CP1030:03 IT Fundamentals Singapore Campus, Study Period SP51, 2012

School of Business Subject Guide 1

CP1030:03 IT Fundamentals

SUBJECT GUIDE 2012 Study Period 51, Singapore Campus

Contents

Contents .............................................................................................................................. 1 1. School Overview.............................................................................................................. 1 2. Subject at a Glance ......................................................................................................... 2 3. Subject Details................................................................................................................. 3 4. Subject Readings and Resources ................................................................................... 4 5. Assessment Details ......................................................................................................... 4 6. Grading Criteria ............................................................................................................... 5 7. Student Assistance .......................................................................................................... 5 8. Important Policies & Guidelines ...................................................................................... 5 9. Graduate Skills & Qualities .............................................................................................. 8 10. Lecture & Tutorial Schedule .......................................................................................... 9

1. School Overview

The School of Business is at the forefront of innovation in business and information technology education. With a focus on internationalisation, growth and innovation, the school’s courses combine discipline-based excellence with practical application. The school is one of the largest schools at JCU in terms of student numbers and offers programs at Beijing, Brisbane, Cairns, Singapore and Townsville.

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A range of awards are offered by the School, including the flagship Bachelor of Business with majors in accounting, economics and regional development, financial management, hospitality management, human resource management, international business, management and entrepreneurship, marketing, sports and events management and tourism management. Graduate coursework degrees are also available, including the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) and the Master of International Tourism and Hospitality Management (MITHM). The School also incorporates Information Technology (IT), offering the Bachelor of Information Technology and the Master of Information Technology. Research degrees are available at both the Masters and Doctoral levels.

The School strives to foster a teaching and learning environment in which you are challenged and inspired to perform at your best. The School encourages high performing students, those averaging credits and distinctions, to undertake an Honours degree. Students in honours have intensive interactions with senior staff and a small number of other students. Honours students from JCU have an outstanding record of gaining quality jobs in government and consulting circles and a number of students have won Australian Postgraduate Award scholarships and stayed on to study for PhD courses and work as research officers and tutors.

Our staff are friendly and approachable and our degrees are designed to help you develop the skills you need in the dynamic world of business in the twenty-first century. A number of our academic staff have been recognised through respected independent rankings as world leaders in their field. School of Business staff have also recently won national awards for teaching excellence, and are committed to helping students achieve their career goals.

The School of Business is committed to working towards the achievement of genuine and sustainable reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider community, as outlined in the JCU Reconciliation Statement at <http://www-public.jcu.edu.au/study/indigenous-students/JCUPRD_039193>

Prepared by Dr Trina Myers for the School of Business, James Cook University. © Copyright 2012

This publication is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism, or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process or placed in computer memory without written permission. This subject guide was last revised on 17 January 2012.

School of Business Subject Guide 2

2. Subject at a Glance

The following summary provides a quick reference to the most important aspects of this subject. Please ensure that you have read the entire guide in full.

Staff Contact Details

The following staff members are responsible for the preparation or delivery of this subject. Please contact the relevant staff member if you have any concerns during the study period.

Name Room Phone Email Consultations*

Subject Coordinator

Lecturer

(Cairns)

Lecturer

(Townsville)

* Other consultation times by appointment only.

Class Times and Contact Details

In order to excel at University you should allocate 10 hours per subject per week. Students enrolled in CP1030 should attend the four hours of contact time set aside for each week. This includes a two-hour lecture and a two-hour practical.

Time Day Room

Lectures

Practicals

Practical signup will be available via the Class Signup link on LearnJCU after the first lecture. Practical session may be cancelled depending on class sizes.

Assessment Summary

A summary of the assessable items for CP1030 is provided in the table below. Please read through the assessment details presented later in this subject guide.

