The document outlines proposed revisions to the curriculum for the Higher National Diploma in Information Technology program at the Sri Lanka Institute for Advanced Technological Studies. Key points include: 1. The current curriculum is outdated and lacks specialization options, depth in subjects, and industry relevance. 2. The proposed revisions include changes to the program structure with specialization tracks and allowing for in-depth study, as well as updating the curriculum content. 3. A new curriculum was developed through stakeholder input and benchmarking other programs. It includes specialization options beginning in the third semester and a focus on projects and practical skills.

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C URRICULUM R EVISION O F
T HE H IGHER N ATIONAL
D IPLOMA I N I NFORMATION
T ECHNOLOGY P ROGRAMME A T
T HE S RI L ANKA I NSTITUTE
FOR A DVANCE
T ECHNOLOGICAL S TUDIES
Consultant’s Final Report and Curriculum,
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 6
Course Aims: 6
Course Objectives: 6
Present curriculum of the HND-IT programme 7
Identified issues and drawbacks 9
Rigid programme structure with no specialization options 10
Bias in covering breadth rather than depth in specialized subject areas 11
Un-balanced coverage of subject content and depth 11
Lack of industry relevance 11
Inability to cater for industry expectations 11
Non up to date curriculum and content 11
Lack of coverage in related domain areas 12
Insufficient emphasis on project based and practical work 12
Required improvements 12
Changes to the programme structure 13
Changes to the curriculum 13
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROCESS 14
Assessment of the present status 14
Review of parallel and alternate programmers 14
Review of the industry expectations and the workforce demands 14
Design of the new curriculum structure and expected outcomes 14
Involvement of the stakeholders 15
Collaboration with other development 15
SLIATE staff participation and review 16
THE PROPOSED CURRICULUM 17
Programme duration and semester organization 17
Provisions for specializations 17
Stage 1: Broad Based Common Core (Semesters 1, 2 and Term A) 18
Stage 2: Breadth Specialization Tracks (Semester 3 & Term B) 18
Stage 3: In depth specialization (Semester 4 & Placement) 18
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Curriculum outline 19
Year 1 – Semester I 19
Year 1 – Term A 20
Year 1 – Semester II 20
Year 2 – Semester III 20
Year 2 – Term B 21
Year 2 – Semester IV 21
Lateral entry and exit points 22
Programme learning outcomes 23
Performance criteria and graduation requirements 24
General Assessment Policy 24
Module assessment and performance evaluation 25
Credits 26
Grading System 26
Computation of Grade Point Average 27
Unsatisfactory Standing and Academic Probation 28
Graduation requirements – Higher National Diploma 28
Graduation requirements – Lateral Exit Points 29
Teaching and Learning environment 30
Resource requirements 30
Teaching, referencing, laboratory and other required resources to teach the modules in the
proposed curriculum have been identified for each module in the detailed syllabus. In
general these resources will include the following. 30
Use of e-Learning Platforms 30
DETAILED SYLLABUS 32
Semester I 32
IT1001: Personal Computer Hardware and System Operations 33
IT1002: Mathematics for computing 35
IT1003: Introduction to programming 37
IT1004: Data representation and organization 39
IT1005: Introduction to Databases and Relation Database Management Systems 41
ITA1006: Communications Skills I 43
IT1007: Internet applications 45
Term A 47
Summary of course modules offered 47
ITA001: Office productivity applications 48
ITA002: Website development 50
ITA003: Communications Skills II 52
ITA004: PC maintenance 54
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Semester II 56
Summary of Course modules offered 56
IT2001: Programming in JAYA 57
IT2002: Graphics and Multimedia 59
IT2003: Data structures and Algorithms 61
IT2004: Data Communications and Computer Networks 63
IT2005: System Analysis and Design 65
IT2006: Communications Skills III 67
Semester III 69
Summary of course modules offered 69
IT3001: Probability and Statistics 70
IT3002: Computer Architecture 72
IT3003: Business Management and Quantitative Techniques 74
IT3004: Operating Systems and Computer Security 76
IT3101: Rapid Application Development 78
IT3102: Principles of Software Engineering 80
IT3103: Object Oriented Analysis and Design 82
IT3201: Advance Database Management Systems 84
IT3201: Internetworking 86
IT3203: Enterprise Information Security Systems 88
IT3301: Introduction to Business Analysis 90
IT3302: Management Information Systems 92
IT3303: e-Commerce 94
Term B 96
Summary of course modules offered 96
ITB001: Individual Project 97
ITB002: Communications Skills IV 98
ITB003: Individual Learning Contract 100
Semester IV 101
Summary of course modules offered 101
IT4001: Project Management 103
IT4002: Free and Open Source Software Solutions 105
IT4003: IT and Society 107
IT4004: Graduation Project 109
IT4101: Multi-tiered Application Development 111
IT4102: Software Configuration Management 113
IT4103: Web Programming 116
IT4104: Graphics and Animation Design 118
IT4105: Digital Image Processing 120
IT4106: Digital Video and Audio Processing 122
IT4201: Server Installation and Management 124
IT4202: Network & Data Centre Operations 126
IT4203: Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity Planning (DR&BCP) 128
IT4204: Database Server Installation and Management 130
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IT4205: Database Programming Project 132
IT4301: Software Testing 133
IT4302: Technical Report Writing 135
IT4303: Software Quality Management 137
IT4304: Business Analysis Tools and Processes 139
IT4305: System Analysis Case Study 142
NEW CURRICULUM - WEEKLY LEARNING OUTCOMES 144
IT 1001: Personal Computer Hardware and System Operations 148
IT 1002: Mathematics for Computing 150
IT 1003: Introduction to Programming 152
IT 1004: Data Representation and Organization 155
IT 1005: Introduction to Databases and Relation Database Management Systems 160
IT 1007: Internet and Applications 163
IT A001: Office Productivity Applications 164
IT A002: Website Development 165
IT A004: PC Maintenance 166
IT 2001: Programming in JAVA 168
IT 2002: Graphics and Multimedia 171
IT 2003: Data Structures and Algorithms 173
IT2004: Data Communications and computer networks 175
IT 2005: System Analysis and Design 177
IT 3001: Probability and Statistics 179
IT 3002: Computer Architecture 181
IT 3003: Business Management and Quantitative Techniques 183
IT 3004: Operating Systems and Computer Security 185
IT3101: Rapid Application Development 188
IT 3102: Principals of Software Engineering 190
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IT3103: Object Oriented Analysis and Design 192
IT3201: Advance Database Management Systems 193
IT3202: Internetworking 195
IT 3203: Enterprise Information Security Systems 197
IT3301: Introduction to Business Analysis 198
IT3302: Management Information Systems 199
IT 3303: E-Commerce 201
IT 4001: Project Management 203
IT 4002: Open Source Systems 205
IT4003: IT and society 207
IT4101: Distributed Software Development 208
IT3102: Software Configuration Management 209
IT4103: Web programming 210
IT 4104: Graphic and animation design 211
IT 4105: Image Processing 212
IT 4106 Digital audio and Video Processing 213
IT4102: Software installation and management 215
IT4202: Network and data centre operations 217
IT4203: Disaster recovery and business continuity planning 219
IT4203: Database server installation and management 221
IT4301: Software testing 223
IT4303: Software quality management 224
IT4304: Business analysis tools and processes 226
Un structured teaching modules and units 227
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INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
The Higher National Diploma in Information Technology (HND‐IT) programme at the Sri
Lanka Institute of Advance Technical Education (SLIATE) was developed and commenced
in the year 2000 with the objective of producing the middle level IT professional
required for the new millennium. The initial curriculum designed for the course was
revised two times, first in year 2005 followed by the second in year 2007. However,
both these revisions were of minor nature and did not affect the status core of the
programme.
