VICTORIA UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF BUSINESS & LAW
VICTORIA GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
(Incorporated within the School of Information Systems)
YEAR 2015
TRIMESTER One
UNIT TITLE THE INFORMATION SYSTEMS PROFESSIONAL
UNIT CODE BCO6672
PRE-REQUISITES NIL
CREDIT POINTS
MODE OF DELIVERY On-campus
UNIT COORDINATOR Dr Scott Bingley
Scott.Bingley@vu.edu.au
TUTOR Dr Stephen Burgess
Stephen.Burgess@vu.edu.au
DESCRIPTOR
This subject aims to provide students with an overview of the requirements and skills for responsible and ethical membership of the Information Technology profession, as well as opportunities to develop and apply information systems, communications and management skills and competencies within a variety of professional practice scenarios.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Be aware of the ethical issues facing Information Technology Professionals.
2. Present and write authoritatively about the ethical issues facing Information Technology Professionals.
3. Participate in debates and see both sides of the argument regarding ethical issues facing Information Technology Professionals.
4. Be able to participate in and conduct negotiations and mediations.
UNIT CONTENT
Censorship of the Internet
Crowdsourcing, E Government and E Democracy
Copyright and Intellectual Property
Cybercrime and Cyber bullying
Dynamics of organisational systems
Ethics, communication and group dynamics
Globalisation and the Digital Divide
Information Overload and Information Security
Leadership and motivation in organisational life
Negotiation and Mediation Theory
Online Dispute Resolution
Organisational communication
Organisational power and politics
Outsourcing
Privacy Principles and Issues and Workplace Surveillance
The Information Technology Scene
LEARNING IN THE WORK PLACE
100% of the assessment in this Unit of Study will relate to learning in the workplace. Learning in the workplace activities that will be included in this Unit of Study are:
1. Participating in group activities;
2. Presenting the results of group research; 3. Engaging in debates;
4. Conducting mediations and negotiations.
TEACHING & LEARNING STRATEGIES
This Unit of Study will be delivered as 3 hour seminar each week.. It is expected that you will spend at least ten hours per week studying this Unit of Study (including class time). This time should be made up of reading, research, working on exercises and group work. In periods where you need to complete assignments or prepare for tests, the workload may be greater.
GRADUATE CAPABILITIES
Victoria University’s Graduate Capabilities are generic skills that all students should possess at graduation. These skills are in addition to the specific knowledge and skills associated with the discipline area of students’ degrees. Graduate Capabilities are divided into five levels (for undergraduates) and will be achieved progressively with increasing levels of sophistication. A full description of the Graduate Capabilities can be found in the VU Graduate Capabilities policy.
Graduate Capability Level T & L Activity and Assessment
GA1: Problem solve in a range of settings 3 All T&L Activities. Assessment: Debate + counterargument; 30%
GA2: Locate, critically evaluate, manage and use written, numerical and electronic information 3 All T&L Activities:
Assessment: lecture Topic presentation + essay 35%
GA3: Communicate in a
variety of contexts and modes 3 Communicate effectively both orally and in the written form.
Assessment: All assessments:
100%
GA4: Work both autonomously and collaboratively 3 All T&L Activities;
All Assessments: 100%
GA5: Work in an environmentally, socially and culturally responsible manner 3 Understand the issues and requirements of ethical compliance as an information
professional
Assessment: Debate+ counterargument + essay + presentation; 65%
GA6: Manage learning and career development opportunities.
3 Prepare, present and report on IT outsourcing negotiation.: 35%
GRADE SETS
There are five grade sets, namely fail (N: 0-49%), pass (P: 50-59%), credit (C: 60-69%), distinction (D: 7079%), and high distinction (HD: 80-100%).
ASSESSMENT
The assessment scheme has 6 components as listed below:
Assessment Weight Learning Outcome0 Format1 LiWC2 Graduate
Capabilities3 ePortfolio4 Due Date
1. Presentation 15% 1, 2 Group Presentation Project (VU); GA1, GA2, GA4 n/a In class Week 5
2. Essay 20% 1, 2 5,000 word group
written report Project (VU); GA1, GA2, GA4 n/a In class Week 8
3. Debate 15% 1, 2, 3 In class debate Reflection GA1, GA2, GA4 n/a In class Week 9
4. Counterargument 15% 3 500 word individual written report Reflection GA1, GA2, GA4 n/a In class Week 10
5. Mediation 15% 1, 4 In class mediation Simulated environment G1, G4, G5 n/a In class Week 12
6. Mediation Report 20% 4 500 word individual written report Simulated environment G1, G4, G5 n/a Week 13
A summary of assessment tasks follows. Please go to Blackboard for:
1. Full assessment/assignment details;
2. Criterion referenced assessment guide for each assignment as required; and
3. Assignment Declaration cover sheet, with Assessment Criteria completed and a separate cover sheet loaded for each assignment.
ASSESSMENT TASKS
Assessment 1 – Presentation on Ethical Issues in Information Technology (15%)
Teams of three will be formed in week 1 of semester and a topic will be assigned to each team. Each team will give a 15 minute group presentation in class, on the given topic. Groups will be assessed on both the quality of the presentation and the content. Groups will need to distribute a copy of their overheads to all students.