Assessment Invigilated Weight Due Date

1. Mid-Course Test X 10% During the 2nd

lecture in Week 6

2. Assignment One – Report - Professional Ethics 15% Friday 4pm Week 7

3. Assignment Two – Project Proposal and Presentation (Mandatory)

30% Presented in Lecture and Practical times Week 12

4. Lecture Review Questions, Practical Attendance and Completion

Weekly

5. Final Exam X 45% Examination Period

You are not required to satisfy the examiners in all assessment tasks but you must obtain a final mark of at least 50% to pass the subject. In addition, you must obtain at least an average of 50% over all supervised individual components within a subject to pass the subject overall. No individual assessment piece should be taken as an indication of your final grade. Raw marks may be subject to moderation or scaling. To be eligible to pass this subject, participants are required to attempt all forms of assessment and must demonstrate a reasonable degree of competence in the required subject learning outcomes as examined in each form of assessment.

School of Business Subject Guide 3

3. Subject Details

Welcome from the Subject Coordinator

As our world becomes increasingly computerised, Information Technology is now entrenched in all facets of our lives. To be an effective and productive member of our society, computer literacy is essential. Whether a person is using an ATM, banking online, programming the TV, or listening to an iPod, intuitively they must possess some level of confidence with operating and troubleshooting modern technology.

CP1030 is a unique and interesting subject that is available to any student regardless of his/her background and major. This subject is for those with an aptitude for computers who want to learn more about how to effectively use Information Technology systems in their personal and professional lives. The entire range of Information Technologies are discussed and explored within the subject’s curriculum. The subject matter aims:

To build a basic awareness of computing functionalities and skills;

To introduce project management skills, ethics in modern computing and compare the past and future of IT; and

To assist in future career choices for IT professionals.

The skills you will acquire in this subject will set you up in good stead to understanding the concepts behind the technology you interact with every day. It will also provide you with a professional tool kit that is invaluable throughout your university studies and beyond in situations you must use software packages in order to successfully undertake your work

Subject Description

1. Discovering computing via the Web, email and the Internet; searching for information on the Internet; hardware and software components; setting up a personal computer; problem solving with computers; word processing; document layout and production; presentation managers; spreadsheets; databases; data communication and computer networks; multimedia; new technologies; ethics, privacy and the information industry.

2. This subject is a core requirement for an Information Technology major. However, it is an elective freely open to all students from any degree. It does not have any prerequisites. This subject is designed to improve basic computer literacy that is important to all university majors. It also show cases what is available for study in subsequent Information Technology subjects should non-Information Technology majors decide to delve further into Information Technology studies.

Subject Learning Outcomes

As a student it is important for you to understand how the learning outcomes identified by the subject coordinator are achieved throughout the subject. The following table shows the alignment between content, assessment and learning outcomes.

Subject Learning Outcomes Related Content / Assessment

1. To have knowledge about computer hardware and software Lectures 1 – 3, 7 – 10 & 13; Review Questions; Practicals 1 – 9

2. Develop the ability to apply modern technologies and tools for information dissemination

Lectures 1 – 11, 13 - 22; Review Questions Practicals 1 – 9; Assignment 1, Assignment 2

3. To understand the fundamental concepts in data communications and the Internet

Lectures 1 - 6, 18, 19, 20, 22; Review Questions; Practicals 6 – 9, 12

4. To understand the ethical, security and privacy issues in using information technologies

Lectures 4 – 6, 18 – 21; Review Questions; Practical 3, 4; Assignment 1, Assignment 2

5. A commitment to lifelong learning and intellectual development Graduate Qualities

School of Business Subject Guide 4

These are the learning outcomes for the subject. Specific learning outcomes for structured learning activities will be provided to you throughout the course of the subject.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This subject uses a combination of approaches to teaching and learning, including both student centred and teacher directed approaches. The content of the subject is disseminated using a variety of teaching strategies including workshops, group work, case studies, discussions, simulations, and readings. At the beginning of each workshop, you will be made aware of the expected learning outcomes, how such outcomes are relevant to the world of business, and the resources that support the learning outcomes of this subject.

You are expected to be an active participant in the learning process and are encouraged to participate in workshops and undertake weekly readings.

