Module: IT & Web Technology Fundamentals

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	IT & Web Technology Fundamentals
Module Code	ICT1030 (ITS: C1)
Faculty	Engineering & Computing	School	Electronic Engineering
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	15

Description

A module which provides students with an introduction to computer hardware and software, how to plan and design websites, use client side web development technologies such as Javascript, HTML5 and CSS and develop via the server-side language Python. Students will learn the fundamental principles of programming.

Learning Outcomes

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2. Describe the elements of computer hardware and computer software.
5. 1
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7. Describe the underlying technology and techniques of the Internet.
10. 2
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12. Describe the evolution of Multimedia in a digital environment.
15. 3
16. 13FA379F9B2376C3D7AEDAC19399EEF4A
17. Critique internet design issues and methods.
20. 4
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22. Plan, design and develop a web-site using HTML5, JavaScript and CSS.
25. 5
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27. Demonstrate error handling and validation via JavaScript.
30. 6
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32. Apply the key constructions of programming, namely Sequence, Iteration and Selection.
35. 7
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37. Demonstrate how interactive media can be used as part of Internet-based solutions.
40. 8
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42. Generate web pages using the Python programming language on Jupyter Notebook.
45. 9
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47. Build and modify web interfaces using Python and HTML forms.
50. 10
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52. Apply good programming practice in relation to web security, debugging, quality assurance, coding standards and documentation.
55. 11
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57. Analyse Search Engine Optimisation techniques.
60. 12
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62. Demonstrate how to optimise a website for mobile devices.
65. 13
66. 1DCE4050-F89B-0001-563B-11A81430138B
67. Teach programming fundamentals to others
70. 14

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Tutorial	21	Face-to-face tutorials are held in DCU on Saturdays and Virtual Classroom tutorials on weekday evenings according to the timetable
Online activity	16	Interaction with tutor and fellow students
Independent Study	338	Reading, study, research and problem solving
Total Workload: 375

Section Breakdown
CRN	11668	Part of Term	Semester 1 & 2
Coursework	25%	Examination Weight	75%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Richard Bolger	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	Written assignment and development of HTML webpage using SEO. ( Units 1-6)	10%	Week 10
Assignment	Advanced webpage development using HTML, JavaScript and SEO. (Units 7-13)	10%	Week 21
Assignment	Development of several Python programs.( Units 14-17)	10%	Week 28
Formal Examination	End-of-Semester Final Examination	70%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Introduction to Computer Hardware, Computer Software and Digitial Multimedia.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Unit 1: Computer Hardware
Introduction; Strategic Hardware Issues ; Computer Hierarchy; Input and Output Technologies; The Central Processing Unit .

Unit 2: Computer Software
Introduction to Software; Software Issues; Systems Software; Application Software.

Unit 3: Digital Multimedia
Text; Graphics; Video; Animation; Audio.

WEB TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATIONS
Web Technology Foundations.

Unit 4: Planning a Website What is a Website
Effective Website Design Requirements;

Practical Steps for Planning a Website;

Deciding on Website Content ;

Designing The Website,

Organising The Website.

Unit 5: Internet Design Issues and Methods
Design Methods; Evaluation Principles; Considerations; Web Site Promotion.

Unit 6: Client-Side Web Development Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
HTML Basics; Nesting Elements; Closing Tags; Lists; Links; Relative and Absolute Addressing; IFrame Tag; Images; View Source and Element Inspector.

Unit 7: HTML5 Introduction
Browser Support; Getting Started; New Features; Drawing Elements; Media Elements; Forms; Semantic/Structural Elements; Apis.

Unit 8: Cascading Style Sheets What is CSS
How Css Came About; Internal Style Sheets; External Style Sheets; Inline Styles; Css Comments; Css Indentation; Css Id Selector; Css Class Selector; Css Background Properties; Css Text Properties; Css Font Properties; Css List Properties; Styling Links With Css; Further Reading.

Unit 9: Cascading Style Sheets 3 (CSS3)
Background Images; CSS3 Gradients; CSS3 Text Effects; CSS3 2D Transforms; CSS3 3D Transforms; CSS3 Transitions; CSS3 Animations; CSS3 Multiple Columns.

Unit 10: Programming with JavaScript Introduction
Output; Statements; Comments; Variables; Data Types; Objects; Functions; Scope Of A Variable; Local Variables; Global Variables; Operators; Arithmetic Operators; Assignment Operators; Comparison Operators; Logical Operators; Conditional Statements; Loops; For Loop; For…In Loop; While Loop; Do While Loop.

Unit 11: JavaScript - Error Handling and Validation Types of Error
Syntax Error; Runtime Error; Logic Error; Error Handling; Try Catch; Throw; Form Validation.

Unit 12: JavaScript Advanced Object
Creating Objects In JavaScript; Adding A Method To An Object In JavaScript; Looping Through The Properties Of An Object; String Object; Number Object; Date Object; Array Object; Boolean Object; Math Object.

Unit 13: Interactive Multimedia Interactivity
Active Documents; Scripting Languages; Rich Multimedia Clientside Technologies; Advanced Web Technologies.

Unit 15: Introduction to Programming Python.
Python Indentations

; Variables

; Numbers

; Casting

; Strings

; Operators (Arithmetic, Assignment, Comparison, Logical, Identity, Membership, Bitwise)

; Python Collections (Lists, Tuples, Sets, Dictionaries)

; Conditional Statements (If...Else, Elif, Single line if statement, Single line if..else statement)

; Loops (While Loops, For Loops, Nested Loops)

; Functions

; Printing with no newlines

; How to Accept User Input and Display the Output

; Lambda

; Arrays

; Modules

; RegEx (Regular Expressions)

; PIP

Indicative Reading List

Books:

R. Kelly Rainer, Brad Prince, Casey G. Cegielski: 0, Introduction to Information Systems, 5th Edition, International Student Version, Wiley, 978-1-118-80855-9

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None