WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY

College of Science and Health

Department of Computer Science

COURSE OUTLINE

1. TITLE OF COURSE AND COURSE NUMBER:

Introduction to Visual BASIC, CS 1300

Credits: 3 (Technology Intensive)

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE COURSE:

Students will be introduced to the basic principles and applications of computing systems,

microcomputers in particular. Techniques of computer programming are introduced through the

use of Visual Basic. This course is not for computer science majors.

3. COURSE PREREQUISITES:

None

4. COURSE OBJECTIVES

The main objectives are:

To teach the fundamentals of Microsoft Visual Basic programming language;

To understand and apply Graphical User Interface (GUI) design principles;

To emphasize the development cycle when creating applications, which mirrors the same

approach that professional developers use;

To illustrate well-written and readable programs using a disciplined coding style, including

documentation and indentation standards;

To create Visual Basic applications that deploy on multiple platforms such as web pages,

Windows, and Office environments;

To demonstrate how to implement logic involving sequence, selection, and repetition using

Visual Basic;

To write useful, well-designed programs for personal computers and handheld computers

that solve practical business problems;

To create appealing, interactive web applications that can be delivered and executed on the

Internet;

To organize complex programs by using procedures and to anticipate and prevent errors by

managing exceptions.

5. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

COURSE-SPECIFIC SLOS:

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

Develop an introductory understanding of programming concepts (T1).

Demonstrate an introductory level of proficiency in how to program in Visual Basic. This

includes the ability to analyze problems, define system requirements, design solution

strategies, write program code, use the Visual Basic RAD tools for object based processing,

and then test and debug the final code (T1, T2).

Become familiar with the basics of objects, ActiveX and ASP.NET for web-page design,

program-based communications to databases (ADO.NET), and other modern interfaces,

notably mobile/cell-phone (T1, T2, T3).

Demonstrate ability to think critically. This includes making decisions on the control

objects in form interfaces, determining the mathematical formulas needed for computations

in several application areas, programming control constructs, and design decisions for the

incorporation of these and other programming technologies (T1, T2, T3).

Demonstrate ability to integrate knowledge and ideas in a coherent and meaningful manner

both in the programming/analysis process and in areas such as rudimentary business,

statistical, scientific, and general applications (T1, T2, T3).

Locate and use information. Projects will be assigned requiring information,

methodologies, and formulas from the Internet in Visual Basic and application areas (T1,

T2, T3).

Understand the legal and ethical behaviors in the use of technology, as well as the

professional code of conduct as a programmer (T4).

Through classroom presentations, participation, discussions, homework, project, and other

assignments, this course also reinforces the following student learning outcomes:

Communicate effectively through speaking and writing skills.

Demonstrate understanding of scientific principles and methods (T1).

Formulate strategies to locate, evaluate, and apply information (T2).

Identify activities that fulfill personal, civic, and social responsibilities (T3, T4).

Use computer and emerging digital technologies effectively (T1, T2).

Demonstrate an awareness of global connections and interdependencies (e.g., mobile and

Internet computing) (T3).

UCC AREA SLOS: N/A

WRITING INTENSIVE SLOS: N/A

TECHNOLOGY INTENSIVE SLOS:

Students will be able to:

T1. Demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations.

T2. Use a variety of technologies to access, evaluate, collect, and manage data, information and

datasets.

T3. Understand the impact of technology on themselves, their culture, their environment and

their society.

T4. Practice legal and ethical behaviors in the context of technology.

6. TOPICAL OUTLINE OF THE COURSE CONTENT

Introduction: definitions, concepts, computers, and programs.

Programming languages, machine languages, compiling.

Introduction: programmers view of CPU, memory, and disk.

Program development and life cycle.

Program and GUI design.

Program design constructs: variables, arithmetic operations, sequence, IF, loops, and

conditionals.

Procedures and exception handling.

Object-oriented concepts: class and objects, ActiveX.

Networking concepts including client/server architecture.

Web applications, Internet, mobile computing, Visual Studio tools for Office.

IEEE Code of Ethics and ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

7. GUIDELINES/SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING METHODS AND STUDENT LEARNING

ACTIVITIES:

Classroom lectures, presentations, and discussions.

Classroom hands-on exercises and problem solving sessions.

