Core Programming Constructs and Data

This unit develops foundational programming skills by covering data types, control flow, subprograms, common data structures, basic algorithms, input/output, debugging, documentation, and introductory topics in UI, security, and data handling. It builds on initial programming concepts and prepares students to apply these skills in project development and more advanced computer science topics in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze problems to select appropriate data types, variables, and data structures (arrays, linked lists, dictionaries, queues, trees) for efficient storage and manipulation of data.
• Apply control flow constructs (if-then-else, elseif, while, do) and subprogram techniques (parameters, encapsulation, modularization) to implement and test algorithms such as selection sort and indexed searches, and to perform file I/O.
• Demonstrate best practices for producing maintainable software by writing clear documentation and comments, using debugging strategies (print/logging), and building basic user interface elements and style classes.
• Evaluate basic data protection and performance trade-offs by comparing approaches to searching, compression, and encryption, and recommending methods that balance security, accuracy, and resource use.