IMS2603 Information management in organisations - Semester 2 , 2007

Unit leader :

Steven Wright

Lecturer(s) :

Caulfield

  • Steven Wright

Introduction

Welcome to FIT2054 Information Management in Organisations, which is a core unit of the Information Management Major in the Bachelor of Information Technology Systems. This unit explores fundamental concepts of information management within organisations. The unit matches known information needs of the business organisation with IM services and solutions, and teaches students how to use IM tools developed to manage information within organisations.

Unit synopsis

This unit explores fundamental concepts of information management within organisations. The unit matches known information needs of the business organisation with IM services and solutions, and teaches students how to use IM tools developed to manage information within organisations. The unit begins with a review of Information Management fundamentals, from layers of individual and collective use within organizations, to the place of information within the process of knowledge creation. Other topics addressed include theories and applications of classification and metadata schema, the place of knowledge and memory within an organisational context, the role and nature of records, and the development of information products.

Topics include:

  • Review of information management fundamentals
  • Classification Scheme Development
  • Metadata
  • Storage, Digital Preservation and Memory
  • Developing an Information Product

    •  

    Learning outcomes

    Knowledge and Understanding

    C1. Know the main techniques used for IM in organisations

    C2. Understand the purpose of facet and business analysis, and their application to the development of basic classification schemes

    C3. Understand the place of information creation, representation, storage, access, retrieval, and use within organisations

    C4. Understand the purpose of using various classification schemes for conducting business analysis for information requirements specification

    Attitudes, Values and Beliefs

    A1. Recognise the importance of managing information and knowledge

    A2. Recognise the concept of ownership and security of information and knowledge

    A3. Recognise the importance of problems associated with managing information/knowledge processes within organisations

    A4. Recognise issues related to the information lifecycle within organisations

    Practical Skills

    P1. Be able to evaluate the organisational context of information and its sources critically

    P2. Be able to deploy data gathering tools and techniques relevant to the development of information products

    P3. Be able to evaluate the usefulness of classification and metadata schemes

    P4. Be able to create metadata records and use metadata modelling tools

    P5. Be able to evaluate and use ICTs and IM tools to create, represent, store, access, retrieve and use information within an organisational context

    Relationships, Communication and TeamWork

    S1 Be able to work as part of a team developing information policy within an organisational context

    Workload

    Unit relationships

    Prerequisites

    Relationships

    IMS2603 is a core unit in the Bachelor of Information Systems.

    You may not study this unit and IMS2102 or FIT2054 in your degree.

    Continuous improvement

    Monash is committed to ‘Excellence in education' and strives for the highest possible quality in teaching and learning. To monitor how successful we are in providing quality teaching and learning Monash regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. Two of the formal ways that you are invited to provide feedback are through Unit Evaluations and through Monquest Teaching Evaluations.

    One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through Unit Evaluation Surveys. It is Monash policy for every unit offered to be evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys as they are an important avenue for students to "have their say". The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.

    Student Evaluations

    The Faculty of IT administers the Unit Evaluation surveys online through the my.monash portal, although for some smaller classes there may be alternative evaluations conducted in class.

    If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to http://www.monash.edu.au/unit-evaluation-reports/

    Over the past few years the Faculty of Information Technology has made a number of improvements to its courses as a result of unit evaluation feedback. Some of these include systematic analysis and planning of unit improvements, and consistent assignment return guidelines.

    Monquest Teaching Evaluation surveys may be used by some of your academic staff this semester. They are administered by the Centre for Higher Education Quality (CHEQ) and may be completed in class with a facilitator or on-line through the my.monash portal. The data provided to lecturers is completely anonymous. Monquest surveys provide academic staff with evidence of the effectiveness of their teaching and identify areas for improvement. Individual Monquest reports are confidential, however, you can see the summary results of Monquest evaluations for 2006 at http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/cheq/evaluations/monquest/profiles/index.html

    Improvements to this unit

    Section on folksonomy has been enlarged

    Unit staff - contact details

    Unit leader

    Dr Steven Wright
    Lecturer
    Phone +61 3 990 32994

    Lecturer(s) :

    Dr Steven Wright
    Lecturer
    Phone +61 3 990 32994

    Teaching and learning method

    This on-campus unit entails:

    • Lectures (2 hours per week)
    • Tutorials/Laboratories (2 hours per week)
    • Assignments - Group and individual  

    Knowledge and understanding objectives are achieved mainly through lectures and tutorial exercises. Attitudes, values and belief objectives are achieved mainly through tutorial/lab discussions and assignment work. Practical skill objectives are achieved mainly through tutorial/lab/studio exercises and assignment work. Relationships, Communication and Team Work objectives are achieved mainly through tutorial/lab discussions and assignment work.

