Diploma in Information and Communications Technology in Applications Development

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to provide a professional and vocational qualification for the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) industry, combining theory and practical exposure to enable qualified learners to conceptualise, design, implement and test, reliable and cost-effective application development solutions to address industry-related ICT initiatives.

Rationale

Applications Development manifests in every facet of life, that is, mobile phone apps, Automated Teller Machines(ATMs) and banking, television, medical equipment, finance and accounting, education, geographical information systems, motorcars and aeroplanes, social media and internet. The qualification has been designed such that it reflects the workplace-based needs of the ICT industry. The qualification provides a learner grounding in the academic theory underpinning the main concepts of Software/Application Development. Programmer, systems developer, database administrator, systems analyst, support specialist are required locally, nationally, and internationally in any business organisation/industries.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) may be used to demonstrate competence for admission to this qualification. This qualification may be achieved in part through recognition of prior learning processes. Learners who already work in the ICT industry who believe they possess competencies to enable them to meet some or all of the Exit Levels Outcomes (ELOs) listed in the qualification will be able to present themselves for assessment against those of their choice.

The provision that the qualification may be obtained through the recognition of prior learning facilitates access to an education, training and career path in ICT enabled fields and thus accelerates the redress of past unfair discrimination in education, training and employment opportunities.

Evidence of prior learning must be assessed through formal RPL processes through Institutions' approved methods. Any other evidence of prior learning should be assessed through formal RPL processes to recognise achievement thereof. Learners submitting themselves for RPL should be thoroughly briefed before the assessment and will be required to submit a Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) in the prescribed format to be assessed for formal recognition. The structure of this non-unit standard based qualification makes RPL possible if the learner can demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this first stage ICT qualification.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4.

Or

• National Certificate Vocational, NQF Level 4 granting access to Bachelor's studies.

Or

• National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4 granting access to Diploma studies.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 5 and Level 6 totalling 360 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 5, 210 Credits

• Development Software I, 30 Credits.
• Information Systems I, 30 Credits.
• System Software I, 30 Credits.
• Information Technology Skills I, 30 Credits.
• Development Software II, 30 Credits.
• Information Systems II, 30 Credits.
• Technical programming I, 30 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 6, 150 Credits

• Human-Computer Interaction II, 30 Credits.
• Information Systems III, 30 Credits.
• Technical programming II, 30 Credits.
• Development Software III, 30 Credits.
• Computer Architecture III, 30 Credits.

1. Communicate effectively with all role players related to the ICT field the learner will operate in.
2. Develop computer programs to demonstrate the ability to store, locate and retrieve information from different data sources.
3. Analyse user needs and produce a suitable specification for a system, covering a medium-sized business problem.
4. Create and modify general computer applications software or specialised utility programs for standalone and distributed environments, including the web environment.
5. Deploy a suitable, secure software solution based on a given scenario demonstrating an understanding of systems architectures.
6. Demonstrate knowledge and application of HCI concepts and practices in the ICT industry.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1.

• Meet with role players in ICT fields.
• Produce written reports.
• Analyse the effectiveness of written and verbal communication generated through research-based projects.
• Made presentations based on the project.
• Analyse information and document it.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Understand the main differences between procedural, event-driven and object-oriented languages are
• List and explain the Program Development Life Cycle stages.
• Describe Database Management System (DBMS).
• Draw the three-tier development architecture.
• Describe the data layer of the architecture.
• Produce an appropriate entity relationship diagram based on a scenario.
• Write relevant SQL statements to store and manipulate a database.
• Write relevant source code to store and manipulate a data structure.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Look and feel combination techniques are provided to present an acceptable interface of a given scenario.
• Produce a suitable UML representation from a scenario to depict classes and objects interactions.
• Produce a list of user's requirements from a given scenario.
• List a fundamental difference between user and developer's needs.
• Use a relevant solution to ICT programming concepts that depict friendly GUI.
• Write a script to create user interface forms to be used as controls in the given page.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Describe an IDE is described in terms of its architecture and underlying technologies.
• Produce a requirement elicitation document based on business rules from a given real-world scenario.
• Describe a usability test in terms of how best the users can learn the interface and their satisfaction.
• Describe a Database design and schema.
• Implement relational database concepts on a DBMS.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Execute SQL statements successfully using the DBMS to retrieve data securely.
• Apply best practices in developing secure software solutions.
• List and compare appropriate security techniques.
• Describe a server-side script in terms of a program that extends the capabilities of a server in order to respond to requests from a client.
• Describe the mobile development environment.
• Produce a setup (.EXE) file is from the application for deployment.
• Prepare tailed documentation.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Produce a user manual for an application for the users based on specifications
• Show Human Centric Lighting (HCI) design and testing skills are for a specific application

Integrated Assessment

Assessments are designed to evaluate knowledge, competencies and skills from an academic perspective and the applied competencies (practical, foundational and reflexive competencies) required by this qualification. To achieve this, assessments take a variety of forms including assignments/projects (individual and team), quizzes, written and practical tests and final examinations.