Beyond the classroom, your learning experience will be greatly enhanced if you collaborate and share ideas with other students. One easy way to achieve this is to form a study group with 2-3 other students with similar needs and expectations. Your lecturer can assist with this.

4. Subject Readings and Resources

Prescribed Texts (Compulsory)

» Shelly and Vermaat. (2012) Discovering Computers, Complete: Your Interactive Guide to the Digital World, 1st Edition. Course Technology, Cengage Learning, ISBN- 10: 1-111-53032-7.

Subject Website on LearnJCU

Access the subject website through LearnJCU at learnjcu.jcu.edu.au for lecture notes, quizzes, handouts, assessment summaries and more! Login using your JCU email username and password.

5. Assessment Details

There are four (4) assessment items for CP1030. There is one (1) mid-course test, two (2) assignments, and one (1) final exam. Assessment will be determined by the sum of components as below:

Mid-Course Test: 10% - CONDUCTED: During the second lecture, Week 6

Assignment One – Professional Ethics Report: 15% - DUE: Friday 4pm, Week 7

Assignment Two (Mandatory) – Deployment Project Plan and Presentation: 30% - DUE: During week 12 lectures and practical sessions, Week 12,

Lecture Review Questions, Practical Attendance and Completion: Weekly in your practical session,

Final Exam: 45 % - CONDUCTED: During Exam Period, as per JCU Examination Timetable.

Assessment will normally include assessment of generic skills including report writing skills (including logical structure, overall presentation, English expression, numeric accuracy and relevant professional reporting practices) as well as subject specific knowledge and skills. All assignments will have complete instructions and a marking criteria sheet at the time they are released.

Assignments will normally be submitted electronically (via the LearnJCU electronic dropbox or other method as advised). In the case where you are unable to submit your assignment via LearnJCU, you should email your assignment to your lecturer.

Assignments must be completed using the version of specified applications currently available in general access computer laboratories. (If this is an issue discuss possible workarounds with your lecturer or tutor.)

The specific requirements for each assignment will be made available on LearnJCU throughout the course. The requirements and the marking criteria will also be discussed during lectures.

School of Business Subject Guide 5

Penalties for late submission of assignments

In the absence of any extension, late submission of work will result in a penalty of 5% of the possible mark for each day late. For example, if you are awarded a mark of 71% for a 30% assignment that is handed in 4 days late, your final mark will be 51% of 30, which is 15.3. Weekends are treated as a single full day because university buildings are not usually accessible of over the weekend to allow for submission.

6. Grading Criteria

The marking criteria for each assignment will be made available on LearnJCU. The criteria will also be discussed in during lectures.

7. Student Assistance

Studying at university typically involves many challenges. You may experience academic, professional or personal situations that are difficult to deal with. However, there are many options for you to pursue including academic advisers, counsellors or study skills advisers. The following table provides a summary of some of the services you may access at JCU. If you have any concerns please talk to someone!

Support Needed Who to Contact

Information for Current Students Current Students www.jcu.edu.au/student/

Accommodation Accommodation Service www.jcu.edu.au/accommodation/

Childcare Childcare Services http://www.jcu.edu.au/student/JCUPRD_017384.html

Computers, IT, Email, Logins InfoHelp http://www-public.jcu.edu.au/libcomp/assist/infohelp/JCUPRD_033554

Disability Needs AccessAbility Services www.jcu.edu.au/office/disability/

Employment Careers and Employment Service www.jcu.edu.au/careers/

Enrolment Faculty Student Office www.jcu.edu.au/flbca/JCUDEV_003755.html

Exams Examinations & Ceremonies www.jcu.edu.au/student/assessment/

Financial Student Loans www.jcu.edu.au/student/Loans/studentloans/

International Student International Student Centre www.isc.jcu.edu.au/

Personal / Emotional Support Counselling Service www.jcu.edu.au/student/counselling/

Spiritual Support Multifaith Chaplaincy Service http://www.jcu.edu.au/chaplaincy/

