NQF5 Robotics Processing Automation Developer (RPA) – 251201004-PM-02, Basic Programming

SECTION 3: CURRICULUM COMPONENT SPECIFICATIONS – SECTION 3B: PRACTICAL MODULE SPECIFICATIONS

SECTION 3B: PRACTICAL SKILLS MODULE SPECIFICATIONS 2. 251201004-PM-02, Basic Programming, NQF Level 4, Credits 8 2.1 Purpose of the Practical Skills Module The focus of the learning in this module is on providing the learner with an opportunity to acquire the skills to apply basic programming skills and code in order to use a software toolkit/platform in the field of study or employment The learner will be required to: PM-02-PS01 : Source and compare at least three software toolkits/platforms/ languages used in your field of studies PM-02-PS02 : Identify and contrast four (4) paradigms PM-02-PS03 : Create a programming environment (tailored to a specific tool or platform) PM-02-PS04 : Write code using a programming language for giving instructions for use of a software toolkit/platform PM-02-PS05 : Select and use correct data types (tailored to a specific tool or platform) PM-02-PS06 : Use complex types to organise data (tailored to a specific tool or platform) PM-02-PS07 : Add API’s (Application Programming Interface) to an application (tailored to a specific tool or platform) PM-02-PS08 : Define a function (tailored to a specific tool or platform) PM-02-PS09 : Use logical branch statements and comparison operators (tailored to a specific tool or platform) PM-02-PS10 : Code loops (tailored to a specific tool or platform) PM-02-PS11 : Use and apply variable scopes (tailored to a specific tool or platform) PM-02-PS12 : Create queries to pull desired data using a structured query language (SQL) (applicable to data base) (tailored to a specific tool or platform) PM-02-PS13 : Handle errors (tailored to a specific tool or platform) PM-02-PS14 : Apply the general steps for writing code (tailored to a specific tool or platform) PM-02-PS15 : Do practical exercise 1, 2 and 3 using the specified product set 2.2 Guidelines for Practical Skills 2.2.1 PM-02-PS01 : Source and compare at least three software toolkits/platforms/ languages used in your field of studies Scope of Practical Skill Given access to the internet, the learner must be able to: PA0101 Identify at least three most suitable software toolkits/platforms in the field of studies or employment PA0102 Source these from the internet PA0103 Compare these in terms of advantages and disadvantages related to the field of study or employment Applied Knowledge AK0101 Software toolkit / software AK0102 Computer hardware Internal Assessment Criteria IAC0101 At least three suitable software toolkits/platforms/languages necessary for field of study are sourced from the internet and compared for suitability in terms of advantages/disadvantages 251201004 - Occupational Certificate: Robotic Processing Automation (RPA) Developer Page 54 of 108 2.2.2 PM-02-PS02 : Identify and contrast four (4) paradigms Scope of Practical Skill Given a problem statement and access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform/, the learner must be able to: PA0201 Identify and compare four paradigms PA0202 Apply requirements of the paradigm during coding Applied Knowledge AK0201 Software toolkit / software Internal Assessment Criteria IAC0201 The programming paradigms: - Procedural, Object-Oriented, Functional and Logical are understood and contrasted and their requirements applied during coding 2.2.3 PM-02-PS03 : Create a programming environment (tailored to a specific tool or platform) Scope of Practical Skill Given a problem statement and access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform/, the learner must be able to: PA0301 Choose a language in line with the application and the paradigm PA0302 Install a programming environment and/or language specific to a programming language and configure for use Applied Knowledge AK0301 Coding language AK0302 Software toolkit / software AK0303 Hardware Internal Assessment Criteria IAC0301 A programming environment is created and a programming language that is in line with the chosen paradigm (e.g., Java) is configured for use in the environment 2.2.4 PM-02-PS04 : Write code using a programming language for giving instructions for use of a software toolkit/platform Scope of Practical Skill Given a problem statement and access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform, the learner must be able to: PA0401 Apply syntax and semantics PA0402 Design algorithms to achieve the