School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics

300134 Introduction to Information TechnologyAutumn 2019

Edition: Autumn 2019Copyright c©2019 University Western Sydney trading as Western Sydney University ABN 53 014 069 881 CRICOS Provider No: 00917K No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission from the Dean of the School. Copyright for acknowledged materials reproducedherein is retained by the copyright holder. All readings in this publication are copied under licence in accordance with Part VB of the Copyright Act 1968.

Unit Details

Unit Code: 300134

Unit Name: Introduction to Information Technology

Credit Points: 10

Unit Level: 1

Assumed Knowledge: Not Applicable

Note: Students with any problems, concerns or doubts should discuss those with the Unit Coordinator as early as they can.

Unit Coordinator

Name: Dr. Jamie YangPhone: +61 2 96859233Location: ER.G.12, Parramatta CampusEmail: J.Yang@westernsydney.edu.auConsultation Arrangement:Consultation Arrangements: Please check vUWS for the information.

For unit inquiries, you can use the mail system in vUWS to send a message to the appropriate staff mem-ber(s). You can also email a staff member directly. Please note that a staff member is typically teaching multipleunits, so make sure you start the subject line with ”300134 Intro to IT” and then include a relevant subject.

As this unit is offered across multiple campuses plus composite mode, in the email body, please do indicatewhich campus and which tutorial session you are attending (e.g. Parramatta Tue 11-13; Parramatta external). Theadvice we give you may be based on this information (for instance, your inquiries about tutorial allocations, PPTpresentation, assessment submissions, etc). Otherwise, due to the large enrolment, we don’t have an easy way torecognise the individual student and provide more specialised advice. Such details also help the staff archive yourcase in ePortfolio or forward the message to the corresponding tutors if necessary.

For any unit related inquiries, you need to use your Western Sydney University student email account; wereally should not correspondent with students via external email addresses as per the university policy since they arenot verifiable.

In addition, the coordinator may use emails to address the unit related issues (clarifying administrative poli-cies, providing hints to practical activities, presenting extra/supplementary materials for the unit studies). So pleasecheck your Western Sydney University emails regularly and carefully. It is pivotal for any student wishing to performwell to read all these emails carefully.

Note: The relevant Learning Guide Companion supplements this document

Contents1 About Introduction to Information Technology 2

1.1 An Introduction to this Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.2 What is Expected of You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.3 Changes to Unit as a Result of Past Student Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2 Assessment Information 32.1 Unit Learning Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32.2 Approach to Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32.3 Contribution to Course Learning Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42.4 Assessment Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52.5 Assessment Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2.5.1 Portfolio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62.5.2 Practical Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82.5.3 Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92.5.4 Powerpoint Presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112.5.5 Final Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

2.6 General Submission Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

3 Teaching and Learning Activities 16

4 Learning Resources 184.1 Recommended Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

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1 About Introduction to Information Technology1.1 An Introduction to this UnitThis introductory unit gives students an insight into the history, structure, operations and uses of computers, andtheir impact on society. This will be complemented by hands-on use of computers and popular application softwarepackages in a graphical user interface environment. Students gain a basic understanding of the uses of computers,and the skills necessary to use popular applications software, including word processing, spreadsheet and databasepackages, and Internet tools and services.

1.2 What is Expected of YouStudy LoadA student is expected to study an hour per credit point a week. For example a 10 credit point unit would require 10hours of study per week. This time includes the time spent within classes during lectures, tutorials or practicals.

AttendanceIt is strongly recommended that you attend all scheduled learning activities to support your learning. Students with apoor attendance record may find themselves at risk of not passing assessment. Therefore, On-campus students mustmaintain a satisfactory tutorial attendance record (85%). All students (including external) must attend the practicalexam and PowerPoint presentation.