Study Skills / Language Help Language & Learning Services http://www.jcu.edu.au/learningskills/

8. Important Policies & Guidelines

The Endeavour: A Quality Learning Manual for Students

The School of Business has developed a quality learning manual for students to assist you with your study. The Endeavour includes background information about JCU and the School of Business, student services and resources, school policies, procedures and guidelines and advice about assessment. The manual provides detailed guides about plagiarism, referencing, essay writing, report writing, case study analysis and oral presentations. The Endeavour is available free to students at:

School of Business Subject Guide 6

» www.jcu.edu.au/business/JCUDEV_011380.html

The Endeavour can also be purchased in hard copy, on a cost recovery basis, from the University Bookshop.

Assessment Policies

There are a number of assessment policies that you should be aware of as a student of JCU. The most important policy is the university’s Assessment Practices Policy, which specifies the requirements of assessment practice for undergraduate and postgraduate coursework subjects. This policy can be accessed from:

» http://www.jcu.edu.au/policy/teaching/coursemanagement/JCUDEV_016741.html

You should also be familiar with the policies and procedures that relate to your right of access to assessment marks and materials and the request for review of assessment. These rights are detailed in the Review of Assessment and Student Access to Scripts and Materials policy which can be viewed at:

» http://www.jcu.edu.au/policy/teaching/coursemanagement/JCUDEV_005333.html

Referencing and Plagiarism

Plagiarism occurs when writers claim ownership of written words or ideas that are not their own. Plagiarism is a form of cheating and any instances of plagiarism will be dealt with promptly according to University procedures. Instances of student academic misconduct are handled using a four stage procedure: Stage 1: Referral of the allegation; Stage 2: Preliminary investigation; Stage 3: Hearing; Stage 4: Appeal. If plagiarism is detected, the lecturer will immediately notify the Head of School in writing. The Head of School is then responsible for further actions, and will notify you of their decisions about the penalties.

Working together, discussing ideas, or helping one another with references is fine. However, the piece of work that you finally submit for assessment must be your own. It should contain your ideas and your assessment of other people's ideas, and be written in your own words.

Students who are found guilty of plagiarism will be subject to the provisions of the Student Academic Misconduct Requirements which can be accessed from:

» http://www.jcu.edu.au/policy/teaching/coursemanagement/JCUDEV_005375.html

It is important that you reference your work correctly. The Endeavour discusses plagiarism and provides examples of appropriate ways to reference your work. In the School of Business different disciplines may require different ways of referencing your sources, but in general most subjects within the school will use the APA (American Psychological Association) Style. Please confirm this with your lecturer.

Submitting Written Assignments

Unless advised otherwise by the subject coordinator, all written assignments must use the standard School of Business coversheet and all authors must sign this coversheet. A copy of the cover sheet is available online at:

» www.jcu.edu.au/business/JCUDEV_011380.html

The assignment and coversheet must be stamped using the time/date stamp located adjacent to the assignment boxes in Townsville and Cairns. Different submission processes are in place for students in other locations.

The assignment boxes will be cleared at 5.00pm each day and the date/time stamp on each assignment will be checked. Any assignments received after the due date and time will be deemed to be "late" and will not be collected until 5.00pm the following working day.

Please note that some lecturers may have specific assignment requirements and it is your responsibility to check these with your lecturer. For more guidelines about assignment submission, deadlines and extensions, please refer to The Endeavour:

» www.jcu.edu.au/business/JCUDEV_011380.html

School of Business Subject Guide 7

Penalties for late submission of assignments

In the absence of any extension, late submission of work will result in a penalty of 5% of the possible mark for each day late. For example, If you are awarded a mark of 71% for a 30% essay that is handed in 4 days late, your final mark will be 51% of 30, which is 15.3. Weekends are treated as a single full day because university buildings are not usually accessible of over the weekend to allow for submission.

