[Year 12 SofDev] The role of databases in SD

[Chris Bucknell]

Hi Mark,

I’d say YES, databases are allowed to be used in Software Dev to store data or to provide data access logic (I’d even say that with the “styles of modern application architecture – U3O2” it’s an invitation).

To my way of thinking (and reading the Study Design), there is nothing intrinsically problematic with the use of databases in software development (or core programming concepts).  Databases are just a place to store data and possibly provide a place to hold data access logic.

My perspective on developing a solution for a “real-world need or opportunity” is that there will be the need to have data stored and accessed from somewhere and databases are just one of the technologies available to do this. Some data management and storage options available to Microslop solutions are:

·        Local: Usually this data is in a file or local database, but in Windows 8, you can now treat other apps as sources for data by using the built-in File Picker or contracts. In JavaScript apps, Web Storage and the Indexed Database (IndexedDB) API are also available as local data sources.

·        Remote: This data could be in the cloud using Azure SkyDrive or any remote HTTP endpoint that can serve JSON or XML data, including public APIs such as Facebook or Flickr.

(https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/jj991982.aspx )
(I personally like dot point two because clearly points to an option to use/discuss XML which is new in U3O1)

I think the elephant in the room with the use of databases in software development comes from the fact that some database environments (i.e. MS Access, Filemaker, etc…) provides a means of producing a user interface that required no substantial programming.  These environments do not require the developer to create the operations needed to handle data interaction (i.e an abstraction layer such as used in some modern architectures or simply code to issue basic SQL statements), but provide a data connections by clicking a connection between the field in a form and a field in a table.  I think this is very neatly addressed in the new language requirements as it clearly states that databases cannot be used with in the User Interface.

Once again only my two cents worth.

Regards


Chris Bucknell
Head of ICT; Coord, Internal Exam; House Tutor
+61 3 9904 6360
Chris.Bucknell at haileybury.vic.edu.au<mailto:%7bemail%7d>
www.haileybury.vic.edu.au<http://www.haileybury.vic.edu.au>


From: sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:sofdev-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Mark
Sent: Monday, 26 October 2015 9:14 AM
To: Year 12 Software Development Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: [Year 12 SofDev] The role of databases in SD

Hi all, especially Paula

I queried this point last week, but still am unclear about the answer.

In the new SD study design, are external databases permitted or not?

In the current design students were pushed to focus on core programming concepts - is this still true in the new design?

​Regards
Mark​


--

Mark Kelly

mark at vceit.com<mailto:mark at vceit.com>
http://vceit.com

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