design 
  (15% of total score)

Area of Study 1 - Software development: development and evaluation

In this area of study, students develop the solution they designed in Unit 3, Area of Study 2 into a software solution that meets their identified problem, need or opportunity by applying the problem-solving stages of development and evaluation. Details of the problem-solving methodology specifications are on pages 18–23.

Appropriate features of an OOP language are used to develop an efficient and effective software solution. Validation, debugging and testing techniques are used to ensure the software solution meets requirements.

Students prepare a beta testing strategy that focuses on the core features of their software solution. The tests must be undertaken by at least two potential users, with the results recorded. Potential users could be other students acting as real users of the solution. Students recommend necessary adjustments to their solution based on the results of their beta tests.

Students continue to monitor and record the progress of their projects using the project plan developed in Unit 3, Area of Study 2. Details could include actual versus expected durations, achievement of milestones and annotations to explain progress. Students evaluate the quality of their software solution using the evaluation criteria developed in Unit 3, Area of Study 2 and assess the effectiveness of their project plan in developing their project.

Students apply computational thinking skills when developing their design ideas into a software solution.

Outcome 1

On completion of this unit the student should be able to develop and evaluate a software solution that meets requirements and assess the effectiveness of the project plan.

Assessment

• Practice Exercises

• School-assessed Task (SAT) Part 2: Development and Evaluation
  (15% of total score)

Area of Study 2 - Cybersecurity: software security

The secure development of software is crucial within the modern technology and development landscape. Insecure software development environments are problematic for organisations that develop software, regardless of whether solution development occurs internally or is conducted by a secondary organisation. In this area of study, students focus on the security risks to organisations as a result of insecure software development environments and practices. Students analyse and evaluate the security of current software development practices, examine the vulnerabilities and risks using threat-modelling principles and consider the consequences of identified issues. Students should consider how these risks may be minimised or mitigated before recommending strategies to improve current practices, taking into account the key legal requirements and ethical issues faced by organisations. Frameworks such as the Essential Eight and the Information Security Manual are also taken into account for students to follow current industry practice when considering strategies for improvements.

Students apply systems thinking skills when analysing and evaluating software development security strategies within an organisation, and when recommending strategies to improve current practices.

Outcome 2

On completion of this unit the student should be able to respond to a teacher-provided case study to analyse an organisation’s software development practices, identify and evaluate current security controls and threats to software development practices, and make recommendations to improve practices.

ASSESSMENT TASKS 

• School-assessed Coursework (SAC): Cybersecurity Case Study

• External exam from VCAA (50% of the total score).