Supplementary and Deferred Exams

If you are unable to sit your examination at the scheduled times due to extenuating circumstances (e.g. medical, trauma, death in the family etc) you may apply to sit a deferred examination. The Head of School has the right to decline an application if they consider the reasons are less than exceptional. Alternately, applying for special consideration is recommended in situations where you feel that your preparation has been/or is adversely affected by certain circumstances before and up to the day of the exam. In this situation you still need to sit the exam on the scheduled day. Special consideration (if approved) means that the lecturer will consider your circumstances when marking your examination.

In some cases, you might be awarded the opportunity to complete a supplementary exam. This will be indicated by an ‘NS’ grade on semester results. A supplementary exam cannot be applied for, it is granted at the discretion of the examiner. A supplementary result is based exclusively on the result of the supplementary exam and previous assessment is not included in a recalculation of the student’s result. In accordance with University policy, a student who has completed a supplementary exam can only receive a grade of ‘SP’ (supplementary passed), ‘SN’ (supplementary failed) or an ‘SX’ (failed to sit supplementary). For more information please see:

» http://www.jcu.edu.au/policy/teaching/coursemanagement/JCUDEV_005344.html

Subject and Teaching Evaluations

Student feedback is one way of gaining recognition of subject and teaching strengths, and provides information on areas that may need further development or change. James Cook University provides two formal mechanisms for you to provide feedback about your subjects and instructors: Student Feedback about Teaching (SFT) and Student Feedback about Subjects (SFS). The SFT is paper-based, it is conducted at the request of your lecturer or tutor and usually occurs in the latter weeks of semester. The SFS is available to all students through StudentsOnline towards the end of each study period. You are strongly encouraged to provide feedback for each of your subjects.

School of Business Subject Guide 8

9. Graduate Skills & Qualities

Graduate attributes are the skills and qualities that every student should have when they leave the University – irrespective of the qualification they have attained. These skills are often the same competencies that employers expect from graduates. You will not attain all of the JCU graduate qualities in this subject because these skills will be developed over the full the length of your degree in various subjects. The table below indicates how the content and assessment in this subject fosters the development of JCU’s graduate attributes.

Graduate Skills Related Content / Assessment

Literacy and Numeracy

1.1 the ability to read complex and demanding texts accurately, critically and insightfully

-

1.2 the ability to speak and write clearly, coherently and creatively Assignment 1; Assignment 2

1.3 the ability to generate, calculate, interpret and communicate numerical information in ways appropriate to a given discipline or discourse

Lectures 7, 10, 13, 11, 15, 16; Practicals 6, 7, 12; Assignment 2; Mid-Course Test; Final Exam

Information Literacy

2.1 the ability to find and access information using appropriate media and technologies

Lectures 1, 2, 5, 6; Practicals 1, 2, 3, 4; Assignment 1; Assignment 2

2.2 the ability to evaluate that information Lectures 4, 5, 6; Practicals 3, 4; Assignment 1, Assignment 2.

2.3 an understanding of the economic, legal, ethical, social and cultural issues involved in the use of information

Lectures 2, 4, 5, 6, 20; Practicals 3, 4; Review Questions; Assignment 1, Assignment 2.

2.4 the ability to select and organise information and to communicate it accurately, cogently, coherently, creatively and ethically

Lectures 4, 15, 16; Practicals 3, 4, 9; Assignment 1, Assignment 2.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

3.1 the ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically

Assignment 1; Assignment 2

3.2 the ability to adapt knowledge to new situations Assignment 2

3.3 the ability to deploy critically evaluated information to practical ends Assignment 2

3.4 the ability to define and to solve problems in at least one discipline area Assignment 2

Self Reliance and Interpersonal Understanding

4.1 the ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences Lectures 15, 16, 22; Practicals 9; Assignment 2.

4.2 the ability to lead, manage and contribute effectively to teams

4.3 the ability to work with people of different gender, age, ethnicity, culture, religion and political persuasion

Lectures 15, 16, 22; Assignment 1, Assignment 2.