Online Learning RequirementsUnit materials will be made available on the unit’s vUWS (E-Learning) site (https://vuws.westernsydney.edu.au/).You are expected to consult vUWS at least twice a week, as all unit announcements will be made via vUWS. Teachingand learning materials will be regularly updated and posted online by the teaching team.A range of online lectures and tutorials are provided. Requires student access to the vUWS environment.Special RequirementsEssential Equipment:Not ApplicableLegislative Pre-Requisites:Not Applicable

1.3 Changes to Unit as a Result of Past Student FeedbackThe University values student feedback in order to improve the quality of its educational programs. The feedbackprovided helps us improve teaching methods and units of study. The survey results inform unit content and design,learning guides, teaching methods, assessment processes and teaching materials.

You are welcome to provide feedback that is related to the teaching of this unit. At the end of the semesteryou will be given the opportunity to complete a Student Feedback on Unit (SFU) questionnaire to assess the unit.You may also have the opportunity to complete a Student Feedback on Teaching (SFT) questionnaire to providefeedback for individual teaching staff.

As a result of student feedback, the following changes and improvements to this unit have recently been made:

– Unit vUWS pages have been modified to make the content exploration and information retrieval more userfriendly.

– Sample exam paper and extra exam information have been provided to help students for the final exam.– Announcement and group-emails are used to address the unit related issues, which turned out to be more

effective for students in different modes to study this unit.

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2 Assessment Information2.1 Unit Learning Outcomes

Outcome

1 Recognise and describe the function(s) of the fundamental components of any computer system

2 Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of operation of computer hardware, software, peripheraldevices and the integration of these components into computer systems

3 Competently use a range of common applications software packages to complete tasks commonlyencountered in educational, work and leisure environments

4 Effectively utilise electronic networks to communicate

5 Demonstrate the ability to successfully search and retrieve information from online sources

6 Critically discuss issues raised by the use of computers in society

2.2 Approach to LearningModes of Delivery:Lecture: 1 hourTutorial: 2 hourSkills Session: 1 hour

There are NO traditional face-to-face lectures in this unit, but there are online lecture modules. Instead of at-tending lectures physically, you watch online lecture modules that present the major topics of this unit. The onlinelectures and text reading will examine the theoretical aspects related to information technology.

The practical activities are designed so that you will gain expertise in becoming a confident and competent userof information technology. The weekly on-campus practicals start from week 2. On-campus students are required toattend tutorials. External students do not have to attend the on-campus tutorials except the PPT presentation andpractical exam (unless alternative options are provided).

It has been structured towards a blended delivery model, where the teaching activities consist of online-lecturingand on-campus practice. We run this unit in a manner of ”small lecture but big tutorial” and ”light presentation butheavy practical”. This model builds upon the nature of university study of being effective and independent learners.We’ll continue to revise the Blended Learning approach (e.g. implementing adaptable techniques and settings) tosatisfy the needs for student-centered learning. This could be a long-run process.

Lecture:- Navigate around the 300134 vUWS site- Understand the contents presented for the weekly scheduled topics by studyingonline lecture modules and readingthe corresponding chapters of the text.- View online materials

Tutorial:- Undertake the weekly practical activities and document the written answers into a study organised portfolio.- Work on other assessment items if time allows.- Perform actively in the problem-solving session.∗External students do not have to attend the on-campus tutorials. Please refer to the ’Composite Mode” documentin vUWS.

Skills Session:Instead of attending on-campus tutorial sessions, external students should ensure one hours skills session each weekto consult vUWS, complete weekly practical activities, work on assessment tasks, and get help through online con-sultation.

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2.3 Contribution to Course Learning Outcomes

Western Sydney University Graduate AttributesGraduate Attributes ULO 1 ULO 2 ULO 3 ULO 4 ULO 5 ULO 61. Command multiple skills and literacies to enable adaptable lifelong learning Developed2. Demonstrate knowledge of Indigenous Australia through cultural competencyand professional capacity3. Demonstrate comprehensive, coherent and connected knowledge Developed Developed Developed Developed Developed Developed4. Apply knowledge through intellectual inquiry in professional or appliedcontexts

Developed Developed Developed Developed Developed Developed

5. Bring knowledge to life through responsible engagement and appreciation ofdiversity in an evolving world

Developed Developed Developed Developed Developed Developed

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2.4 Assessment SummaryThe assessment items in this unit are designed to enable you to demonstrate that you have achieved the unit learningoutcomes. Completion and submission of all assessment items which have been designated as mandatory or compul-sory is essential to receive a passing grade.