    Communication, participation and feedback

    Monash aims to provide a learning environment in which students receive a range of ongoing feedback throughout their studies. You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This may take the form of group feedback, individual feedback, peer feedback, self-comparison, verbal and written feedback, discussions (on line and in class) as well as more formal feedback related to assignment marks and grades. You are encouraged to draw on a variety of feedback to enhance your learning.

    It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem that is affecting your study. Semesters are short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.

    Unit Schedule

    First semester component

    Week Topic Key dates
    1 Introduction and overview  
    2 Information and knowledge processes  
    3 Individual and organisational knowledges  
    4 Document aggregation  
    5 Introduction to classification  
    6 Classification systems Assignment 1 due
    7 Information discovery and retrieval  
    8 Metadata  
    9 Metadata  
    10 Media, storage, representation  
    Mid semester break
    11 Information policy Assignment 2 due
    12 Information policy  
    13 Revision  

    Second semester component

    Week Topic Key dates
    1    
    2 Introduction and overview  
    3 Information and knowledge processes  
    4 ndividual and organisational knowledges  
    5 Document aggregation  
    6 Introduction to classification  
    7 Classification systems  
    Mid semester break
    8 Information discovery and retrieval  
    9 Metadata  
    10 Metadata  
    11 Media, storage, representation  
    12 Information policy  
    13 Information policy  

    Unit Resources

    Prescribed text(s) and readings

    None.

    Text books are available from the Monash University Book Shops. Availability from other suppliers cannot be assured. The Bookshop orders texts in specifically for this unit. You are advised to purchase your text book early.

    Recommended text(s) and readings

    Recommended texts:

    See separate lecture notes and tutorial/laboratory exercises to be provided during the semester.

    Other references:

    The following journals will be useful throughout the unit

    Information, communication & society (CA)

    Information Management Journal (CA)

    Information Today

    Library philosophy and practice

    Records Management Quarterly (CA)

    Access to electronic versions is available via the Monash library catalogue. Hard copies of some journals (designated CA) may be found in the Caulfield campus library.

    Other relevant online journals may be found at ‘Information Technology electronic journals', Monash University Library, http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/ejournals/infotech/index.html, accessed 7 July 2003.

     

    Required software and/or hardware

    Lab work will utilise a range of installed software.

    Equipment and consumables required or provided

    Students studying off-campus are required to have the minimum system configuration specified by the Faculty as a condition of accepting admission, and regular Internet access. On-campus students, and those studying at supported study locations may use the facilities available in the computing labs. Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook. You will need to allocate up to 4 hours per week for use of a computer, including time for newsgroups/discussion groups.

    Study resources

    Study resources we will provide for your study are:

    • Assignment specifications
    • Lecture Notes
    • Tutorial and laboratory exercises
    • Discussion forums at the unit website
    • A sample examination paper.

    Library access

    The Monash University Library site contains details about borrowing rights and catalogue searching. To learn more about the library and the various resources available, please go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au.  Be sure to obtain a copy of the Library Guide, and if necessary, the instructions for remote access from the library website.

    Monash University Studies Online (MUSO)

    All unit and lecture materials are available through the MUSO (Monash University Studies Online) site. You can access this site by going to:

    1. a) http://muso.monash.edu.au or
    2. b) via the portal (http://my.monash.edu.au).

    Click on the My Units tab, then the Monash University Studies Online hyperlink

    In order for your MUSO unit(s) to function correctly, certain programs may need to be installed such as Java version 1.4.2. This can easily be done by going to http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/downloadables-student.html to update the relevant software.

