FIT1003 IT in organisations - Semester 1, 2011 (Information Technology)

The unit will provide students with an introduction and broad overview of the application of IT to the management of information in organisations, and the role of the IT professional in developing and implementing IT-based solutions to information problems. The discussion of the organisational framework for IT and IT professional practice will be set within its broader social context. The opportunities, problems and risks associated with IT will be examined, together with their implications for the rights and responsibilities of IT professionals.

Mode of Delivery

South Africa (Day)

Contact Hours

2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hrs tutorials/wk

Workload

Workload commitments are:

two-hour lecture and
two-hour tutorial (requiring advance preparation)
a minimum of 2-3 hours of personal study per one hour of contact time in order to satisfy the reading and assignment expectations.
You will need to allocate up to 5 hours per week in some weeks, for use of a computer, including time for newsgroups/discussion groups.

Unit Relationships

Prohibitions

CSE1204, ELC1000, IMS1704, BUS1021, CPE1006

Chief Examiner

Abraham Van Der Vyver

Campus Lecturer

South Africa

Dr. Abraham van der Vyver

Tutors

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this unit students will have -
A theoretical and conceptual understanding of:

basic concepts of information, including organisational and social issues relating to the ownership and control of information;
basic concepts of information systems, including their role and importance in organisations and society;
basic concepts of organisations, including organisational structures, the roles of individuals and groups in organisations, the role of communication in achieving organisational objectives, and the nature of communication in organisations;
basic concepts of IT as it is used in organisations and society, including the evolution of the role of IT in organisations and society;
information technologies and information technology infrastructures employed by organisations;
the business and information management processes and functions for which IT is used in organisations, and in which IT professionals are involved;
opportunities, risks and liabilities arising from the usage and application of IT in organisations;
processes of acquiring, developing and managing IT in organisations;
techniques and tools for describing and analysing information management processes in organisations;
the roles of IT workers in organisations and the range of ethical and professional rights and responsibilities associated with them; and
organisational and social issues arising from the use of IT in organisations, including privacy and civil liberties issues.

Developed attitudes that enable them to:

recognise the importance of information to organisational processes and functions;
recognise the opportunities and limitations of the role which IT can play in managing information in organisations; and
appreciate the importance of the IT practitioners role in organisations and society, and the responsibilities it entails.

The skills to:

document organisational information-related functions and processes;
assess the potential scope for using IT as part of the solution to an organisational information problem;
identify and discuss issues, problems and opportunities in using IT in organisations;
identify and discuss the organisational and social impacts of IT, and the ethical dimensions of IT-related decisions;
recognise the team skills necessary for successful development and implementation of IT solutions to information problems in organisations; and
appreciate the importance of the inter-relationships between IT professionals and the stakeholders in IT-based systems in organisations.

Graduate Attributes

Monash prepares its graduates to be:

responsible and effective global citizens who:

engage in an internationalised world
exhibit cross-cultural competence
demonstrate ethical values

critical and creative scholars who:

produce innovative solutions to problems
apply research skills to a range of challenges
communicate perceptively and effectively

Assessment Summary

Examination (3 hours): 60%; In-semester assessment: 40%

Assessment Task	Value	Due Date
Assignment 1: IT & IS in Organisations	15%	Week 7 - Monday, 11 April 2011
Assignment 2: Systems Development Report and Formal Client Presentation	20%	Week 10 - Monday, 9 May 2011
Assignment 3: Communication exercise	5%	Week 11 - Thursday, 19 May 2011
Examination 1	60%	To be advised

Teaching Approach

Lecture and tutorials or problem classes

This teaching and learning approach provides facilitated learning, practical exploration and peer learning.

Feedback

Our feedback to You

Types of feedback you can expect to receive in this unit are:

Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
Graded assignments with comments
Solutions to tutes, labs and assignments

Your feedback to Us

Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through SETU, Student Evaluation of Teacher and Unit. The University's student evaluation policy requires that every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.

For more information on Monash's educational strategy, and on student evaluations, see:
http://www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/directions.html
http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html

Previous Student Evaluations of this unit

If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp

Required Resources

Software required for this unit is freely available in computer labs

Unit Schedule

Week	Date*	Activities	Assessment
0	21/02/11		No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0
1	28/02/11	Introduction to Organisations
2	07/03/11	Information and Information Systems
3	14/03/11	Introduction to Business Processes
4	21/03/11	Information Technologies in the Organisation
5	28/03/11	Supporting Business Functions with IT
6	04/04/11	Developing Successful IT Systems - Part 1
7	11/04/11	Developing Successful IT Systems - Part 2	Assignment 1 due 11 April 2011
8	18/04/11	Communication Concepts
Mid semester break
9	02/05/11	Working in Teams
10	09/05/11	Communication in Organisations	Assignment 2 due 9 May 2011
11	16/05/11	Managing IT Security	Assignment 3 due 19 May 2011
12	23/05/11	Professional Issues
	30/05/11	SWOT VAC	No formal assessment is undertaken SWOT VAC

*Please note that these dates may only apply to Australian campuses of Monash University. Off-shore students need to check the dates with their unit leader.