To pass this unit you must:- Achievement of at least 50% overall is required to pass this unit. There is no threshold for any individual assessmentitem.- Satisfactory attempt: In order to pass this unit you must make a satisfactory attempt at ALL continuous assessmentitems:o Presentationo Practical Examo Portfolioo Project

If the tutor does not consider it a satisfactory attempt it will be returned and you will be asked to re-submitwithin a set timeframe (usually the next tutorial). If the item is resubmitted and considered a satisfactory attempt,the marks will be released. (Note - the marks given will be for the original attempt). All assessment items mustbe submitted as satisfactory attempts before the end of teaching (Week 14) unless an extension has been grantedotherwise you will automatically fail the unit.

Item Weight Due Date ULOs Assessed Threshold

Portfolio 15% 6:00pm Friday, Week 13 1, 2, 5 No

Practical Exam 20% Week 12. For on-campus students:Tutorial time; for external students:Evening session (7-8pm Friday) to bescheduled and notified via email.

3 No

Project 15% 6:00pm Friday, Week 13 3, 4 No

Powerpoint Presentation 5% Week 7. For on-campus students:Tutorial time; for external students:check vUWS for session booking or duetime for video submission.

9 No

Final Exam 45% To be scheduled during the universityexam period.

1, 2, 6 No

Feedback on AssessmentFeedback is an important part of the learning process that can improve your progress towards achieving the learningoutcomes. Feedback is any written or spoken response made in relation to academic work such as an assessmenttask, a performance or product. It can be given to you by a teacher, an external assessor or student peer, and maybe given individually or to a group of students. As a Western Sydney University student, it is your responsibility toseek out and act on feedback that is provided to you as a resource to further your learning.

In this unit you can expect result and feedback within 2 to 3 weeks of the due date for any assessment submis-sion. Further informal feedback will also be provided tutorial sessions (e.g. for PPT presentation). Common writtenfeedback will be summarised in exemplar annotations in vUWS (e.g. for Portfolio report).

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2.5 Assessment Details2.5.1 Portfolio

Weight: 15%

Type of Collaboration: Individual

Due: 6:00pm Friday, Week 13

Submission: To be uploaded into the turnitin assignment drop-box allocated for your tutorial groupthat you originally registered

Format: The original MS Word format or PDF format being converted

Length: Equivalent to 3000 wordsDocumenting weeklypractical exercises

Curriculum Mode: Portfolio

The Portfolio should be created as MS Word document which is to organise your written responses to the weeklypractical activities. The construction of the Portfolio report is not one-step event but with on-going effort throughoutthe semester.

Tutorial activities are provided each week. You are required to record answers in the Portfolio document incre-mentally (built up week by week).The Portfolio document should have your written answers well organised and should have professional looking style(page numbers, table of contents, some decoration etc). Therefore, it is asked to create your Portfolio documentfrom an appropriate Word Template.

You are required to upload your portfolio document into a Turnitindrop-box allocated for your tutorial group that youoriginally registered (a Turnitin drop-box will also be created for external students). Submission may not be accepted(not be marked) if being placed into a wrong drop-box (especially uploading the Portfolio document into a Projectdrop-box).

Make sure the right portfolio file is uploaded. Faulty submissions (e.g. in wrong drop-box, wrong file, brokenfile, cannot be opened) may receive a zero mark.

Exemplar:

Activity: What does research show to be the best size for fonts on a web page?

