University of South Asia 1

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES
Usama Liaquat
usama.liaquat@usa.edu.pk
Course Information
HEC Course Outline:
 Historical, social, and economic context of Computing
(Software Engineering, Computer Science, Information
Technology)
 Definitions of Computing (software engineering,
Computer Science, Information Technology)
 subject areas and professional activities;

 professional societies;

 professional ethics;

 professional competency and life-long learning;

University of South Asia

Course Information
HEC Course Outline
 uses, misuses, and risks of software;

 information security and privacy;

 business practices and the economics of software;

 intellectual property and software law (cyber law);

 social responsibilities,

 software related contracts,

 Software house organization.

University of South Asia

Lec – 1 -- Topics
 Introduction to computing
 What makes a profession
 Common terms of profession

University of South Asia

What do you know about ??
 Profession
 Professional
 Professionalism

University of South Asia

Variety of meanings -- Professional

 simply descriptive (e.g. a professional writer)

 commendatory (a professional piece of work)
 Pejorative/negative (a professional foul)

University of South Asia

Variety of meanings -- Profession
 The engineering profession
 The medical profession

University of South Asia

What makes a profession?
 …an employment not mechanical and requiring
some degree of learning; habitual employment; the
collective body of persons engaged in any
profession;…

University of South Asia

Characteristics
 The collective body controls entry to the profession

 The collective body is self governing and self

regulatory, in the sense that it establishes and
enforces a code of conduct on its members

 The collective body is established either by a Royal

Charter or by statute (Act of Parliament) which
defines the extent of its authority and requires it to
undertake certain duties and responsibilities.
University of South Asia
Do you think teaching .. A Profession
or Not ??
If Yes then Why ?
If No then Why ?

University of South Asia

Opinion
 There was no independent body which laid down a
code of conduct
 General Teaching Council for each of England,
Wales, and Northern Ireland.
 Works For
 Register a Teacher
 Promulgating a code of conduct
 Remove Teacher for breaching code of conduct
 Training of Teacher

University of South Asia

It is a criminal offence..
 To claim to be a medical doctor, A veterinary
surgeon, A dentist, An optician, A solicitor, or an
insurance broker without being registered with the
appropriate statutory body

 In the USA and some European countries, it is a

criminal offence to call oneself an engineer without
possession of the appropriate qualifications.

University of South Asia

Structure of the engineering
profession
 The engineering profession has a two-tier structure
 At the first level, there are the engineering
institutions
 Institutionof Electrical Engineers
 The Institution of Mechanical Engineers

 The British Computer Society

 Each institution has its own rules regarding

membership and its own codes of practice and
conduct.
University of South Asia
Structure of the engineering
profession
 The British Computer Society (BCS) Engineering
institution which is the most natural one for software
engineers to join

 Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) also welcomes

software engineers, particularly those whose
interests incline towards safety critical systems or
control systems, and offers an extensive programme
of relevant professional activities

University of South Asia

Structure of the engineering
profession
 The second-level body in engineering is the
Engineering Council
 Recognizes certain engineering institutions as its
“Nominated Bodies”
 Engineering Council acts as an “umbrella” body

University of South Asia

Home Task--1
 Relevant Details on BCS and IEE
 How to Join ?
 Basic Code of Conduct/Rules
 Working Structure
 Benefits to join
 Why to join ?
 Complete Structure of Pakistan Engineering Counsel

University of South Asia

Do You Agree with this ?
Computers and software are changing
everything…

University of South Asia

…but the majority of schools don’t teach
computer science:

90% 40%
parents want of schools teach
their child to computer
study computer programming
science

Source: Gallup
And students enjoy computer science
and the arts the most

Source: Change the Equation

Reference Website for Programming
for Kids in Fun way
https://scratch.mit.edu/

University of Lahore (Main Campus)

Reference Website for Programming
for Kids in Fun way
 https://developers.google.com/blockly/

University of Lahore (Main Campus)

USA-- Computer science graduates are on the
rise again, but women are still
underrepresented
50,000

45,000

40,000

35,000

30,000

25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000
MALE
5,000
FEMALE
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Source: National Science Foundation, National Center for Education Statistics

 Some may think:

Computer science is just about

learning technology
 Some may think:

Computer science is just about

learning technology
Computer science is about
logic, problem solving, and
creativity
 Some may think:

Computer science is vocational

(about getting a great job)
 Some may think:

Computer science is vocational

Computer science is
foundational
Technology affects every field:
 Every 21st century student should have a
chance to learn about algorithms, how to make
apps, or how the internet works.

Just like they learn about

the digestive system,
basic science, or
electricity.
 Some may think:

The tech industry is desperately

trying to hire computer
programmers in California
The tech every industry is
desperately trying to hire
computer programmers in
California everywhere
The value of a computer science education

Source: Brookings
Computing jobs are the #1 source of new
wages in the United States

500,000 current
openings: These jobs
are in every industry
and every state, and
they’re projected to
grow at twice the rate
of all other jobs.