TLAD 2006 Teaching Databases – Whats the Point? For New and Emerging Environments David Nelson

TLAD 2006 Example Emerging Applications GRID File systems, e.g. Windows XP registry, Vista NFS Data Streams Mobile applications, e.g. games, satellite navigation Insurance systems

TLAD 2006 Solutions Good database design Object-relational databases Object-oriented databases Interoperability and database integration Data streams

TLAD 2006 What do we teach? Database theory Database design, including normalisation Database applications, e.g. Oracle Forms Data models Database integration Internet databases Security, performance, etc.

TLAD 2006 What do the students understand… Some quotes… –How do I create a table in [… an OODB] –Before I started doing my PhD I never linked tables in my databases and it worked perfectly –SQL was written by Microsoft –Why cant I just use Access?

TLAD 2006 Future needs We need to ensure that students have an appreciation of more than just relational databases if technology is going to advance So that tomorrows developers have skills in newer technologies But do we have –Separate database modules –Or integration with other areas?