Virtual teams are becoming prevalent in global companies and groupware has made it possible for these virtual teams to communicate, coordinate and collaborate with their team members. This unit will survey various types of groupware and explore the psychological, social and organisational issues in the development and implementation of groupware through case studies. Students will also gain hands-on experience in using and developing groupware applications.
Objectives
At the completion of this unit, students will have:
Knowledge of: the various groupware systems that have been developed to support virtual teams.
Understanding of: the psychological, social and organizational issues in the development and deployment of groupware
Skills to: use and develop Notes applications.
Prerequisites
Before attempting this unit you must have satisfactorily completed FIT9004 or BUS9520 or equivalent.
Unit relationships
BUS5720 is an elective unit in the Master of Business Systems and the Master of Business Systems Professional. Before attempting this unit you must have satisfactorily completed FIT9004 or BUS9520 or equivalent.
Texts and software
Required text(s)
FIT2037/BUS3720/BUS5720 Virtual Collaboration and Groupware Prescribed Readings
Textbook availability
Monash Bookshop
Software requirements
Lotus Notes 6.5 and Lotus Domino Designer 6.5
Hardware requirements
On-campus students 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.
Recommended reading
Recommended Text: Riggsby, M. ... [et al.] (2003), Mastering Lotus Notes and Domino 6, Sybex, San Francisco, Calif.
You may need to access the Monash library either personally to be able to satisfactorily complete the subject. Be sure to obtain a copy of the Library Guide, and if necessary, the instructions for remote access from the library website.
Study resources
Study resources for BUS5720 are:
available at the FIT2037/BUS3720/BUS5720 web site on MUSO where lecture slides, tutorials, assignment specifications will be posted.
Collaborative virtual environments/Notes agents & integrating Notes with other applications
12
Mobile groupware/Notes templates & security
13
Revision
Timetable
The timetable for on-campus classes for this unit can be viewed in Allocate+
Assessment
Assessment weighting
MUSO self-tests -Not graded
Group presentation - 5%
Written assignment - 5%
Lotus Notes application - 25%
Closed book examination (2 hours) - 70%
Assessment Policy
To pass this unit you must:
pass the examination.
Your score for the unit will be calculated by:
If a student fails the exam, his/her final mark will be the exam mark (ie 100% weightage for the exam).
Assessment Requirements
Assessment
Due Date
Weighting
Group
As assigned
5%
Written assignment
Week 6
5 %
Lotus Notes application
Week 12
20 %
Examination (2 hours)
Exam period (S2/06) starts on 23/10/06
70 %
Assignment specifications will be made available on the MUSO unit website.
Assignment Submission
Assignments with the cover sheet attached will be submitted by electronic submission to MUSO.
Extensions and late submissions
Late submission of assignments
Late assignment will be accepted using the following sliding scale:
No of Days Late - Percentage of Grade
1 - 80%
2 - 60%
3 - 40%
4 - 20%
5 - 0%
This policy is strict because comments or guidance will be given on assignments as they are returned, and sample solutions may also be published and distributed, after assignment marking or with the returned assignment.
Extensions
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.
Requests for extensions must be made by email to the unit lecturer at least two days 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. A copy of the email or other written communication of an extension must be attached to the assignment submission.
Grading of assessment
Assignments, and the unit, will be marked and allocated a grade according to the following scale:
Grade
Percentage/description
HD High Distinction -
very high levels of achievement, demonstrated knowledge and understanding, skills in application and high standards of work encompassing all aspects of the tasks.
In the 80+% range of marks for the assignment.
D Distinction -
high levels of achievement, but not of the same standards. May have a weakness in one particular aspect, or overall standards may not be quite as high.
In the 70-79% range.
C Credit -
sound pass displaying good knowledge or application skills, but some weaknesses in the quality, range or demonstration of understanding.
In the 60-69% range.
P Pass
acceptable standard, showing an adequate basic knowledge, understanding or skills, but with definite limitations on the extent of such understanding or application. Some parts may be incomplete.
In the 50-59% range.
N Not satisfactory
failure to meet the basic requirements of the assessment.
Below 50%.
Assignment return
We will aim to have assignment results made available to you within two weeks after assignment receipt.
Feedback
Feedback to you
You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This feedback may be provided through your participation in tutorials and class discussions, as well as through your assignment submissions. It may come in the form of individual advice, marks and comments, or it may be provided as comment or reflection targeted at the group. It may be provided through personal interactions, such as interviews and on-line forums, or through other mechanisms such as on-line self-tests and publication of grade distributions.
Feedback from you
You will be asked to provide feedback to the Faculty through a Unit Evaluation survey at the end of the semester. You may also be asked to complete surveys to help teaching staff improve the unit and unit delivery. Your input to such surveys is very important to the faculty and the teaching staff in maintaining relevant and high quality learning experiences for our students.
And if you are having problems
It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem with your study. The semester is 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.
Plagiarism and cheating
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 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.
Communication
Communication methods
You can access your Notes mail and the Groupware Discussion Database via the Internet.
Dissemination of unit information will be via Notes mail. Please read your Notes mail regularly.
Failure to read your Notes mail is not regarded as grounds for special consideration.
Consultation Times
Posted in MUSO.
If direct communication with your unit adviser/lecturer or tutor outside of consultation periods is needed you may contact the lecturer and/or tutors at:
Dr Ai Cheo Yeo Director Postgraduate Phone +61 3 990 59559 Fax +61 3 990 52315
Ms Dewi Tojib PhD Student, and Postgraduate Student Phone +61 3 990 55363
All email communication to you from your lecturer will occur through your Monash student email address. Please ensure that you read it regularly, or forward your email to your main address. Also check that your contact information registered with the University is up to date in My.Monash.
