FIT3015 Industrial experience project - Semester 2 , 2008
Unit leader :
Helana Scheepers
Lecturer(s) :
Caulfield
-
Helana Scheepers
-
Janet Fraser
-
Peter O'Donnell
Tutors(s) :
Caulfield
-
David Grant
-
Dora Constantinidis
-
Jacob Zhivov
Introduction
Welcome to FIT3015 Industrial experience project for Semester 2, 2008. This 12 point unit is designed to give students an opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills that they have gained thus far to a real world project. Students are required to work in projects with a real client to analyse, design and develop a system for a client.
Unit synopsis
In their final year of study, students are given the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they have gained, in the development of an information system for a real world client. Students work in groups and will: design, develop and deliver an information system for a client manage the project through all its development stages communicate effectively with all project stakeholders, primarily via studios and meetings develop project documentation to a professional standard present their project work to academics and other groups attend unit seminars contribute in a professional and committed manner to the work of the group
Learning outcomes
Students will have knowledge of - The environment in which a client operates
- Eliciting information from a client
- A Project management process to measure and control development of a system
- The scope and size of a system
- The processes involved in the design, development and delivery of an information system
- The effective management of clients, groups and individuals within groups
- The roles and responsibilities of all project stakeholders
Attitudes, Values and Beliefs - Students will exhibit a professional attitude to the production and delivery of their work as an individual and as a member of a group.
- Students will appreciate the importance of involvement and commitment in group work, and its fundamental contribution to the systems process.
- Students will appreciate the need for professional behaviour in their dealings with a real world client.
Students will exhibit skills in - Presentation
- Project management
- Interacting with clients
- Group integration
- Designing, developing and delivering on time, a computer system that meets agreed specifications.
- Evaluating, then using the most appropriate tools and techniques
Relationships, Communication and TeamWork - Students will learn how to establish and maintain effective communication between group members, and between the group and their client
- Students will respect the input and contribution of all project stakeholders
- The roles and responsibilities of all group members will be agreed and understood
- Effective conflict resolution will be employed as part of group management
- Students will appreciate that the final outcome of the group's work relies on the integrated and committed behaviour of all group members
Workload
Your workload commitment to this unit are: - 2 three hour tutorials
- 1 hour seminar
- 1 hour personal reflection which include: writing a blog about the weeks activities, keeping records of time spent on this unit and generally reflecting on what you have learned.
- approximately 16 hours of additional work which may include the following: developing code, doing research about different aspects of systems development, development of documentation
Unit relationships
Prerequisites
Before attempting this unit you must have satisfactorily completed FIT Undergraduate Common Core Units (FIT1001 + FIT1002 + FIT1003 + FIT1004 + FIT1005 + FIT2001 + FIT2002) and any 3 FIT 2nd year units.
Relationships
You may not study this unit and CSE3301, GCO2819, GCO3819, FIT3039, FIT3040, FIT3038, FIT3025, FIT3026, FIT3016, FIT3017, FIT3047, FIT3048, IMS3501, IMS3052 or IMS3000 or IMS3000H 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
Teaching and learning method
In this unit we try to simulate a real systems development experience. Groups of students work as a team with support from tutors and academic staff to develop a system for a real client. The seminars are developed to address specific issues during system development and we also include speakers from industry. The studio sessions are there for students to work on their project and to receive help from tutors and academic staff.
Tutorial allocation
On-campus students should register for tutorials/laboratories using Allocate+.
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
Week |
Topic |
References/Readings |
Key dates |
1 |
Here we go again... |
Jacob Zhivov and David Grant |
|
2 |
Blogging in Industry |
Frank Farrell |
Project interpretation, standards and Governance Due |
3 |
Writing professional résumé’s |
Careers |
Business Case and Risk report due |
4 |
Cover letters and responding to selection criteria |
Careers |
|
5 |
Interviews |
Careers |
Functional requirements specification due |
6 |
Career plans, further study, identify skills and abilities |
Careers |
|
7 |
Making the transition from student to professional |
Peter O'Donnell |
Design specification due |
8 |
Closing up the project |
Jakob Zhivov and David Grant |
Test plan due |
9 |
Industry Speaker |
TBA |
|
10 |
Industry Speaker |
TBA |
|
11 |
Industry Speaker |
TBA |
|
Mid semester break |
12 |
Industry Speaker |
TBA |
Project documentation (test documents, user documents) due |
13 |
Finally the end |
Jacob Zhivov + Dave Grant |
Presentation of final system and working system due |
Unit Resources
Prescribed text(s) and readings
There are no set texts, however students are expected to have developed their own collection of texts, urls and other reference materials during the course of their studies. Resources related to the seminar series will be distributed during the seminar or listed on the unit web site.