Assessment 2 – Literature Survey on Ethical Issues in Information Technology (20%)
The same team that prepared the presentation in Assessment Task 1 will prepare a detailed group essay of 5,000 words. The essay will include an abstract, keywords and references from peer reviewed journals.
Assessment 3 – Debate (15%)
Teams will be formed in week 5 (these will be different from the literature survey and presentation teams) and a topic will be assigned to each team and which side of the argument the team is to speak to.
The team should prepare their case and organise the order in which they are going to speak. The team members will each speak for 5 minutes, alternating with their opponents. The first speaker for the proposition will define the question and introduce the argument, the first speaker for the opposition will introduce their case, the second speakers will sustain and or refute the arguments, the final speakers for both sides will summarise their team's arguments and any rebuttals and close their case.
When the case is closed there will be up to five minutes of questions from the floor addressed to any team member to which you will briefly respond. Timing will be strict and you must stop speaking when your time has elapsed otherwise a penalty will be imposed.
Each member of the team may not receive the same grade for the debate (however not necessarily the same grade as their opposing team).
Assessment 4 – Counterargument from debate (15%)
Following the debate, each participant will individually submit in hardcopy a counterargument of 500 words. This counterargument will demonstrate the strength of their opponent’s argument and the weakness of their argument. The goal of this exercise is for students to understand both sides of an issue.
Assessment 5 – Mediation (15%)
In week 8 students will be introduced to negotiation theory and be involved in simulated negotiations.
In week 8 students will be provided with information sheets for mediation about an IT negotiation in which they will be involved in week 12. They will also be told whether they will be acting as a mediator or one of the two parties in the dispute.
In week 12, each student will perform in their role allocated in week 10. They will be graded according to their participation in the mediation. The grading will lead to a group result
Assessment 6 – Mediation Report (20%)
By week 13, each student will be required to write an individual 500 word discussion of their mediation.
RECOMMENDED READING
Chandar, S. and Zeleznikow, J. 2009. Risks To Consider When Negotiating IT Outsourcing Agreements. Proceedings of GDN2009, the 10th annual meeting INFORMS section on Group Decision and Negotiation, Toronto, Ontario, June 14-17. http://info.wlu.ca/~wwwmath/faculty/kilgour/gdn/papers.htm last accessed August 26 2009, 20 pages. - for weeks 5, 10, 11, 12.
Lodder, A. and Zeleznikow, J. 2010. Enhanced Dispute Resolution through the use of Information Technology. In press, Cambridge University Press.- for weeks 10, 11, 12.
McDermid, D. 2008. Ethics In ICT: An Australian perspective, Pearson – a useful overview of the total course.
Willard, N. 2007.. Cyberbullying Legislation and School Policies. Where are the boundaries of the “Schoolhouse Gate” in the New Virtual World. Center for Safe and Responsible Use of the Internet, www.csriu.org. Viewed 8th of June 2009 – for week 4
LECTURE SCHEDULE
Week Topic Student Interaction Assignment Due
Week 1 Introduction, The Information Technology
Scene Groups formed for Assessment 1 & 2
Week 2 Ethics, communication and group dynamics
Week 3 Digital Divide
Week 4 Cybercrime
Week 5 Presentations (Assessment 1) Groups formed for Assessment 3 Assessment 1
Week 6 Censorship of the Internet
Week 7 Outsourcing and Crowdsourcing
Week 8 E Government and E democracy Assessment 2
Week 9 Negotiation and Mediation Theory Students provided with information sheet for
Negation Assessment 3
Week 10 Online Dispute Resolution . Assessment 4
Week 11 Subject Review Students provided with information sheet for
Mediation
Week 12 Mediation case study on IT Outsourcing (Assessment 5) Assessment 5
Week 13 Assessment 6
Lecture recordings*
Lectures may be recorded and made available on Blackboard. Recordings are supplementary and do not substitute for attending lectures in person. Sections of the lecture may not be recorded due to the nature of the activity, or recordings may fail due to technical difficulty. You should be aware that recording equipment in lecture theatres may be sensitive to audience discussions which, in some instances, will be recorded.
*Your lecturer will advise you whether recordings are available for this unit of study.
MIS STUDY GUIDE
See the MIS Handbook in Blackboard for additional important guidelines and help for all your Units of Study. This handbook includes the following topics:
WELCOME TO THE SCHOOL OF MIS
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS – VU STUDENT GUIDE 2012 & MIS HANDBOOK
STUDENT RESONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT
STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT
STUDENT LEARNING SUPPORT CENTRES
GUIDELINES FOR THE PRESENTATION OF WRITTEN WORK
REFERENCING
ENDNOTE WEB
ACADEMIC HONESTY AND PREVENTING PLAGIARISM
TURNITIN
SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN WORK
APPLICATIONS FOR EXTENSION
SPECIAL CONSIDERATION
SUPPLEMENTARY ASSESSMENT
STUDENT COMPLAINTS/GRIEVANCE POLICY
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
SCHOOL WEB SITE