Fail -I like a 10-point font.(doesn’t answer question - asked for research results, not personal preference)

Pass -I did a quick survey of 10 of my friends and the average font size preferred is 11-point(gathered data, but may not represent the population)

Credit -A study into font size preferences found that ’The 12-point Arial font was the most preferred’ (Bernard & Mills,2000)Bernard, M &Mills M (2000), So, What Size and Type of Font Should I Use On My Website. Usability News, Vol 2(2).(used research, but only one study - others studies may have come to a different conclusion, also the reference isquite old now)

Distinction -The Research-Based Web Design and Usability Guidelines (Koyani, Bailey & Nall, 2003) recommends a font size ofat least 12-point. This is based on the research from 10 different studies.Balley R., Koyani S., Nall J. (2003) Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines. National Cancer Institute.Retrieved March 2010 from http://usability.gov/pdfs/guidelines book.pdf.(used research, from a range of studies, included reference correctly cited)

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High Distinction -The Research-Based Web Design and Usability Guidelines (Koyani, Bailey & Nall, 2003) recommends a font size ofat least 12-point. This is based on the research from 10 different studies.

However, it should also be noted that font-sizes should be ’relative’ rather than ’absolute’ so that the user canadjust the font size themselves using settings in the browser (Zhenxiang & Zhao, 2010).

Balley R., Koyani S., Nall J. (2003) Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines. National Cancer Insti-tute. Retrieved March 2013 from http://www.usability.gov/guidelines/guidelines book.pdf.

Zhenxiang Sun; Yang Zhao; , ”The Preliminary Construction of Accessibility Design Guidelines of Learning Web-site for Old People,” Education Technology and Computer Science (ETCS), 2010 Second International Workshop on, vol.2, no., pp.612-615, 6-7 March 2010(used research, from a range of studies, but also added important information related to the issue, included referencescorrectly cited)

Resources:

Refer to the assessment specification document and the weekly practical sheets

Marking Criteria:

Criteria High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass Unsatisfactory

Quality: Discussionon relevant points

As in Distinction

Makes an originalcase in own voice,well supported byresources /references goingbeyond themainstreamliterature

Most/all relevantpoints frommainstreamliteratureUses appropriatestructure to resolveissues in convincingargument

More relevantpoints drawn fromliterature, lists bothprops and cons, buthas difficulty inmaking a case

Some relevantpoints in descriptivelists, mainly eitherpro or con

Not attempted orobviouslyunsatisfactoryattempt (e.g. didnot spend timereading; if ananswer required apage answer butanswered in a fewwords then thiswould beunsatisfactory).

Quantity: Attempt N/A N/A Good attempt withnecessary features,key pointspresented

Fair attempt butnot all correct orlacks necessaryfeatures

Not attempted orobviouslyunsatisfactoryattempt (e.g. didnot spend timereading; if ananswer required apage answer butanswered in a fewwords then thiswould beunsatisfactory).

Citation:References (whererequired)

As in DistinctionUsing extrareferences tobolster an originalargumentFormat correct andclear

ComprehensiveShowing care inresearching theissueFormat correct andclear

Evidence of somesearch skillsStandard referencesin mostly correctformatting

SparseLittle evidence oflibrary skillsIncorrect formatting

No citation at all

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2.5.2 Practical Exam

Weight: 20%

Type of Collaboration: Individual

Due: Week 12. For on-campus students: Tutorial time; for external students: Evening session(7-8pm Friday) to be scheduled and notified via email.

Submission: In-class activities; vUWS submission

Format: Online test

Length: 50 minutes in corresponding tutorial session

Curriculum Mode: Quiz

The practical exam is closed book (you can access the Internet) and 50 minutes long.

The practical exam consists of two parts:

Part A (10 marks): Multiple choice and fill in the blank style questions, which will cover all packages - Word,Excel, Access and PowerPoint. This part is to be completed in vUWS.

Part B (10 marks): The task is to create a specific Excel spreadsheet by following the instructions. The com-pleted file should be uploaded in vUWS.

For on-campus students, the exam is scheduled in the tutorial time.

For external students, they will be typically asked to book a time in Week 12 to sit the practical exam. How-ever, alternative options MAY be provided to external students; if offered, then external students will be notified viaannouncements or WSU emails.