The course is aimed at school levers with GCE (A/L) qualifications in Mathematics,
Science and Accountancy streams. Candidates are selected through the order of merit
in their GCE (A/L) examination and through an aptitude / IQ test.
According to the existing curriculum documentation, the aims and objectives of the
course are stated as follows.
Course Aims:
• Provide Information Technology personal to cater to the demands in the next
millennium.
• Provide a conceptual basis for more advanced studies in information
technology field.
Course Objectives:
At the end of the diploma the student should be able to
• Function as a software developer.
• Train personals in IT skills.
• Use IT skills in the area of automation.
• Make use of IT skills in decision making in an organization.
At present the course duration is of five semesters namely Semester I, Semester II,
Semester IV and Semester V. covered over a period of two and half calendar years.
Academic activities are held during the first four semesters and during the fifth
semester students are required complete a full‐time industrial placement. The duration
of each semester is 15 weeks.
The programme was planned to be offered through nine different institutes throughout
the country under SLIATE. The programme had a significant demand during the initial
years but has started to face increased competition since the recent past from other
parallel programmes offered by the state and private sector institutions as well as from
the external IT related degree programmes offered by state universities. In a response
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this situation SLIATE decided to go ahead with a major revamp of the programme
inclusive of a major curriculum revision through funding available under the World Bank
supported “Improving Relevance and Quality of Undergraduate Education (IRQUE)”
project. In a parallel effort to this a second initiate was also taken to start another
Higher Diploma programme specializing in the area of Software Engineering through
funding available from the Asian Development Bank supported “Education for the
Knowledge Society (EKSP)” project. These two initiatives, even though supported by
two different projects had the same common objectives of improving the relevance,
quality and demand of the Higher National Diploma in Information Technology
programme offered by the Sri Lanka Institute for Advance Technological Studies.
Present curriculum of the HND-IT programme
The present curriculum was first developed and implemented in year 2000 and was later
revised in 2005 and 2007. The curriculum has 24 subject modules, two project based
modules and an industrial placement programme of 6 months duration. Subject
modules are offered through four semesters of 15 weeks duration each and spanning
over a period of 2 years. An outline of the present curriculum is illustrated below.
Semester I (15 weeks)
Allocated time
Module Code Title
Theory Practical Total
Program Design and Programming with
IT11 60 60 120
C++ (2)
IT12 Systems Analysis and Design (SA&D) (1) 45 15 60
Fundamentals of Digital Systems and
IT13 30 30 60
Computer Hardware (1)
IT14 PC Application and Operating Systems (1) 30 30 60
IT15 Mathematics for Computing (1) 45 45
IT16 Web Design (1) 30 30 60
IT17 Communication Skills1 (1) 30 30
Total 270 165 435
Semester II (15 weeks)
Allocated time
Module Code Title
Theory Practical Total
IT21 Data Structures and Algorithms 60 60 120
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IT22 Software Engineering 45 ‐ 45
IT23 Data Communication Technology 45 ‐ 45
IT24 Computer Architecture 30 30 60
IT25 Project Management 45 15 60
IT26 Mini Project ‐ 120 120
IT27 Communication Skills2 30 ‐ 30
Total 255 225 480
Semester III (15 weeks)
Allocated time
Module Code Title
Theory Practical Total
Relational Database Management
IT31 30 30 60
Systems (1)
Computer Network and Network
IT32 45 30 75
Programming (1)
Rapid Application Development with Dot
IT33 60 60 120
net Platform (2)
IT34 Enterprise Solutions (1) 45 ‐ 45
IT35 Management and QT (2) 60 ‐ 60
IT36 Communication Skils3 30 ‐ 30
Total 270 120 390
Semester IV (15 weeks)
Allocated time
Module Code Title
Theory Practical Total
IT41 Graphics and Multimedia Processing 60 60 120
IT42 Computational Intelligence 30 30 60
IT43 Computer Security 30 ‐ 30
IT44 E‐Commerce 60 60 120
IT45 IT Specialization Project 30 30 60
IT46 Communication Skills4 30 0 30
Total 240 180 420
Note: Number of assignments per each subject is indicated in parentheses
Table 1: Outline of teh existing curriculum
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According to the present structure of the curriculum program consists of approximately
1725 student contact hours of which approximately 60% (1025 hours) are allocated for
class‐room based teaching.
Distribution of student contact hours
Of this 35% of the 100%
90%
classroom contact hours 80%
Project based work
70%
have practical sessions 60%
Lab work
50%
associated with them while 40%
Theory based modul es
30%
the balance 25% consist 20%
Classroom work with
associated lab sessio ns
10%
only of theory based class 0%
room activities.