    You can contact the MUSO helpdesk by: Phone: (+61 3) 9903-1268 or 9903-2764

    Operational hours (Monday - Thursday) - local time

    Australia: 8 am to 10 pm (8pm Non Teaching period)

    Malaysia: 6 am to 8 pm (6 pm Non Teaching period)

    South Africa: 11pm to 1pm (11 am Non Teaching period)

    Operational hours (Friday) - local time

    Australia: 8 am to 8 pm

    Malaysia: 6 am to 6 pm

    South Africa: 11pm to 11 am

    Operational hours (Saturday-Sunday) - local time (Teaching and Exam Period Only)

    Australia: 1 pm to 5 pm

    Malaysia: 11 am to 3 pm

    South Africa: 4 am to 8 am

    Further information can be obtained from the MUSO support site: http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/index.html

    Assessment

    Unit assessment policy

    Assignment tasks

    • Assignment Task
      Title :
      Assignment 1
      Description :
      specific tasks and marking criteria will be distributed at the appropriate time during the semester
      Weighting :
      15%
      Criteria for assessment :
      Due date :
      Week 6
    • Assignment Task
      Title :
      Assignment 2
      Description :
      Weighting :
      20%
      Criteria for assessment :
      specific tasks and marking criteria will be distributed at the appropriate time during the semester
      Due date :
      Week 11
    • Assignment Task
      Title :
      Tutorial Assignment
      Description :
      specific tasks and marking criteria will be distributed at the appropriate time during the semester
      Weighting :
      15%
      Criteria for assessment :
      Due date :
      Weeks 3-12

    Examinations

    • Examination
      Weighting :
      50%
      Length :
      3 hours
      Type ( open/closed book ) :
      closed book

    Assignment submission

    Assignments will be submitted by hand to tutor's pigeonhole. On-campus Students Submit the assignment to the tutor's pigeonholeby the submission date, with the appropriate cover sheet correctly filled out and attached The due date is the date by which the submission must be received.

    Assignment coversheets

    Are accessible from the unit website on MUSO.

    University and Faculty policy on assessment

    Due dates and extensions

    The due dates for the submission of assignments are given in the previous section. Please make every effort to submit work by the due dates. It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. Students are advised to NOT assume that granting of an extension is a matter of course.

    Requests for extensions must be made to the unit leader at least 2 days before the due date.

    Late assignment

    Late assignments submitted without an approved extension may be accepted at the discretion of your lecturer, but will be penalised at the rate of 5% of total assignment marks per day (including weekends). Example:

    Total marks available for the assignment = 100 marks

    Marks received for the assignment = 70 marks

    Marks deducted for 2 days late submission (10% of 100) = 10 marks

    Final mark received for assignment = 60 marks

    Return dates

    Students can expect assignments to be returned within two weeks of the submission date or after receipt, whichever is later.

    Assessment for the unit as a whole is in accordance with the provisions of the Monash University Education Policy at: http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/unisec/academicpolicies/policy/assessment.html

    We will aim to have assignment results made available to you within two weeks after assignment receipt.

    Plagiarism, cheating and collusion

    Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating  has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with Student Rights and Responsibilities (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/about/committees-groups/facboard/policies/studrights.html) and the Faculty regulations that apply to students detected cheating as these will be applied in all detected cases.

    In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work. 

    When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer. 

    Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.

    Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.

    Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.

    Register of counselling about plagiarism

    The university requires faculties to keep a simple and confidential register to record counselling to students about plagiarism (e.g. warnings). The register is accessible to Associate Deans Teaching (or nominees) and, where requested, students concerned have access to their own details in the register. The register is to serve as a record of counselling about the nature of plagiarism, not as a record of allegations; and no provision of appeals in relation to the register is necessary or applicable.

    Non-discriminatory language

    The Faculty of Information Technology is committed to the use of non-discriminatory language in all forms of communication. Discriminatory language is that which refers in abusive terms to gender, race, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or nationality, ethnic or language background, physical or mental ability, or political or religious views, or which stereotypes groups in an adverse manner. This is not meant to preclude or inhibit legitimate academic debate on any issue; however, the language used in such debate should be non-discriminatory and sensitive to these matters. It is important to avoid the use of discriminatory language in your communications and written work. The most common form of discriminatory language in academic work tends to be in the area of gender inclusiveness. You are, therefore, requested to check for this and to ensure your work and communications are non-discriminatory in all respects.

    Students with disabilities

    Students with disabilities that may disadvantage them in assessment should seek advice from one of the following before completing assessment tasks and examinations:

    Deferred assessment and special consideration

    Deferred assessment (not to be confused with an extension for submission of an assignment) may be granted in cases of extenuating personal circumstances such as serious personal illness or bereavement. Special consideration in the awarding of grades is also possible in some circumstances. Information and forms for Special Consideration and deferred assessment applications are available at http://www.monash.edu.au/exams/special-consideration.html. Contact the Faculty's Student Services staff at your campus for further information and advice.