For this in-Class online test, its students responsibility to follow the instruction and manipulate necessary opera-tions (e.g. save your work regularly to avoid losing data) and submit the right format of data file(s) associated duringthe timeframe allocated, which are considered as mandatory IT skills associated with the practical exam. Note thatthe work you submitted will be accepted as is. Please contact your tutor if you need help with this.

Resources:Please refer to the assessment specification documents and trial practical exam available on vUWS

Marking Criteria:Multiple choice and fill in the blank style questions are marked automatically. The Practical task questions are judgedbased on whether they are completed correctly.

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2.5.3 Project

Weight: 15%

Type of Collaboration: Individual

Due: 6:00pm Friday, Week 13

Submission: To be uploaded into the drop-box allocated for your tutorial group that you originallyregistered.

Format: Depending on the types of information resources. Please choose one of the InformationResources recommended in the project specification. Since there are many differenttypes of information resources, please refer to the ’Detailed Instructions and Examples’and ’More Resources and Toolkit’ to determine the reasonable size/length.

Length: Creating Information Resources

Curriculum Mode: Professional Task

This unit involves collecting, organising and presenting information. The project is to create an information resourceinvolving all these aspects.

You are required to create an interactive, digital information resource for a topic related to one of your universi-ty units you have studied (or are currently studying) at WSU. It should relate to one concept only. If possible, makeit a concept that students find difficult to learn. The aim is to produce a resource that other students would finduseful and interesting (and actually teach them).

The types of resource could include

– a simulation using hyperlinks in Powerpoint– a narrated Powerpoint presentation– a YouTube video followed by a quiz– an interactive PDF– a Prezi presentation– a wiki content management design in a collaborative website environment– a Wordpress content management design for creating a website or blog (for computing students)– a mobile app (for computing students) or - something creative (your own idea that matches the marking criteria)

The project artifacts can be of different size and quality, which are subject to the information resource context anda set of features to be implemented. The aspects of this project are determined by the type of information resource,media format, development platforms, technical skills, time and budget, potential users of the product etc. Theproject topic and size should be worked out during the design stage. You are asked to relate a chosen topic to ONEconcept only, which is to avoid an oversized work and make the topic cohesive and manageable.

The project work is diverse and with creative ideas, there might not be a well pre-defined model. However, there areexamples and applicable guidelines to refer to. Detailed instructions and examples of each type of the above will beplaced in vUWS. You are suggested to apply a disciplined design scheme using Learning Resource Card and adoptingproject processing stages. More information about this Project will be placed in vUWS.

Make sure the work uploaded are right file(s) and in right format. It is desired to have your product well re-leased that is ready to view on typical platforms. If the work submitted is broken or cannot be opened on typicalplatforms, a zero mark may be awarded. If your work is deployed on a specific platform, please provide a read mefile to detail the deployment steps. We suggest you test your work before uploading it. Faulty submissions (e.g. inwrong drop-box, wrong file, broken file, cannot be opened) may receive a zero mark.

In the event that you submit an external link to your product (e.g. a Web address of Youtube video), it’s sug-gested to place this external link into a Word document and submit the Word document as attachment. Merelyplacing the external link in the comment area may not draw enough attention of the marker to your link.

Resources:

Refer to the assessment specification document and detailed instructions and examples placed in vUWS.

Marking Criteria:

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Criteria High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass Unsatisfactory

Interest andUsefulness

Learners (students)would be verymotivated to usethis resource.

Could be used infuture classeswithout furtherimprovement.

Could be used as is,but could still beimproved.Has educationalvalue.

Learners wouldn’tfind this resourceinteresting unlessimprovements weremade.

Couldn’t really beused by learners asa learning resource.

Design Looks good enoughto use externally toshowcase the work

Looks good enoughto use internally atWSU for futureclasses

Mostly professionaldesign, but withroom forimprovement.Illustrates learningdesign.Exhibits Interfacedesign

Some effort tomake the designlook aesthetic andprofessional.