Figure 1: Distribution of student contact hours in the present
curriculum
From the 40% of the contact hours allocated for practical work about 31% are
associated with their respective classroom teaching activities while the balance 9% is
allocated for the two project based subject modules (Figure 1). The student’s academic
work load per semester ranges from 390 to 480 hours, which translates into about 26 to
32 hours of contact time per week. The time between semesters (approximately 22
weeks per calendar year) is consumed by examination, panel marking for the staff and
the holiday periods. The four academic semesters are followed by a period of six
months industrial placement where students work and train at an external organization
on full‐time basis.
Identified issues and drawbacks
Analysis of the present curriculum showed that it is heavily biased towards covering a
wide range of basic fundamentals and theoretical aspects of different areas in the IT
domain (Figure 2) rather than providing in‐depth knowledge. Almost half of the
student contact time has been allocated to cover the basic fundamentals of information
technology of which some areas include legacy technologies which are no longer
practiced by the industry. There are also many overlapping content across different
modules, especially with respect to fundamentals of digital systems, computer
hardware, operating systems and on modules covering aspects of programming and
program design. On the other hand some of recent developments in the IT education at
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school levels too have not been
considered in the present Distribution of Curriculum Content
9%
curriculum. Consequently many IT Fundamentals
of the content that is included in 46% Soft Skills
31%
the General Information Management
Technology (GIT) subject at GCE 7% IT Specilized area
Project work
(O/L) and GCE (A/L) curriculum
7%
are repeated “as it is” in the
Higher National Diploma Figure 2: Distribution of curriculum content in different
curriculum. subject areas
A diploma programme that can produce highly employable graduate should include
modules that can provide the students with in depth knowledge in specialized areas that
are demanded by the industry. However in the HND‐IT curriculum only 31% of the total
student contact time is allocated to cover such specialization subjects. Even within this
limited time the curriculum attempt to cover subjects from over 7 different
specializations, leaving only a small window for each specialization. This relatively small
allocation is insufficient to cover the subject areas at a satisfactory depth.
The curriculum has only little emphasis on the development of soft‐skills and
management skills among the students with only 14% of the time is allocated to cover
both. These skills today are even considered as mainstream subjects in most of the IT
related training programmes due to the demand from the industry for professionals
who can work effectively in a competitive business environment. The curriculum also
falls short in covering important areas such as social aspect of IT, ethics and IT related
law etc.
During the initial work done on the curriculum revision, the following issues and
drawbacks were identified as significantly contributing to the present status of the HND‐
IT programme.
Rigid programme structure with no specialization options
The programme is based on a fixed‐rigid curriculum that does not provide the
opportunity for students to select different options of specializations. Instead the
curriculum attempt covers a wide range of subjects from different areas of
specializations. This prevents the students from developing in‐depth skills and
competencies in any of the different specialization areas that are demanded by the
industry.
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Bias in covering breadth rather than depth in specialized subject areas
The curriculum attempt to cover a larger number of different areas related to
information technology rather than focusing with in depth on a selected set of key areas
that are more relevant to current technologies and industry requirements. This has
resulted most of the relevant subject areas not being covered at the required level.
Moreover the heavy bias on the theoretical aspects in the modules has also prevented
students getting the much required exposure to their applied and practical aspects.
Un‐balanced coverage of subject content and depth
There are many inconsistencies in the extent of material covered in the detailed syllabus
and the student contact time allocated for the subject. Significant differences exist in
the number of topics and the extents covered among subject modules having the same
allocated teaching time. Some of the subject that requires practical work is allocated
only with class‐room teaching time. Soft skill development subjects such as
communication skill has not been allocated with any practical work.
Lack of industry relevance
The curriculum does not cover most of the current technologies and standards used by
the IT industry. It has no relevance or parallelism to any of the certification programmes
(e.g. Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
etc.) that are offered by industry standard technology providers. Absence of such
relevance affect negatively on the students in terms of their employability as well on the
opportunities for further professional education.
Inability to cater for industry expectations
The 2007 IT workforce survey has identified several key work profiles where the local IT
industry is in need of qualified IT professionals. Each of these profiles requires in‐depth
knowledge of specialized subject matter and technologies with fair amount of practical
exposure. Many of these key areas are not included in the present curriculum. Even on
the few areas included, are not covered to the required depth and the practical
exposure on up to date technologies. As a result a student graduating with HND‐IT
would require further training by the employer prior to engage him on any productive
assignment.
Non up to date curriculum and content
The curriculum includes several subjects are relatively obsolete in the present context of
the IT industry. Majority of the student contact time is consumed by subjects that are of
less relevant to the present technologies. Moreover the rigid nature of the programme
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structure and the curriculum also make it difficult to adapt with the fast changing
technology trends in the industry.
Lack of coverage in related domain areas
The nature and the competitiveness of the current IT industry require its workforce to
have several competencies that are outside the main technology related areas. These
include the soft skill based competencies like in interpersonal and group
communications, presentation skills, report and technical writing skills etc. as well as
knowledge from other business related domains such as accountancy, management,
ethics and law. The present curriculum lacks the focus on a majority of these skills and
competencies. Within the 14% of the student contact time allocated for these subject
areas only few topics in management, quantitative techniques and communication skills
are covered.
Insufficient emphasis on project based and practical work
The curriculum and the detailed course outlines lack the required emphasis on practical
aspects and the laboratory based work. Majority of the lab sessions appear to be
unstructured and thereby fail to develop the required levels competencies among the
students. Furthermore entire programme consist of only two project based modules,
which too are not conducted with proper guidance and monitoring. Not having
sufficient amount of project based work severely hinder the development of self
confidence among the student which vital for them to survive and progress in the
challenging work environment of the modern IT industry.
Required improvements
During the initial work carried out it became clear that the current curriculum mandate
a major overhaul to its contents as well as the overall programme structure. However,
these changes must also be made by considering a number of other related factors such
as the expectations of the IT industry, current and expected demands in the IT
workforce, capacity and resources at SLIATE and the related technological
developments and trends in the global IT industry. Additionally these requirements and
constraints had to be matched with the curriculum standards adopted by similar
programmes in the region and the professional certification programmes offered by
global technology providers. Finally in order make the delivery programme a success
the practicability capacity and resource requirements, both the existing levels and
planned expansions too need to be accounted. Considering the above, the following
major changes were proposed.