Assessment Policy

To pass a unit which includes an examination as part of the assessment a student must obtain:

40% or more in the unit's examination, and
40% or more in the unit's total non-examination assessment, and
an overall unit mark of 50% or more.

If a student does not achieve 40% or more in the unit examination or the unit non-examination total assessment, and the total mark for the unit is greater than 50% then a mark of no greater than 49-N will be recorded for the unit

Assessment Tasks

Participation

Assessment task 1
Title:

Assignment 1: IT & IS in Organisations

Description:

The assignment is an individual assignment based on a case study of an organisation. You will present the assignment as a report.

Weighting:

15%

Criteria for assessment:
The criteria used to assess submissions are:
- correctness and understanding - there may be more than one "right" answer in many cases. We will look for answers that reflect understanding of the underlying principles and theories.
- completeness - that you have answered all parts of each question.
- presentation - that you have presented your answers in a suitably formatted report style.
- use of evidence and argument - you are able to explain your position by using logical argument drawing on the theory presented in the unit.
Due date:

Week 7 - Monday, 11 April 2011

Remarks:

The assignment will be made available on the FIT1003 site in Moodle with detailed submission instructions. The title and due date are subject to change.

Assessment task 2
Title:

Assignment 2: Systems Development Report and Formal Client Presentation

Description:
This assignment is a group assignment. It will require your team to report on your analysis of a business problem and present a proposed solution to a client using a range communication techniques. It will address objectives relating to:
- understanding typical business functions and strategies used by business organisations to achieve their purposes and appreciating the integral nature of information technology in the success of these business strategies;
- understanding some of the different development methods used to develop IT systems;
- explaining the key principles that underlie successful systems development;
- understanding the importance of communicating appropriately to different audiences.
Weighting:

20%

Criteria for assessment:
The criteria used to assess submissions are:
- correctness and understanding - there may be more than one "right" answer in many cases. We will look for answers that reflect understanding of the underlying principles and theories.
- completeness - that you have answered all parts of each question.
- use of evidence and argument - you are able to explain your position by using logical argument drawing on the theory presented in the unit.
- presentation of your report - both written and oral presented using the appropriate communication method. The oral presentation is a hurdle requirement and as such must be completed appropriately and will be assessed using the following:
  evidence of preparation
  conduct of presentation
  quality of visual aids
  presentation style
As a group assignment, assessment will include a peer group review in order to recognize the different contributions of group members.
Due date:

Week 10 - Monday, 9 May 2011

Remarks:

The assignment will be made available on the FIT1003 site in Moodle with detailed submission instructions. The title and due date are subject to change.

Assessment task 3
Title:

Assignment 3: Communication exercise

Description:

This is an individual assignment and will be a report using communication theories to describe and analyse the communication that occurred within the assignment group.

Weighting:

5%

Criteria for assessment:
- correctness and understanding - there may be more than one "right" answer in many cases. We will look for answers that reflect understanding of the underlying principles and theories.
- completeness - that you have answered all parts of each question. Use of evidence and argument - you are able to explain your position by using logical argument drawing on the theory presented in the unit.
Due date:

Week 11 - Thursday, 19 May 2011

Remarks:

The assignment will be made available on the FIT1003 site in Moodle with detailed submission instructions. The title and due date are subject to change.

Examinations

Examination 1

Weighting:

60%

Length:

3 hours

Type (open/closed book):

Closed book

Electronic devices allowed in the exam:

None

Policies

Monash has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University's academic standards, and to provide advice on how they might uphold them. You can find Monash's Education Policies at:
http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html

Key educational policies include:

Plagiarism (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/plagiarism-policy.html)
Assessment (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/assessment/assessment-in-coursework-policy.html)
Special Consideration (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/assessment/special-consideration-policy.html)
Grading Scale (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/assessment/grading-scale-policy.html)
Discipline: Student Policy (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/student-discipline-policy.html)
Academic Calendar and Semesters (http://www.monash.edu.au/students/key-dates/);
Orientation and Transition (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/orientation/); and
Academic and Administrative Complaints and Grievances Policy (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/management/complaints-grievance-policy.html)

Student services

The University provides many different kinds of support services for you. Contact your tutor if you need advice and see the range of services available at www.monash.edu.au/students The Monash University Library provides a range of services and resources that enable you to save time and be more effective in your learning and research. Go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au or the library tab in my.monash portal for more information. Students who have a disability or medical condition are welcome to contact the Disability Liaison Unit to discuss academic support services. Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs) visit all Victorian campuses on a regular basis

Website: http://adm.monash.edu/sss/equity-diversity/disability-liaison/index.html;
Telephone: 03 9905 5704 to book an appointment with a DLO;
Email: dlu@monash.edu
Drop In: Equity and Diversity Centre, Level 1 Gallery Building (Building 55), Monash University, Clayton Campus.

READING LIST

Curtis, G. and Codham, D. (2005) Business Information Systems Prentice-Hall

Dwyer, J. (2005) Communication in Business: Strategies and Skills 3rd edition, Perason Education, Australia.

Eunson, B. (2005), Communicating in the 21st Century, John Wiley & Sons, Australia

FIT1003 IT in organisations - Semester 1, 2011