Not aesthetic at all

Interactivity Highly interactive Very interactive Interactive.Communication inpractice

Limited interactivity No interactivity

Multimedia Very good use of arange of media

Uses a range ofmedia

Uses at least 3types of media

Limited use ofmultimedia

Not multimedia(one medium only)

Final Product Complete.Little or no errorsfound.Developmentinvolves learningnew, complex skills.Highly integratedand well published.

Complete.Few errors reportedwhen examined.More complexdevelopment whichrequires learningsome new skills.Highly integratedand well published.

Nearly complete.Some areas requireimprovement.Uses simpletechniques withknown expertise.Integrated and wellpublished.Reusable.

Limited, containserrors or lack offunctionality

Not really anelearning resource

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2.5.4 Powerpoint Presentation

Weight: 5%

Type of Collaboration: Individual

Due: Week 7. For on-campus students: Tutorial time; for external students: check vUWS forsession booking or due time for video submission.

Submission: In-class activities or video-clip submission for some external students.

Format: PPT slides and in-class presentation or video-clip for some external students.

Length: 5 minutes in corresponding tutorial session

Curriculum Mode: Presentation

About 3 minutes presentation (depending on size of class). Topic of your own choice.

Design a presentation of at least 6 slides that presents a particular message. The topic is of your own choiceand can be an academic area or hobby or other area of interest. However, be sensible in your choice as controversialtopics (religion, politics, hate, war, racist, sexist etc.) are not permitted.

Slide 1 is a title slide and should include:

– Title of Presentation– Author (your name)– Student number– Relevant image(s)

Presentation on the day:

Given that most tutorials are full, the length of your presentation should be no more than 3 minutes. Markswill be deducted if you go over this limit and have to be told to stop more than once. It is a good idea to rehearsethe presentation beforehand to gauge how long you will realistically need.

You will need to bring a copy of your presentation on a USB stick for the presentation. As a backup (in casethe USB drive cannot be read), upload a copy of your presentation to the PowerPoint upload section in vUWS. Note- the quality of the slides will be assessed during your presentation and NOT from the PowerPoint uploaded to vUWS(this is just a backup in case things go wrong).

For external students, they will be typically asked to book a time in Week 7 for their presentation if there is s-pace. If there are limited spaces then this may be held in a later week (for external students only). With blendedleaning approach, alternative options MAY be provided to external students to avoid physical access to campus forpresentation. If offered then they will be notified via announcements or WSU emails.

Please note that every student is supposed to have the PPT design completed and presentation ready by week7.

Resources:

Refer to the assessment specification document and examples of good and bad presentations provided on vUWS

Marking Criteria:

Criteria High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass Unsatisfactory

PART A:Communicationskills

Makes very few, ifany, communicationerrorsTells a storyCommunicates sowell you would hirethem for a role thatrequires excellentcommunicationskills

Makes very few, ifany, communicationerrorsMaintains audienceinterest throughout

Makes fewcommunicationerrorsSpeaks clearlySpeaks confidentlyObviously prepared

Makes only severalcommunicationerrors

Makes manycommunicationerrors e.g.mumbles, speakstoo quickly, clearlynot prepared,doesn’t look ataudience, readsfrom text, hashands in pockets,turns back onaudience whilespeaking etc.

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Criteria High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass Unsatisfactory

Part B: PowerPointSlides

Makes few, if any,design errorsGood enough towin an award

Makes few, if any,design errorsYou would be proudto use these slidesyourself

Makes few designerrors

Makes only severaldesign errors

Makes many designerrors e.g. toomuch text,unreadable text,too many bulletpoints, no images,too many images,use of unrelatedimages, poor choiceof colour schemes,inconsistent format,lack of contrast,poor choice ofbackgroundimage(s)

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2.5.5 Final Exam

Weight: 45%

Type of Collaboration: Individual

Due: To be scheduled during the university exam period.

Submission: Examination paper in the session

Format: On-paper

Length: 2 Hours

Curriculum Mode: Final Exam

The final examination is a mandatory component of this unit, which is a formal 2 hour closed book exam. Thequestions will be based on the required textbook reading as well as the material provided in the online lecture modules.