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Changes to the programme structure
a. Extend the present academic contact duration of four semesters by introducing
two short “Terms” having 7 weeks of duration each. However, the two terms
will not extend the total duration of the programme of two calendar years and
will be placed in between the existing frame work of 15 week semesters.
b. Introduced a course unit system with modular credit based assessment and
graduation requirements
c. Introduce lateral entry / exit provisions. A student after completing a prescribed
number of modular credits should be able to exit the programme with
appropriate certifications rather than dropping from the course.
Changes to the curriculum
a. Re‐structure the curriculum to be outcome based.
b. Introduce specialization stream through optional subjects. The curriculum will
offer prescribed baskets of optional subjects with in‐depth coverage that lead to
specialization in different areas of information technology.
c. Adapt the industry norms in the distribution of curriculum content in the areas
of fundamental knowledge/core competencies, associated domain knowledge
and specialized subject knowledge.
d. Place the curriculum in parallel with professional certification programmes
available from the leading technology providers.
e. Improve the relevance of the curriculum by introducing applied technology
based modules with flexibility to adopt with trends and development of the
relevant technologies.
f. Increase the emphasis on practical laboratory work and project based work.
g. Increase the extent of allocation or soft‐skills and other related domain based
competency development.
h. Improve the assessment criteria on all modules included in the curriculum.
The above changes recommended for the programme structure and curriculum content
is described in detail later in this document under the proposed curriculum.
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CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
The following methodology was used as the primary methodology in the development
of proposed curriculum and the new programme structure. On all possible instances
the activities were carried with assistance and collaboration with the staff of the SLIATE
institutions that are directly involved in teaching activities of the HND‐It programme.
Assessment of the present status
a. Review of the present curriculum and its relevance to the programme and
expectations.
b. Review of the staff and other related resource capacities of the SLIATE institutes
in relation to the HND‐IT programme
c. Review of similar programmes offer by other private and public sector
institutions in the region
d. Compare the review the present course structure in relation to the National
Vocational Qualification (NVQ) developed by the Sri Lanka Vocational Training
Authority and the “Sri Lanka Qualifications Framework (SLQF)” developed by the
Ministry of Higher Education.
e. Collection of information on curriculum standards adopted by Diploma and
Higher Diploma programmes offered other institutions in the region as well as
the Western / European regions. This also included foreign institution based
diploma programmes offered through their local agents in the country.
Review of parallel and alternate programmers
Review of the curriculum used in professional and industry certification
programmes such as Microsoft Certification, Cisco certification, RedHat
certification, Oracle certification etc. This was carried in order to position the
proposed curriculum with respect to the requirements of these certifications.
Review of the industry expectations and the workforce demands
The input of the industry expectations was obtained through meetings with the
relevant stake holders and using the available survey data on the workforce
demands and employment market.
Design of the new curriculum structure and expected outcomes
a. Review of the institutional capacity and resource availability. The institutional
capacity and resource availability of SLIATE institutions was assessed using
available statistical data and through interviews / meeting with the relevant
staff. This information was then be used in the design of the detailed course
outlines and the delivery methods for individual subject modules.
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7. Design of new course modules, detailed course outlines and delivery method.
Involvement of the stakeholders
A significant amount of data collected recently on the industry stake‐holder’s views of
the existing HND‐IT programme of the SLIATE was readily available at the beginning of
this exercise. This information had been collected by a parallel consultancy project
aimed at developing a new higher diploma programme specializing in Software
Engineering for the SLIATE. The information collected through this exercise included the
industry view and expectations on existing HND‐IT curriculum, identified gaps in the
existing curriculum and industry requirements, and their observations on the quality of
the SLIATE HND‐IT diplomats. The dataset also included industry suggestions on the
curriculum improvements to existing outline and some feedback collected through their
workshops with the SLIATE teaching staff and students. Moreover the data had been
collected within a period of 3 month from the commencement of this curriculum
review. Thus, after a comprehensive review of the available data and the strict time
limitations associated with the curriculum review it was decided to use this dataset as
the primary source for initial information gathering on the stakeholder input.
In addition to the above several other sources were also used to collect relevant
information and data. These included the reports of the “IT Workforce Surveys” carried
by the “Information and Communication Agency of Sri Lanka” and several other
publications made by different institutions. Several informal discussions were also held
with industry representatives to obtain in depth feedback on the existing curriculum,
quality of the SLIATE diplomats and the proposed changes to the curriculum and the
programme structure. It is important to note that on all above instances the industry
extended their fullest support and cooperation to the changes and enhancements
suggested for the SLIATE HND‐IT programme.
Collaboration with other development
In parallel with the consultancy for the review of existing curriculum of the HND‐IT
programme, SLIATE has taken another initiative to develop a new Higher National
Diploma programme specializing in the field of “Software Engineering”. This assignment
had been awarded to a different team of consultants which included one International
Consultant and one National Consultant.
During the initial work it became clearly evident that there is a significant overlap
between these two initiatives almost on every aspect of the programme structure and
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the curriculum development. Therefore the two teams work in close collaboration and
as result it was possible to define a uniform course structure for the both programmes.
In‐fact that it was decided that the implementation of the new programme to made in
parallel with one of the specializations suggested for the existing HND‐IT programme.
This arrangement opened the possibility of sharing teaching and learning resources,
especially the staff resources between the two programmes, thereby improving the
quality and productivity of both programmes by a significant extent.
SLIATE staff participation and review
A workshop was carried with the SLIATE teaching staff at early stages of the review
process in order to collect their observations and feedback on the proposed changes to
the curriculum. During this workshop the proposed programme structure and the
curriculum outlines were presented to them and their feedback was obtained. The
staffs were presented with the expected learning outcomes of the programme on a
semester basis and were requested to suggest suitable subject modules for different
semesters.
A second workshop and a training session was conducted toward the latter part of the
review process in order to assess staff capacity in the implementation of the proposed
curriculum and to train them on the new aspects of the proposed curriculum. The new
syllabus outlines were explained to the staff and thereafter were asked to participate in
the development of weekly learning outcomes for each of the modules. This process
allowed identifying strength and weaknesses in the implementation of the new course
structure and the curriculum.
