FIT1045: Algorithms and programming fundamentals in python

Tutorial prep questions-8%
Laboratory work-19%
Test 1(weeks 1-3): 3%
Test 2(weeks 1-8): 8%
Assignment part 1: 10%
Assignment part 2: 12%
Exam: 40%

This subject frames itself as an introductory coding and algorithm analysis unit. I think it does semi-well on the algorithm analysis part but the actual coding introduction is not great. Best advice is to go onto a free coding website and try to teach yourself something beforehand, so you at least have a small understanding of Python or the general basis of code.
The content consists of basic Python, data types, analysis, computational problems, algorithms to solve certain problems, and strategies used in creating new algorithms. I found the content mostly interesting but definitely challenging at times.
The two lecturers take 6 weeks each, with Mario taking the first 3 and last 3 weeks, and Buser taking the middle 6 weeks.
Mario taught most of the coding and some of the more complex strategies to create algorithms. I found that he talked really fast and his content was pretty hard to understand
Buser focused more on an understanding behind how Python works, teaching algorithms to solve computational problems and the analysis of them. He recorded lectures in advance, as well as doing live ones. Because of this, his lectures were less rushed as if he didn't get through the content, he'd just link the rest of the recorded lecture. I found Buser a lot easier to understand and much preferred his teaching style.
Although you are not required to attend tutorials or labs, you should attend tutorials. The tutors generally give a much better explanation than the lecturers do and I often found myself confused by a concept until a tutor explained it. Although you can ask questions in lectures, tutorials are where you can actually get a proper answer because there's a lot more time to properly explain it. The tutors are also a lot more experienced on what students struggle with and so are able to spend more time on difficult concepts.
You don't need to go to most of the labs. You spend two hours working on code and many leave early once they are finished with the work. The only reason to go is to be able to ask questions if you are stuck. However, there are two labs that form part of your assessment and so are mandatory to go to.

In terms of the assessment, they try to give a lot of easy marks. 8% is for tutorial prep questions. Every week, there is a question to be answered before your tutorial and you get a mark for giving a reasonable attempt to answer the question. There are 11 questions to be answered and only 8 possible marks, so there's a bit of a buffer.
19% of the mark is for lab work. The work you do in your lab is submitted the following week to be marked, with most being worth a total of 2.5 marks. Some weeks were marked by a tester, which they provide you with so you can maximise your marks. There are a total of 24.5 marks available so there is a buffer.
The two tests are probably the hardest in-semester assessment. The questions are very similar to exam-style questions and they are good opportunities for revision. Ensure you do what you can properly and learn from anything you get wrong
The assignments were quite a challenge to understand and took a long time to figure out but it isn't excessively hard. The staff did provide support to assist in understanding what the assignment was. It's basically a bunch of code that works together to solve a larger problem. You also have to do an interview to explain your code, which isn't too hard. Ultimately, if your code works and you can explain it, you will probably score quite well.
The exam was an invigilated online exam. It is split into three sections: basic understanding, analysis, and using algorithms to solve problems. I personally found the analysis the most difficult, but many students struggled with the last section. They provide you with a coding workbook, which contains many practice questions similar to exam questions and is a really helpful resource that I'd recommend using to prepare.

This unit was not run very well. It took us 6 weeks to receive any marks after basically begging the teaching team to upload them, even though they told us it would be uploaded earlier in batches. Many students new to coding really struggled with this unit, especially with the fast pace. They also weren't going to give us any practice exam answers until we begged them to do an explanation video of the practice exam. However, the tutors really go above and beyond. One created a whole website to help us with an assignment. Another wrote extra practice questions for the entire unit to discuss, just for the fun of it.
So, the biggest advice is to work with your cohort to peer pressure the faculty and to use the tutors to your advantage.

Mario Boley and Buser Say

Yes, 1 practice exam based on the 2020 exam.

3.5 out of 5

Yes with screen capture

The following textbooks are recommended:
Introduction to the Design & Analysis of Algorithms 3ed UK edition by Levitin A
Introduction to Computing Using Python: An Application Development Focus 2ed by Perkovic L

Both are used as "recommended reading" at the end of lectures but I personally never used it and you can get by without them

2 x 1 hour lectures
1 x 2 hour tutorial
1 x 2 hour lab

2021 Semester 1

96 HD