The Exam may cover aspects of any of the following:

1. the chapters that have been listed to read each week (i.e. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14).2. the additional information provided in the online lectures.

Possible questions:Section A: Multiple Choice worth 10-15 marks (1 mark each)Section B: in the Blank worth 10-15 marks (1 mark each)Section C: Short Answer worth 10-15 marks. Each answer should be about several sentences in length.Section D: Extended Answer worth 5-8 marks. Each answer should be between - 1 page in length.

Special consideration of the Final Exam: If you are sick on the day of the exam, or you have urgent matter-s/misadventures that will really affect you in the exam, do not attend the exam. If you are sick, go to see doctorsand get a medical certificate and then apply for a deferred exam through Student Central. All deferred exams are runcentrally. Special consideration will not be given for students who sit the exam and then go to the doctor afterwards(unless there is an emergency during the final exam). This rule applies to other urgent matters/misadventures.

Resources:

A sample paper will be provided in vUWS

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2.6 General Submission RequirementsSubmission

– All assignments must be submitted by the specified due date and time.– Complete your assignment and follow the individual assessment item instructions on how to submit. You must

keep a copy of all assignments submitted for marking.

Turnitin

– The Turnitin plagiarism prevention system may be used within this unit. Turnitin is accessed via logging intovUWS for the unit. If Turnitin is being used with this unit, this means that your assignments have to besubmitted through the Turnitin system. Turnitin from iParadigms is a web-based text-matching software thatidentifies and reports on similarities between documents. It is also widely utilised as a tool to improve academicwriting skills. Turnitin compares electronically submitted papers against the following:

– Current and archived web: Turnitin currently contains over 24 billion web pages including archived pages– Student papers: including Western Sydney University student submissions since 2007– Scholarly literature: Turnitin has partnered with leading content publishers, including library databases,

text-book publishers, digital reference collections and subscription-based publications (e.g. Gale, Pro-quest, Emerald and Sage)

– Turnitin is used by over 30 universities in Australia and is increasingly seen as an industry standard. It isan important tool to assist students with their academic writing by promoting awareness of plagiarism.Bysubmitting your assignment to Turnitin you will be certifying that:

– I hold a copy of this assignment if the original is lost or damaged– No part of this assignment has been copied from any other student’s work or from any other source except

where due acknowledgement is made in the assignment– No part of the assignment has been written for me by any other person/s– I have complied with the specified word length for this assignment– I am aware that this work may be reproduced and submitted to plagiarism detection software programs for

the purpose of detecting possible plagiarism (which may retain a copy on its database for future plagiarismchecking).

Self-Plagiarising

– You are to ensure that no part of any submitted assignment for this unit or product has been submitted byyourself in another (previous or current) assessment from any unit, except where appropriately referenced, andwith prior permission form the Lecturer/Tutor/Unit Co-ordinator of this unit.

Late Submission

– If you submit a late assessment, without receiving approval for an extension of time, (see next item), you willbe penalised by 10% per day for up to 10 days. In other words, marks equal to 10% of the assignment’s weightwill be deducted from the mark awarded.

– For example, if the highest mark possible is 50, 5 marks will be deducted from your awarded mark for each lateday.

– Saturday and Sunday are counted as one calendar day each.– Assessments will not be accepted after the marked assessment task has been returned to students.– This is consistent with Clause 51 of the Western Sydney University’s Assessment Policy - Criteria and Standards-

Based Assessment.

Extension of Due Date for SubmissionExtensions are only granted in exceptional circumstances. To apply for an extension of time, locate an applicationform via the Western Sydney University homepage or copy the following link:https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/currentstudents/current students/forms

Application forms must be submitted to the Unit Coordinator/Convenor. Requests for extension should be made asearly as possible and submitted within policy deadlines. Appropriate, supporting documentation must be submittedwith the application. An application for an extension does not automatically mean that an extension will be granted.Assessments will not be accepted after the marked assessment task has been returned to students.

Resubmission Resubmission of assessment items will not normally be granted if requested.