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THE PROPOSED CURRICULUM
Programme duration and semester organization
The proposed curriculum for the Higher National Diploma in Information Technology
programme will consist of four academic Semesters, two Terms and an industrial
placement programme (Figure 3). Each semester will be of 14 weeks duration while
each of the Terms will be restricted to 7 weeks. At the end of the academic activities
students will be placed on a fulltime industrial training for period of 24 weeks (i.e.
approx 6 months).
Two additional terms will be offered,
Activity Duration
one per year in between the
semesters. Each Term will consist of 1 Semester I 14 weeks
Year 1
7 weeks and will focus on knowledge 2 Term A 7 weeks
areas not directly related to the core
3 Semester II 14 weeks
knowledge of ICT. This will include
soft‐skills related modules and 4 Semester III 14 weeks
Year 2
industry / vendor specific technology 5 Term B 7 weeks
areas. Teaching and learning during
6 Semester IV 14 weeks
the terms will be based on self‐study,
Year 3
computer assisted learning and
7 Industrial Placement 24 weeks
project based work, industry
seminars etc., in order to minimize Figure 3: Proposed Semester / Term structure
the additional workload on the
regular academic staff. The fact that
the academic staff would need to engage in marking and other preparatory work during
the period in between semesters was also considered in designing the term workloads.
Thus during the Terms regular academic staff will play a coordinating and supervisory
roles for the modules offered with assistance from external resources.
Provisions for specializations
The new curriculum is designed to provide specialized in‐depth knowledge in six
different specialization areas identified based on the industry requirements. However,
in order to maintain the flexibility specializations are designed to be offered in stages,
starting from a broad based core curriculum at the initial phases of the programme and
moving towards in depth specialization at the final stages. The following describes the
curriculum structure that gradually leads to specializations.
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Stage 1: Broad Based Common Core (Semesters 1, 2 and Term A)
During the first stage a common curriculum covering the fundamental
knowledge in core areas of ICT is offered to all the students. Outcomes
expected from the common core curriculum include the following.
• Cater to the diversity in the entry requirements (i.e. students from non
science streams of GCE (A/L) and those who have followed basic
courses in ICT such as the General Information Technology (GIT) at GCE
(O/L) and GCE (A/L) examinations etc.) and to provide the bridging
among different entry skill levels.
• To provide broad based fundamental knowledge in the core areas such
as algorithms & programming, Databases, Communications &
Networking, Business Systems & processes, Quality Assurance & control
and multimedia fundamentals.
• To provide hands‐on skills equivalent to the skills referred by
“International Computer Driving License (ICDL) skill levels”
Stage 2: Breadth Specialization Tracks (Semester 3 & Term B)
During the second stage of the programme, students will be divided into three
broad specialization areas identified as the “Developer Track”, “Administrator
Track” and the “Analyst Track” by means of selecting course modules from
prescribed sets of baskets. Each of these tracks is designed to cover a broader
spectrum of knowledge but with a bias into the specified field. A student
following a track in general would cover approximately 50% of the workload
from his selected specialization track and the balance from a common basket
and selected modules from the other specialization tracks.
Stage 3: In depth specialization (Semester 4 & Placement)
The final stage of the program consisting of Semester 4 and the industrial
placement is aimed at providing in depth knowledge in further specialized
areas. Students will be able to select their specialization options by means of
selecting optional subjects from specified baskets. Based on the current and
projected industry demand six different specializations options will offered for
the three broader tracks as follows.
As similar to stage two, the student workload will be shared with options
selected from other specializations within and outside the respective track in
addition to the core subjects taken from the selected specialization
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Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
Software
Developer
Developer
Track
Multimedia
Developer
Database
Administrator
Common Administrator
Core Track
Network / System
Administrator
System /
Business Analyst
Analyst
Track Quality
Assuarnce /
Control Specialist
Figure 4: Specialization options in the proposed curriculum
The course structure proposed for specialization options is graphically illustrated in
Figure 4. This approach allows students to gradually migrate into their specialized areas
while having a sufficient breadth of knowledge in other related areas. It also offers
flexibility to the SLIATE in delivering the curriculum and also in managing with the
constrained resources.
Curriculum outline
Year 1 – Semester I
Module Code Module Title Module Type Credits Status
IT 1001 Personal Computer Hardware and System Common Core 04 GPA
Operations
IT 1002 Mathematics for Computing Common Core 03 GPA
IT 1003 Introduction to Programming Common Core 04 GPA
IT 1004 Data Representation and Organization Common Core 02 GPA
IT 1005 Introduction to Databases and Relation Common Core 03 GPA
Database Management Systems
IT 1006 Communication Skills I Common Core 01 GPA
IT 1007 Internet and Applications Common Core 03 GPA
TOTAL 20
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Year 1 – Term A
Module Code Module Title Module Type Credits Status
IT A001 Office Productivity Applications Common Core 02 NGPA
IT A002 Website Development Common Core 03 NGPA
IT A003 Communication Skills II Common Core 01 NGPA
IT A004 PC Maintenance Common Core 02 NGPA
TOTAL 08
Year 1 – Semester II
Module Code Module Title Module Type Credits Status
IT 2001 Programming in JAVA Common Core 04 GPA
IT 2002 Graphics and Multimedia Common Core 04 GPA
IT 2003 Data Structures and Algorithms Common Core 03 GPA
IT 2004 Introduction to Communications and Common Core 03 GPA
Computer Networks
IT 2005 System Analysis and Design Common Core 04 GPA
IT 2006 Communication Skills III Common Core 02 GPA
TOTAL 20
Year 2 – Semester III
Module Code Module Title Module Type Credits Status
Core
IT 3001 Probability and Statistics Common Core 02 GPA
IT 3002 Computer Architecture Common Core 2.5 GPA
IT 3003 Business Management and Quantitative Common Core 2.5 GPA
Techniques
IT 3004 Operating Systems and Computer Common Core 03 GPA
Security
Total 10
Developer Track Option
IT 3101 Rapid Application Development Track Elective 04 GPA
IT 3102 Principals of Software Engineering Track Elective 02 GPA
IT 3103 Object Oriented Analysis and Design Track Elective 04 GPA
Total 10
Administrator Track Option
