Content
Essentially, the unit develops analysis, design, implementation and evaluation skills and knowledge in the design, access and management of centralized, distributed and decision support database applications. This is reflected in the validated learning outcomes in the validated Unit Descriptor.
The unit is structured around the following core (and mainly contemporary) Themes:
1. Exploiting DBMS Data Models and Server Functionality
2. Accessing and Manipulating Data Programmatically
3. Improving Data Access by Data Distribution and Replication
4. Modelling and Analysing Data for Decision Support
5. Mining Databases for Decision Support
Each theme relates both theory and practice, and involves practical work based on extensive Databases and Tools and DBs & Tools Access. The themes have evolved through time to achieve scoped and contempary coverage across database systems on the one hand, and to enable the learning outcomes to be achieved with both breadth and depth on the other. TLAD (refer context section) has significantlt influenced content, particularly in respect of contemporary topics such as data mining. A narrative of each theme is provided online to the students, and is available via the Themes link.
What content might I have included?
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Other potential themes, and other potential topics not explicitly taught within each theme - eg only market basket analysis is explicitly covered in the data mining theme.
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Highly technical content of any particular Oracle technology – eg basic Oracle XML DB covered in theme 1, but more complex Oracle XML DB is left for independent study as a discriminator of higher-level achievement.
- Explicit in-depth coverage of some underpinning theories/mathematics – eg of data mining.
What content currently would I never include?
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Highly theoretical content relating to the construction of DBMS software etc – ie the focus is on database application development.
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Too much content! (or at least try never to include too much!).
The DATABASE Portal provides additional undepinning resources for this unit.
Finally, the Unit Information Guide (UIG) is handed-out in the 1st week. It includes the teaching scheme, assessment and the 5 theme scenarios and requirements. Producing a UIG is a formal Faculty requirement.