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Application for Special ConsiderationIt is strongly recommended that you attend all scheduled learning activities to support your learning. If you havesuffered misadventure, illness, or you have experienced exceptional circumstances that have prevented your attendanceat class or your completion and submission of assessment tasks, you may need to apply for Special Consideration via theWestern Sydney University website. http://www.westernsydney.edu.au/currentstudents/current students/servicesand facilities/special consideration2 or the Student Centre/Sydney City Campus Reception. Special Consideration isnot automatically granted. It is your responsibility to ensure that any missed content has been covered. Your lecturerwill give you more information on how this must be done.

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3 Teaching and Learning Activities

Weeks Topic Independent Lecture Tutorial Instructions Assessments Due

Week 104-03-2019

Introduction 1. Computers and You Online Lecture Modules Tutorials from week 2

Week 211-03-2019

The Internet and WWW 6. The Internet and World Online Lecture Modules Prac 1 Portfolio starts

Basics Wide Web

Week 318-03-2019

Organising and evaluatingdata

3. Input/Output and Online Lecture Modules Prac 2 PPT Presentation Taskreleased

Storage

Week 425-03-2019

Preparing documents andStorage

3. Input/Output and Online Lecture Modules Prac 3

Storage

Week 501-04-2019

Web 2.0, IT and theWorkplace

Spotlight 4. Web 2.0 Online Lecture Modules Prac 4 Project specification &relevant documents

released

Week 608-04-2019

Computer Organisation 2. Inside the System Unit Online Lecture Modules Prac 5

Week 715-04-2019

Processing numerical data 4. System Software Online Lecture Modules Prac 6 Be ready for PPT - Powerpoint Presentation

Presentation in this week

Week 822-04-2019

Week 929-04-2019

Applications and Tools forProductivity

5. Application Software Online Lecture Modules Prac 7

Week 1006-05-2019

Databases 12. Databases andInformation Systems

Online Lecture Modules Prac 8 Trial Prac Exam

Week 1113-05-2019

Networks 7. Networks Online Lecture Modules Prac 9

(Basics, LAN and WAN)

Week 1220-05-2019

Communication 8. Wired and WirelessCommunication

Online Lecture Modules Prac 10 Be ready for Prac Exam - Practical Exam

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Weeks Topic Independent Lecture Tutorial Instructions Assessments Due

Week 1327-05-2019

Privacy, Crime andSecurity

9. Privacy, Crime andSecurity

No Online Lecture Prac 11 Catch up activities - Portfolio- Project

Modules

Week 1403-06-2019

Enterprise Computing 14. Enterprise Computing No Online Lecture Wrap-up Start your revision

Revision and ExamPreparation

Modules

Week 1510-06-2019

Week 1617-06-2019

Week 1724-06-2019

The above timetable should be used as a guide only, as it is subject to change. Students will be advised of any changes as they become known on the unit’s vUWS site.

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4 Learning Resources4.1 Recommended ReadingsPrescribed Textbook

– LaBerta, C. (2012). Computers are your future. Complete (12th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.

Essential Reading

– O’Leary, T. J., O’Leary, L. I., & O’Leary, D. A. (2015). Computing essentials: Making IT work for you(Complete ed.). New York, NY: Mcgraw Hill Higher Education.

– Rajaraman, V. (2013). Introduction to information technology (2nd ed.). Delhi: Prentice-Hall Of India Pv.– Williams, B. K., & Sawyer, S. C. (2014). Using information technology: A practical introduction to computers

& communications (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.– Wong, Y.-L., Brookshear, J. G., & Evans, A. (2013). Introduction to information technology (4th Custom ed.).

Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Custom Books.

Additional Reading

– Gordon, S. R. (2003). Computing information technology: The human side. Hershey, PA: IRM Press.– Murray, D., & Aspinall, A. (2006). Getting IT: Using information technology to empower people with commu-

nication difficulties. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.– Snyder, L. (2015). Fluency with information technology: Skills, concepts, & capabilities (6th ed.). Boston,

MA: Pearson.

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