IT 3201 Advance Database Management Systems Track Elective 04 GPA
IT 3202 Internetworking Track Elective 03 GPA
IT 3203 Enterprise Information Security Systems Track Elective 03 GPA
Total 10
Analyst Track Option
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IT 3301 Introduction to Business Analysis Track Elective 02 GPA
IT 3302 Management Information Systems Track Elective 04 GPA
IT 3303 E-Commerce Track Elective 04 GPA
Total 10
Year 2 – Term B
Module Code Module Title Module Type Credits Status
IT B001 Individual Project Common Core 04 NGPA
IT B002 Communication Skills IV Common Core 02 NGPA
IT B003 Individual Learning Content Common Core 02 NGPA
TOTAL 08
Year 2 – Semester IV
Module Code Module Title Module Type Credits Status
Core
IT 4001 Project Management Common Core 02 GPA
IT 4002 Open Source Systems Common Core 04 GPA
IT 4003 IT and Society Common Core 02 GPA
IT 4004 Graduation Project Common Core 03 GPA
Total 11
Developer Track Option
Software Developer Specialization
IT 4101 Multi-tiered Application Development Field Elective 04 GPA
IT 4102 Software Configuration Management Field Elective 02 GPA
IT 4103 Web Programming Field Elective 03 GPA
Total 09
Multimedia Developer Specialization
IT 4104 Computer Graphics and Animation Field Elective 04 GPA
Design
IT 4105 Image Processing Field Elective 03 GPA
IT 4106 Digital Video and Audio Field Elective 02 GPA
Total 09
Administrator Track Option
Network / System Administrator Specialization
IT 4201 Server Installation and Management Field Elective 03 GPA
IT 4202 Network and Data Centre Operations Field Elective 03 GPA
IT 4203 Disaster Recovery & Business Cont. Field Elective 03 GPA
Planning
Total 09
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Database Administrator Specialization
IT 4203 Disaster Recovery & Business Cont. Field Elective 03 GPA
Planning
IT 4204 DB Server Installation and Management Field Elective 03 GPA
IT 4205 Database Programming Project Field Elective 03 GPA
Total 09
Analyst Track Option
QA / QC Specialization
IT 4301 Software Testing Field Elective 03 GPA
IT 4302 Technical Report Writing Field Elective 03 GPA
IT 4303 Software Quality Management Field Elective 03 GPA
Total 09
System / Business Analyst Specialization
IT 4302 Technical Report Writing Field Elective 03 GPA
IT 4304 Business Analysis - Tools & Processes Field Elective 03 GPA
IT 4305 System Analysis Case Study Field Elective 03 GPA
Total 09
Lateral entry and exit points
There are two lateral exit/entry points that are defined in the proposed curriculum as
follows.
• A student having completed the prescribed course modules in Semester 1 and
Term A and having earned the prescribed minimum number of modular credits
will be eligible to claim the exit qualification “Certificate in Information
Technology” from SLIATE.
• A student having completed the prescribed course modules in Semester I,
Semester II, Semester III, Term A and Term B and having earned the prescribed
minimum number of modular credits will be eligible to claim the exit
qualification “National Diploma in Information Technology” from SLIATE.
However, it must be noted that these lateral exit options will be offered only on
exceptional circumstances where a student is unable progress into the next level due to
reasons not related to his or her academic performance. Students must be always
encouraged to progress towards the final award of the Higher National Diploma. Lateral
exits must not be offered to students who fail to complete the requirements of the
Higher National Diploma due to poor academic performance. Lateral entry points may
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also be allowed for students who have obtained prior qualifications that are similar to
the exit points and acceptable to the SLIATE.
Higher Diploma
Placement / Training
Second Year
First Year Diploma
Certificate
Figure 5: Students academic progression and lateral entry /
exit points
Programme learning outcomes
Programme learning outcomes and the skills and competencies expected at different
levels of the proposed curriculum are as follows.
Level Skill / Competency Levels Expected Learning Outcomes
Certificate in Enriched with fundamental • Ability to install and maintain
Information theoretical knowledge and practical (including basic hardware
Technology exposure required in using in ICT maintenance) personal
in a office environment computers and networking
devices in general office
environment
• Ability to configure basic
messaging and networking
services on client computers
• Determine requirements and
specifications of devices and
software for general office use
• Develop small software
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application and websites for
general office work.
National Diploma Developed with competencies, • Ability to analyze problems and
in Information skills and knowledge in a broader issues in the specialized domain
Technology spectrum of specialized areas in • Ability to determine solutions
Information Technology. and requirements for identified
problems in the specialized
domain.
• Ability to configure, manage and
maintain ICT solutions in the
specialized application domain
• Ability to provide necessary
information to the senior
management for making
decisions in the areas related to
the specialized domain.
Higher National Developed with in‐depth • Carryout in‐depth analysis on
Diploma in knowledge and competencies in problems and requirements in
Information the selected specialized area of ICT the area of specialization.
Technology • Develop solutions for complex
problems that require in depth
analysis in the area of
specialization.
• Take managerial desiccation of
the implementation,
configuration and maintenance
of solutions in the area of
specialization
Performance criteria and graduation requirements
The following guidelines are recommended in evaluating student performance
throughout the progression of the course and determining graduation requirements for
the final award as well as awards at lateral exit points.
General Assessment Policy
In general a student learning through a course module is expected to be evaluated using
a formative assessment at the end of the semester / term as well as using a series of
summative assessments conducted during the semester. Formative assessment tools
would include semester examinations with structured question papers, multiple choice
questions, final reports, presentations and oral examinations. Tools recommended for
summative assessments will include quizzes, participation in discussions, tutorials,
assignments, laboratory reports and in‐class presentations.
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Final mark and the grade awarded for the module must be computed as a weighted sum
of the formative and summative assessments. The weight assigned to each type of
assignment should be decided considering number of factors that include the nature of
the subject area covered, teaching and learning methodology used for the delivery and
nature of the expected learning outcomes. The following is recommended as broad
guideline for this purpose.