Recommended text(s) and readings
There are no recommended texts, however students are expected to have developed their own collection of texts, urls and other reference materials during the course of their studies.
Required software and/or hardware
The studio environment provides a large array of software and hardware for students to use within the studios, and some items are available for overnight loan. Please see the unit web site for up-to-date listing. Anything additional is to be negotiated between the student team and their clients. FIT will not normally provide additional hardware or software.
Equipment and consumables required or provided
Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook. The Studio environment is well equipped with computers and peripherals. Studio computer peripherals (cameras, scanners, laptops, zip drives etc.) are available for student use. This equipment is accessible via the FIT loan system - ask the Caulfield FIT technical staff for more information, or log a request via their web site: http://www1.infotech.monash.edu.au/webservices/servicedesk/requestform/index.cfm
Study resources
Study resources we will provide for your study are:
- Moodle Website (this web site contains information for FIT3015, FIT3047 and FIT3048)
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 MUSO (Monash University Studies Online). Blackboard is the primary application used to deliver your unit resources. Some units will be piloted in Moodle. If your unit is piloted in Moodle, you will see a link from your Blackboard unit to Moodle (http://moodle.monash.edu.au) and can bookmark this link to access directly. In Moodle, from the Faculty of Information Technology category, click on the link for your unit.
You can access MUSO and Blackboard via the portal: http://my.monash.edu.au
Click on the Study and enrolment tab, then Blackboard under the MUSO learning systems.
In order for your Blackboard unit(s) to function correctly, your computer needs to be correctly configured.
For example:
- Blackboard supported browser
- Supported Java runtime environment
For more information, please visit: http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/downloadables-student.html
You can contact the MUSO Support by: Phone: (+61 3) 9903 1268
For further contact information including operational hours, please visit: http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/contact.html
Further information can be obtained from the MUSO support site: http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/index.html
Assessment
Unit assessment policy
The unit contain a number of deliverables as outlined below. To pass the unit you must gain at least 50% of the total marks for the unit. Your mark will be assessed and then adjusted according to the weekly reflections and peer assessment.
Assignment tasks
-
Assignment Task
Title :
Project interpretation, Standards and Governance
Description :
Weighting :
5%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date :
Week 2/3
-
Assignment Task
Title :
Business Case
Description :
Weighting :
5%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date :
Week 3/4
-
Assignment Task
Title :
Risk Report
Description :
Weighting :
5%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date :
Week 3/4
-
Assignment Task
Title :
Functional requirements Specification
Description :
Weighting :
15%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date :
Week 5
-
Assignment Task
Title :
Design Specification
Description :
Weighting :
15%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date :
Week 7
-
Assignment Task
Title :
Test Plan
Description :
Weighting :
5%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date :
Week 8
-
Assignment Task
Title :
Project documentation (Test documents, user documentation)
Description :
Weighting :
15%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date :
Week 12
-
Assignment Task
Title :
Presentation of the Final system
Description :
Weighting :
10%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date :
Week 13
-
Assignment Task
Title :
Working system
Description :
Weighting :
15%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date :
Week 13
-
Assignment Task
Title :
Group Project implementation review
Description :
Weighting :
10%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date :
Week 13/14
-
Assignment Task
Title :
Weekly reflections (blog)
Description :
A reflection on a weekly basis of what you have learned and experienced
during the week. You are required to do 10 per semester + 1 at end of
semester. These blogs will be used to evaluate your personal
contribution to the project and might affect your mark up to 20%.
Weighting :
Personal contribution evaluation can affect your mark up or down with 20%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date :
Weekly and 1 at the end of semester
-
Assignment Task
Title :
Peer Assessment
Description :
The peer assessment will be done at the end of each deliverable (assignment). This asessment will affect your mark up or down.
Weighting :
Personal contribution evaluation can affect your mark up or down with 20%
Criteria for assessment :
Due date :
Assignment submission
Assignments (on paper) will be submitted to the Studio Tutor, with the appropriate cover sheet correctly filled out, signed and attached.
Assignment coversheets
The assignment coversheet is available via the "Student assignment coversheets" ( http://infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/assignments/ ) page on the faculty website
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 extentions must be made to the tutor before the due date. You will be asked to forward original medical certificates in cases of illness, and may be asked to provide other forms of documentation where necessary.
Late assignment
Assignments received after the due date will be subject to a penalty of 10% per day, assignments received later than one week after the due date will not normally be accepted.
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.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/assessment/
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. 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.
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