desired output: Process steps or instruction statements PA0403 Apply coding font: Monospace PA0404 Apply characters e.g. [] {} etc. Applied Knowledge AK0401 Coding language 251201004 - Occupational Certificate: Robotic Processing Automation (RPA) Developer Page 55 of 108 AK0402 Software toolkit / software AK0403 Hardware Internal Assessment Criteria IAC0401 Code is written to explain the use of a software toolkit/platform by applying various language tools, an applicable algorithm and coding font (Monospace) and characters 2.2.5 PM-02-PS05 : Select and use correct data types (tailored to a specific tool or platform) Scope of Practical Skill Given a problem statement and access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform, the learner must be able to: PA0501 Declare and assign variables PA0502 Null and undefined PA0503 Declare a string (if applicable) PA0504 Interpreters PA0505 Example: hello world Applied Knowledge AK0501 Data types AK0502 Data type constraints AK0503 Functions of data types Internal Assessment Criteria IAC0501 Correct data types are identified as pertaining to the programming activity 2.2.6 PM-02-PS06 : Use complex types to organise data (tailored to a specific tool or platform) Scope of Practical Skill Given a problem statement and access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform, the learner must be able to: PA0601 Declare and assign objects (properties or fields) using {} PA0602 Create arrays using [] for index or elements PA0603 Create expressions Applied Knowledge AK0601 Kinds of complex types AK0602 Types of expressions Internal Assessment Criteria IAC0601 Principles of complex types are applied during coding 2.2.7 PM-02-PS07 : Add API’s (Application Programming Interface) to an application (tailored to a specific tool or platform) Scope of Practical Skill Given a problem statement and access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform, the learner must be able to: 251201004 - Occupational Certificate: Robotic Processing Automation (RPA) Developer Page 56 of 108 PA0701 Access a method PA0702 Access a property Applied Knowledge AK0701 Types of APIs AK0702 Functions available AK0703 Kind of authorisation AK0704 Data format used for a request Internal Assessment Criteria IAC0701 API is added to an application 2.2.8 PM-02-PS08 : Define a function (tailored to a specific tool or platform) Scope of Practical Skill Given a problem statement and access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform, the learner must be able to: PA0801 Understand the purpose of the function PA0802 Define the data that comes into the function from the caller (in the form of parameters) PA0803 Define what data variables are needed inside the function to accomplish its goal PA0804 Decide on the set of steps that the program will use to accomplish this goal (The Algorithm) Applied Knowledge AK0801 Algorithms Internal Assessment Criteria IAC0801 Functions are defined, declared and invoked 2.2.9 PM-02-PS09 : Use logical branch statements and comparison operators (tailored to a specific tool or platform) Scope of Practical Skill Given a problem statement and access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform, the learner must be able to: PA0901 Use and apply: Decision (e.g., If-else statements) Booleans Blocks Applied Knowledge AK0901 Values and relationships AK0902 Variables AK0903 Making decisions Internal Assessment Criteria IAC0901 Apply comparisons to determine different relationships between values IAC0902 Write code that examines variables and changes the execution path based on those variables 251201004 - Occupational Certificate: Robotic Processing Automation (RPA) Developer Page 57 of 108 2.2.10 PM-02-PS10 : Code loops (tailored to a specific tool or platform) Scope of Practical Skill Given a problem statement and access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform, the learner must be able to: PA1001 Use and apply: While loops Iterating loops Nested loops Applied Knowledge AK1001 Types of loops AK1002 Checking conditions AK1004 Initializer, condition, iterator AK1004 Sequence Internal Assessment Criteria IAC1001 Loops are coded to repeat operations 2.2.11 PM-02-PS11 : Use and apply variable scopes (tailored to a specific tool or platform) Scope of Practical Skill Given a problem statement and access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform, the learner must be able to: PA1101 Use and apply: Class Scope Blocks Global scope Block scope Applied Knowledge