Decision criteria Summative assessment Formative assessment
Tools Weight Tools Weight
Theoretical subjects where Quizzes 30% Structured 70%
the understanding of the Tutorials question paper
subject fundamentals is
Discussions
considered as the primary
objective
Theory oriented subjects Assignments 30% Structured 70%
where learner’s ability to Tutorials question papers
apply the acquired knowledge MCQ papers
Presentations
in problem solving is
significant Quizzes
Subjects where hands‐on Assignments 50% Structured 50%
exposure to practical’s is a Lab reports question papers
major part of learning the
Tutorials
associated theoretical content
Practical oriented subjects Assignments 70% MCQ papers 30%
where concepts are learned Lab worksheets Structured
through the exposure to question papers
Participation
practical work
Group work and
discussions
Self directed learning and Reports, 60% Final reports 40%
project based learning Assignments Presentations
Lab reports Oral examinations
It must be noted that the above weights are provided as broad guideline and could vary
from one module to another depending of factors associated with the nature and
delivery of the module. However it is recommended that such variations to be limited
to a band of +/‐ 10% of the specified values.
Module assessment and performance evaluation
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Assessment of candidate’s performance in each module will be carried out based on the
following guidelines.
a. A candidate will become eligible for the formative assessment component of the
module only if he / she has obtained a minimum of 35% of the marks allocated
for the summative component and has completed the minimum attendance /
participation requirements (if any) for that module.
b. A candidate will considered as “passed” the module and credit be awarded only
if he / she has obtained least 35% of the marks separately for both the formative
and summative components of the evaluation.
c. If only one of the components is passed (i.e. obtained more than 35%), the
student has to complete only the remaining component as a repeat candidate in
the next attempt to complete the module. The marks obtained for the "passed"
component will be kept on records and taken to determine the grade at the
repeat attempt. In such event the candidate will be awarded an “Incomplete (I)”
grade for the module in the first attempt.
d. A candidate failing to achieve the minimum 35% for both components will be
awarded a “Fail (F)” grade and should re‐do both components in order to
upgrade the result.
e. The highest grade obtainable at a repeat or subsequent attempt is the grade “C”
except when an Academic Concession has been granted.
Credits
Each module is assigned a credit value that represents the student’s workload subjected
to the following guidelines.
a. For direct learning tools such as lectures and other similar classroom based
activities one credit is allocated for a work load of 1 hour per week through a
semester or 2 hours per week through a term.
b. For indirect learning tools such as take home assignments, tutorials, laboratory
work and project based activities one credit is allocated for a work load of 2
hours per week through a semester or 4 hours per week through a term
c. No credits will be awarded for modules where the candidate receives either an
“Incomplete (I)” or “Fail (F)” grade.
Grading System
The following guidelines will be used in grading the student’s performance at each
module taken.
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a. Letter grades based on the Grade Point system and corresponding description,
as illustrated below, will be used to express the performance at each module.
moderated module Grade Grade Point Description
mark
85 and above A+ 4.2
75 to 84 A 4.0 Excellent
70 to 74 A- 3.7
65 to 69 B+ 3.3
60 to 64 B 3.0 Good
55 to 59 B- 2.7
50 to 54 C+ 2.3
45 to 49 C 2.0 Pass
40 to 44 C- 1.5 Weak Pass
35 to 39 D 1.0 Conditional Pass
34 and below I 0.0 Incomplete
F 0.0 Fail
b. The grades F, I, D or C‐ can be improved up to a C grade and considered for
calculating Semester Grade Point Average (SGPA).
c. Moderated percentages illustrated above are given for the guidance of the
examiner and may be changed upwards or downwards by the moderator in
consultation of the examination board and the relevant guidelines.
Computation of Grade Point Average
Semester Grade Point Average (SGPA) will be based on the summation of Grade Points
earned for all modules registered in a semester weighted according to number of credits
using the formula illustrated below, rounded to the second nearest decimal point.
SGPA =
∑n × gi i
∑n i
Where ni is the number of credits for the ith module in a given semester and gi is the
grade points earned for that module.
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Current Grade Point Average (CGPA) describes a student's current standing in terms of
all modules registered for credits up to given point of time weighted according to the
grades assigned to each module. For this purpose, weights given for each semester will
be uniform.
Overall Grade Point Average (GPA) is the final standing of the student calculated on the
basis of CGPA of all the registered modules.
Unsatisfactory Standing and Academic Probation
a. If the student’s SGPA falls between 1.99 and 1.50 the student will be placed on
“Academic Warning”.
b. Any student with a SGPA less than 1.50 will be place on “Academic Probation”.
c. Academic Probation and/or Academic Warning may be withdrawn when the
relevant SGPA is upgraded to 2.00 or more.
d. A student who falls into one of the following categories due to failure to upgrade
the SGPA will not be permitted to register for a new module until the SGPA
improves as required.
a. “Academic Probation” in any two semesters
b. “Academic Probation” in any semester and “Academic Warning” in one
semester
c. “Academic Warning” in any three semesters.
Graduation requirements – Higher National Diploma
The following are the requirements for a candidate to be awarded with the Higher
National Diploma in Information Technology.
Minimum Residence Requirement
A student enrolled for the Higher National Diploma in Information Technology has to
follow a course of study as a full time student for a period extending over a minimum
period of four academic semesters and two terms. Students entering into the
programme through lateral entry points must complete a total residency requirement
that is compatible to the regular full time students for the period there are under the
Higher National Diploma programme.
Industrial placement requirement
A student enrolled for the Higher National Diploma in Information Technology has to
complete an industrial placement programme with duration of not less than six
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continuous calendar months. The industrial placement requirement must be fulfilled
after completing academic residency and credit requirements of the programme. For
students enrolled through the lateral entry scheme, any industrial experience prior to
the completion of the academic residency and credit requirements will not be
accounted towards the industrial placement requirement.
Credit Requirements
A candidate should satisfy the following requirements in order to be awarded with the
Higher National Diploma in Information Technology by the Sri Lanka Institute of
Advance Technical Studies.
a. A minimum total of 61 GPA credits from prescribed core compulsory modules
b. A minimum total of 10 GPA credits from the prescribed set of modules in the
selected breadth specialization track
c. A minimum total of 9 GPA credits from the prescribed set of modules in the
selected depth specialization option with the selected track
d. A minimum total of 16 Non‐GPA credits from the prescribed set of modules
GPA requirements
A candidate must achieve a minimum Overall GPA of 2.0 computed from the GPA credits
together with other requirements to be awarded with the Higher National Diploma.