4.4 the ability to work individually and independently Review Questions; Assignment 1; Assignment 2

Using Tools and Technologies

5.1 the ability to select and use appropriate tools and technologies Lectures 1, 3, 7, 13, 14; Assignment 2

5.2 the ability to use online technologies effectively and ethically Lectures 1 – 24; Practicals 1 – 9; Review Questions; Assignment 1; Assignment 2

Learning Achievement

6.1 the acquisition of coherent and disciplined sets of skills, knowledge, values and professional ethics from at least one discipline area

Lectures 4, 5, 6, 20; Practicals 3, 4; Review Questions; Assignment 1, Assignment 2.

6.2 the ability to reflect on and evaluate learning, and to learn independently in a self directed manner

Review questions

6.3 the ability to manage future career and personal development Lectures 4, 21; Assignment 1, Assignment 2.

Personal Graduate Qualities Related Content / Assessment

▪ exemplary personal and professional moral and ethical standards Lectures 4, 5, 6, 20; Practicals 3, Assignment 1.

▪ a commitment to lifelong learning and intellectual development

▪ an understanding of Indigenous Australian issues and cultures

▪ an understanding of regional issues

▪ a sense of professional, community and environmental responsibilities

▪ willingness to contribute to the intellectual, cultural and social life of the regional, national and international communities

School of Business Subject Guide 9

10. Lecture & Tutorial Schedule

Week Content Readings Related Assessment Tutorials

1

Lecture 1: Introduction to

Computers

Lecture 2: The Internet and

World Wide Web

Chapter 1

Chapter 2 Sign Up for Practicals

2

Lecture 3: Professional Ethics

and Intellectual Property (IP) law Lecture 4: Application

Software

Local Resource

ACS code of conduct and code of ethics Chapter 3

Review Questions (Lectures 1 & 2)

Practical 1 –Introduction to

Animation

3

Lecture 5: Computer Security

Lecture 6:Privacy, Disaster

Recovery and Computer Related Health Issues

Chapter 11 Review Questions (Lectures 3)

Practical 2 Word

Processing tools

4

Lecture 7: The Components

of the System Unit

Lecture 8: Input Devices

Chapter 4

Appendix C

Chapter 5

Review Questions (Lectures 5 & 6)

Practical 3 Ethics case

studies

5 Lecture 9: Storage

Lecture 10: Output Devices

Chapter 7 Chapter 6

Review Questions (Lectures 7 & 8)

Practical 4 Researching

via Web resources

6

Lecture 11: Graphics

Lecture 12: Mid-Course Test

Local Resource

Review Questions (Lectures 9 & 10)

Mid-Course Test (Chapters 1-7 and Chapter 11)

Practical 5 Spreadsheets

(Introduction and Planning and Costing)

7

Lecture 13: Sound

Lecture 14: Operating

Systems and Utilities

Local Resource

Chapter 8

Review Questions (Lecture 11)

Assignment 1 – Professional ethics report - Due Friday 4pm

Practical 6 Graphics

Editing tools

8

Lecture 15: Project

management (Part 1)

Lecture 16: Project

management (Part 2)

Local Resource

Review Questions (Lectures 13 & 14)

Practical 7 Audio Editing

tools

9

Lecture 17: Communications

and Networks

Lecture 18: Database

Management

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Practical 8 Presentation

tools

10

Lecture 19: Web design

principles

Lecture 20: Enterprise

Computing

Local Resource

Chapter 14

Review Questions (Lectures 17 & 18)

Practical 9 Database

Management Systems

11

Lecture 21: Information

System Development

Lecture 22: Programming

Languages and Program Development

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Review Questions (Lectures 19 & 20)

Practical 10 Web page

authoring

12

Lecture 23: Assignment 2 Presentations

Lecture 24: Revision & Exam

Preparation and Computer Careers and Certification

Chapter 15

Review Questions (Lectures 21, 22 & 26)

Assignment Two – Project proposal and presentation due Week 12

Practical 11 Assignment 2 presentations

The sequence of some topics may change due to availability of staff, resources or due to unforeseen circumstances