AK1101 Identifier names AK1102 Levels of scope AK1103 Scope pollution AK1104 Relation to variables Internal Assessment Criteria IAC1101 Variables are made accessible using scope 2.2.12 PM-02-PS12 : Create queries to pull desired data using a structured query language (SQL) (applicable to data base) (tailored to a specific tool or platform) Scope of Practical Skill Given a problem statement and access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform, the learner must be able to: 251201004 - Occupational Certificate: Robotic Processing Automation (RPA) Developer Page 58 of 108 PA1201 Identify the fields in the tables PA1202 Identify the types of data contained in the database PA1203 Identify the fields in the tables PA1204 Use “Select” PA1205 Use “From” PA1206 Filter the query using “where” PA1207 Use “and” PA1208 Use “order by” clause vs “group by” PA1209 Use “limit” Applied Knowledge AK1201 Understand the database and its hierarchy AK1202 Fields in the tables Internal Assessment Criteria IAC1201 Queries are created to pull desired data using structured query language (SQL) 2.2.13 PM-02-PS13 : Handle errors (tailored to a specific tool or platform) Scope of Practical Skill Given a problem statement and access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform, the learner must be able to: PA1301 Identify errors peculiar to the platform and how best to handle them Bugs, testing and debugging Exceptions: thrown and caught and logged Exception handling Code the application to recover by itself Error tracking Fix errors Applied Knowledge AK1301 Types of errors AK1302 Types of testing AK1303 Possible causes AK1304 Anticipation, detection, and resolution of programming, application, and communications errors Internal Assessment Criteria IAC1301 Various types of errors are handled 2.2.14 PM-02-PS14 : Apply the general steps for writing code (tailored to a specific tool or platform) Scope of Practical Skill Given a problem statement and access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform, the learner must be able to: PA1401 Understand the problem you are trying to solve PA1402 Design a solution 251201004 - Occupational Certificate: Robotic Processing Automation (RPA) Developer Page 59 of 108 PA1403 Draw a flow chart PA1404 Write pseudo-code PA1405 Write code (computer code: a list of instructions that can be run by a program, syntax, IDE [integrated development environment]) PA1406 Test and debug PA1407 Insert comments on code and provide proper documentation that will guide other developers through the algorithm and logic that was implemented PA1408 Finalise documentation PA1409 Test with real-world users PA1410 Release program PA1411 Iterate the steps for next version Applied Knowledge AK1401 Language AK1402 Coding AK1403 Using software toolkit / platform Internal Assessment Criteria IAC1401 The general steps for writing a program are understood and applied and results tested before the program is released and the steps repeated for the next version 2.2.15 PM-02-PS15 : Do practical exercise 1, 2 and 3 using the specified product set Scope of Practical Skill Given access to a suitable PC or device with software toolkit/platform, the learner must be able to: PA1501 Build first robot (Hello World) PA1502 Apply input actions: Click, Type Into, Send Hotkey PA1503 Apply input methods: Default, SendWindowMessages, Simulate Type/Click Applied Knowledge AK1501 Language AK1502 Coding AK1503 Using software toolkit / platform Internal Assessment Criteria IAC1501 Desired outcome is achieved 2.3 Provider Programme Accreditation Criteria Physical Requirements: Valid licenses software and application, including OS Internet connection and hardware availability Examples and information specified in the scope statement and all the case studies, scenarios and access to hardware and software implied in the scope statements of the modules Remote learners: Provider must provide business IT simulation system (e.g., invoice processing) Human Resource Requirements: Lecturer/learner ratio of 1:10 (Maximum) Qualification of lecturer (SME): o NQF 6 industry recognised qualification with 1 year’s experience in the IT industry o RPA vendor certification Assessors and moderators: accredited by the MICT SETA Legal Requirements: Legal (product) licences to use the software for learning and training OHS compliance certificate Ethical clearance (where necessary) 2.4 Exemptions No exemptions, but the module can be achieved in full through a normal RPL process