Graduation requirements – Lateral Exit Points
A candidate, who wishes to de‐register himself from the Higher National Diploma in
Information technology programme prematurely, may claim for the relevant lateral exit
awards, provided that he has completed the following minimum requirements.
Diploma in Information Technology
A candidate may claim for the award of Diploma in Information Technology provided
that he/she has completed the following minimum requirement upon the de‐
registration from the Higher National Diploma programme.
1. A minimum residency requirement of three semesters and two terms
2. A minimum credit requirements of 60 GPA credits and 16 Non‐GPA credits as
follows
a. A minimum total of 50 GPA credits from prescribed core compulsory
modules
b. A minimum total of 10 GPA credits from the prescribed set of modules in
the selected breadth specialization track
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c. A minimum total of 16 Non‐GPA credits from the prescribed set of
modules
3. A minimum overall GPA of 2.0 computed from the prescribes baskets of GPA
credits
Certificate in Information Technology
A candidate may claim for the award of Certificate in Information Technology provided
that he/she has completed the following minimum requirement upon the de‐
registration from the Higher National Diploma programme.
1. A minimum residency requirement of one semester and a term.
2. A minimum credit requirements of 20 GPA credits and 8 Non‐GPA credits as
follows
a. A minimum total of 20 GPA credits from core compulsory modules
prescribed for Semester 1
b. A minimum total of 8 Non‐GPA credits from the set of modules
prescribed for Term A
3. A minimum overall GPA of 2.0 computed from the prescribes baskets of GPA
credits
Teaching and Learning environment
Resource requirements
Teaching, referencing, laboratory and other required resources to teach the modules in
the proposed curriculum have been identified for each module in the detailed syllabus.
In general these resources will include the following.
a. Computer laboratory facilities with Internet access for software, design and
other related modules.
b. Test platform laboratory for conducting practical work related to installation and
configuration of systems and communication services.
c. Access to e‐learning and Computer Based Training (CBT) facilities as described in
relevant syllabuses.
d. Reference text books listed in the detailed syllabus for each module
Use of e‐Learning Platforms
The proposed curriculum introduces several significant changes to the way that Higher
National Diploma programme is delivered and administered. These changes range from
introduction of new specialization options to modernization of the curriculum content
with some of the modern and emerging subject areas. It is imperative that significant
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efforts are needed to upgrade the course delivery and administration mechanisms to
obtain the true benefits of these changes in terms of improving the quality and
relevance of the programme and in achieving the expected outcomes.
It is important to note that the propose curriculum introduces new subjects from a
diverse areas of information technology and hence would require resources and
expertise from the same areas of specializations. Most of these subjects are related to
emerging technologies where finding qualified resource personal or training existing
staff would be difficult and time consuming. However, on the other the quality of the
programme would depend on the availability of such resources not only in one ATI but
across the entire network where the programme is offered.
In order to address these problems it is recommended that the SLIATE move into an e‐
Learning based platform to support the delivery and administration of the new
curriculum. The e‐learning platform must be used to facilitate sharing of resources,
centralized implementation of course delivery and assessment tools, centralized
administration and learner management and to facilitate the use and assessment in
using modern computer based learning material.
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DETAILED SYLLABUS
Semester I
Summary of course modules offered:
Module Code Module Title Module Type Credits Status
IT 1001 Personal Computer Hardware and System Common Core 04 GPA
Operations
IT 1002 Mathematics for Computing Common Core 03 GPA
IT 1003 Introduction to Programming Common Core 04 GPA
IT 1004 Data Representation and Organization Common Core 02 GPA
IT 1005 Introduction to Databases and Relation Common Core 03 GPA
Database Management Systems
IT 1006 Communication Skills I Common Core 01 GPA
IT 1007 Internet and Applications Common Core 03 GPA
TOTAL 20
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IT1001: Personal Computer Hardware and System Operations
Module data
Module Code IT1001 Module Title Personal Computer Hardware and System Operations
Credits 4 Lectures 30 Pre-requisites None
Hours/Week
GPA/NGPA GPA Lab/Tutorial 60 Co - requisites None
Semester S1 Module Type Core compulsory
Module Aims & objectives
To develop the fundamental skills required in installation, configuration, maintenance and management of
personal computer systems and simple data communication devices in a general office environment
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module the student will be able to:
1. Describe how computer hardware components work with software components.
2. Identify and install various hardware components and the software they need to properly function.
3. Describe and configure system resources within a computer system.
4. Make technical assessments and describe faults and problems in a personal computer
5. Describe the hazards to computer systems and take steps to prevent or control those hazards.
6. Perform various PC maintenance functions to ensure data safety prolong the life of the PC.
7. Identify and correct basic PC related network problems.
Outline Syllabus
1. External configuration and basic operations (Connecting components, powering up, login,
mounting / un-mounting external devices, shout down procedures etc.
2. Storage management – Folder structure and hierarchy, File and folder management, Copying and
moving files, formatting removable devices.
3. Device installation, configuration and management (printers, scanners, modems)
4. System administration and management (Backup and restore, application installation and un-
installation, user account and access management)
5. PC internal components and the modular design (System board, peripheral devices and interfaces,
add-on hardware interfaces etc.)
6. Network installation and configuration, resource sharing over a network
7. Internet installation and configuration, enabling Internet security (proxy, firewall settings)
8. Common internet applications (email, web, ftp etc.) installation and use
Assessment and Weighting
Type Activity Weighting
Continuous Assessment Participation and completion of practical 30%
work and laboratory assignments
Take home assignments 20%
End of semester examination Essay type question paper 50%
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Recommended Teaching/Learning Activities
1. Classroom based learning on theoretical aspects required for the hands-on sessions
2. Hands-on practical sessions followed by group discussions
Resources: Equipment, Tools and Materials
Access to computer laboratory facilities
Microsoft VirtualPC (or similar) setup
Access to standard hardware maintenance tools
Internet access
Prescribed Text
1. A+ GUIDE TO HARDWARE: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting
by Andrews, 3rd Edition, Course Technology Inc. ISBN: 1-4188-3561-7
2. LAB MANUAL: For A+ Managing and Maintaining Your PC, by Andrews, 5th
Edition, Course Technology Inc. ISBN: 1-4188-3564-1
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