Demonstrations followed by supervised/assisted hands-on sessions. Active on-line

participation is mandatory.

8. GUIDELINES/SUGGESTIONS FOR METHODS OF STUDENT EVALUATION

Homework and programming projects.

Quizzes and participation.

Two examinations and a comprehensive final examination.

Technology Intensive SLO Assessment:

T1. There are homework, projects, quizzes, and examinations that cover the concepts. Also, the

understanding of the concepts and operations will be demonstrated by the instructors and

the students during hands-on exercises.

T2. Students will be evaluated on the programming projects. The projects cover all the

techniques to problem solving using the Visual Basic language. The projects enable the

students to think critically on the methodologies and the applications to accomplish the

programming task.

T3 and T4.

There are homework, quizzes, and examinations that cover cultural, societal, legal, and

ethical implications of technology and software development process. They practice legal

and ethical behaviors in the software development process.

9. SUGGESTED READINGS, TEXT, OBJECTS OF STUDY:

Shelly/Hoisington, Microsoft Visual Basic 2010 for Windows, Web, and Office Applications:

Complete, ISBN13: 978-0-538-46848-0; ISBN10: 0-538-46848-3.

Other supporting materials are listed in #10 below.

10. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SUPPORTIVE TEXTS AND OTHER MATERIALS:

Suggested Readings / Modern References in VB (not required):

Gaddis, Tony and Kip Irvine, Starting Out with Visual Basic 2008, 4th Edition, Addison

Wesley, 2008.

Zak, Diane, Programming with Microsoft Visual Basic 2008, 4th Edition, Course

Technology, 2010.

Boehm, Anne and Doug Lowe, Murach's ASP.NET 3.5 Web Programming with VB 2008,

Mike Murach & Associates, 2008.

Boehm, Anne & Doug Lowe, Murach's Visual Basic 2008, Mike Murach & Assoc., 2008.

Dietel, H.M. and Associates, Visual Basic 2008: How to Program, Prentice-Hall, 2009.

Halvorson, Michael, Microsoft Visual Basic 2008 Step by Step, Microsoft Press, 2008.

Petroutsos, Evangelos, Mastering Microsoft Visual Basic 2008, Sybex; 2008.

Stephens, Rod, Visual Basic 2008 Programmer's Reference, Wrox (February 5, 2008).

Other pedagogical support material:

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/

us/books/12282.aspx (Code samples from Patrice Pelland book VB2008 Express Edition)

Also, there is DreamSpark: https://www.dreamspark.com/ a secondary students-only MS Alliance-

like entity of sorts (for that second PC)

Visual Basic Helpful Sites:

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_

Visual_Studio (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_Bas

ic_.NET (Wikipedia on VB.Net )

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_

Language_Runtime (Wikipedia on CLR Virtual Machine)

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-

us/vbasic/cc817878.aspx (Intro videos and doc's on VB 2008)

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-

us/vbasic/bb466226.aspx

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-

us/vbasic/default.aspx (MS VB development Center)

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-

us/vbasic/ms789080.aspx

(MS VB Starter Kits & Power Packs (for example, a card game development environment))

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.homeandlearn.co.uk/NET/v

bNet.html (Numerous VB Tutorials)

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/vbsam

ples/ (MS VB 2008 great code samples)

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.microsoft.com/express/sam

ples/ (VB Express Resources and Samples from MS)

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.freeprogrammingresources.

com/vbstuff.html

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.vbtutor.net/vb2008/vb2008t

utor.html (several excellent tutorials)

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.vbwm.com/ (Visual Basic

Web Magazine)

https://unvowa.wpunj.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://vbcodesource.org/tips

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=752CB725-969B-4732-A3

83-ED5740F02E93&displaylang=en (For the future: Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework

4.0 Training Kit)

11. PREPARER’S NAME AND DATE

Jaehyun Kim & Cyril S. Ku, September 26, 2011 (Technology Intensive)

12. ORIGINAL DEPARTMENTAL APPROVAL DATE:

Fall 1979; September 26, 2011

13. REVISER’S NAME AND DATE:

John Najarian, April 1, 2000 & December 2004; Cyril S. Ku, September 26, 2011

14. DEPARTMENT REVISION APPROVAL DATE:

Spring 2000; Fall 2004; September 26, 2011