Smart Contracts
| Module title | Smart Contracts |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEEM161 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Christopher Carr (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 50 |
|---|
Module description
The module provides the tools needed to understand, build, and deploy smart contracts, introducing the world of blockchain development. The module addresses two core areas in smart contract development:
Theory: Why are smart contracts interesting? What problems do they solve / applications do they have? We will look at decentralised consensus, blockchains, the double spending problem, hacks, the DAO, development environments, defi, translating real world events into electronic signals.
Practice: Students will learn how to build and deploy their own smart contracts on live public networks, through tutorials and with industry guest events.
On completion of this module, you will be adept at deploying smart contracts, and knowledgeable in the wider blockchain, DLT and smart contract arena.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The module introduces students to the world of smart contracts, and smart contract development. The module builds from a focus on blockchain/cryptocurrency foundations to describing smart contracts from in abstraction, to deploying concrete instantiations.
The overarching objective is to provide a fundamental understanding of smart contracts and their associated technologies, as well as practical experience with design and development. The aims of this module are:
1) To instil and develop a greater comprehension of blockchain technologies;
2) to give experience with smart contract development;
3) to create awareness of the broader uses and issues of these technologies.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Examine approaches to smart contract construction
- 2. Critically compare different public blockchain systems for effective use of smart contracts
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Analyse the workings of blockchain systems
- 4. Programme and deploy smart contracts
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Apply general programming skills
- 6. Blockchain programming skills and theoretical understanding
Syllabus plan
A summary of the chronological structure of the module follows:
- Introduction to the general area of smart contracts, including Blockchain and DLT
- Introduction to tools that will be used in the module, including AWS, PuTTy, Bash, Scripting, Github and Git
- Basics of smart contracts
- Basics of smart contract development with EVM
- Use of smart contracts to solve a real-world problem
- Development techniques for smart contracts
- Deployment of smart contracts
- Guest speaker events that explore current best practice across different blockchain systems
- Delivered in person group presentation
- Exam
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | 129 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Contact hours | 11 hours | 11 x 1 hour lectures |
| Contact hours | 10 hours | 5 x 2 hour tutorials |
| Guided Independent Study | 129 hours | Pre and post session reading. Assignment preparation. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation in group work | Seminars and 20 minute report back | 1-6 | In class verbal feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 70 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exam | 70 | 20 multiple choice questions plus 2 long form questions (2 hours) | 1-6 | Feedback sheet provided with written comments |
| Group project - development of a smart contract | 30 | 15 minute in person group presentation including questions | 1-6 | Verbal feedback in presentation session, plus feedback sheet |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam | Assignment | 1-6 | Next re-assessment period |
| Smart contract development project | Individual presentation on ML specific topic | 1-6 | Next re-assessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies - A Comprehensive Introduction. by Arvind Narayanan, Joseph Bonneau, Edward W. Felten, Andrew Miller and Steven Goldfeder. ISBN = 978-0-691-17169-2
Bitcoin: A peer-to-peer electronic cash system. by Satoshi Nakamoto. Available online
Mastering Ethereum. by Andreas M. Antonopoulos, Gavin Wood. available:
https://github.com/ethereumbook/ethereumbook
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | BEEM061 |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 15/03/2022 |
| Last revision date | 27/07/2022 |
