FIT1028 Business Information Technology and Systems - Summer semester , 2008

Caulfield

• Dr Wojtek James Goscinski

Caulfield

• Tim Ho
• Eddie Leung
• Manoj Kathpalia

Prerequisites

Prerequisite Knowledge: Familiarity with basic computer operation, basic Microsoft Windows operation and basic Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox operation.

Relationships

This subject is intended for students in the Business and other non-computing Faculties. It gives students a basic introduction to computing technology, including hardware, application software, Windows operating systems, system development, e-commerce, databases, communications and other aspects of commercial computing including ethics and security.

Prerequisite Knowledge: Familiarity with basic computer operation, basic Microsoft Windows operation and basic Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox operation.

You may not study this unit and

BUS1010, COT1130, COT1720 (Translation Set), CSE1200, CSE1720 (Translation Set), IMS1000. This unit is prohibited to all students enrolled in any degree of the Faculty of Information Technology, including double degrees in which this Faculty is a partner.

Unit leader

Lecturer(s) :

Tutor(s) :

The Knowledge and Understanding objectives are addressed by formal lectures and tutorial exercises. The Skills and attitudes objectives are addressed by practical assignments. Tutorial exercises will be hands on and require a high level of participation with the tutor. These exercises are specifically designed for a short semester. This is to ensure that students are given sufficient time to work on assignments and gain feedback. For this reason, tutorial attendance is very important.

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	Key dates
1	Day 1 - Introduction
2	Day 2 - Introduction to Computer Hardware
3	Day 3 - Operating Systems
4	Day 4 - Application Software
5	Day 5 - Introduction to Systems Development
6	Day 6 - Data Management
7	Day 7 - Communications and Networks
8	Day 8 - The Internet & eBusiness
9	Day 9 - Decision Making
10	Day 10 - Project Management
11	Day 11 - Conclusions and Future
Mid semester break

Prescribed text(s) and readings

Parker, Charles S. Understanding Computers today and Tomorrow - 2000 Edition. Dryden Press.

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

Parker, Charles S. Understanding Computers today and Tomorrow - 2000 Edition. Dryden Press.

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 n 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:

Study resources we will provide for your study are:

* Weekly detailed lecture notes outlining the learning objectives, discussion of the content, required readings and exercises;
* Weekly tutorial or laboratory tasks and exercises with sample solutions provided one to two weeks later;
* Assignment specifications ;
* This Unit Guide outlining the administrative information for the unit;
* The unit web site on MUSO, where resources outlined above will be made available.

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.

The Educational Library and Media Resources (LMR) is also a very resourceful place to visit at http://www.education.monash.edu.au/library/

Monash University Studies Online (MUSO)

• All unit and lecture materials are available through the MUSO (Monash
  University Studies Online) site. You can access MUSO via the Monash.Portal:
  http://my.monash.edu.au

Under “Online Systems” click the MUSO hyperlink

In order for your MUSO unit(s) to function correctly, your computer needs to be set up and certain programs may need to be installed such as a compatible Java version (eg version 1.5.0). This can easily be done by going to http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/browserset.html to update the relevant software.

You can contact MUSO Support by:

Jobdesk: http://jobdesk.monash.edu.au/login/index.cfm?jobdesk_id=14
Email: muso.support@calt.monash.edu.au
Phone: (+61 3) 9903-1268

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: 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 following site http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/index.html

Unit assessment policy

To pass FIT1028 a student must obtain:

• 50% or more in the unit's examination, and
• 50% or more in the unit's assignments, and
• 50% or more in the unit's total non-examinaton 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 44% then a mark of 44-N will be recorded for the unit.

Assignment tasks

• Assignment Task

  Title : Assignment 1 - Information, Technology and Next Generation Business

  Description :

  The Internet is the communication, publication, entertainment and business medium of the Information age. This new environment has been made possible through a range of new technologies. It is characterised by the value of data and information - many online business deal exclusively with data and information as products and services. This assignment will require you to identify and research a successful Internet-based business. In particular, you are to focus on the importance of technology and information within the organisation.

  Weighting : 15%

  Criteria for assessment :

  Will be discussed in lectures and tutorials.

  Due date : 28/12/2008

  Remarks ( optional - leave blank for none ) :

  Submission will be directly to Damocles, a plagiarism detection system which is very effective in discovering and proving plagiarism and collusion.

• Assignment Task

  Title : Assignment 2 - Developing and Information System

  Description :

  This assignment will require students to develop an information system using Microsoft Excel. Part 1 will require students to develop a spreadsheet for quality control in an electronic parts production system. Part 2 of the assignment will require students to select their own data and transform it into summarised, tabular and graphical information

  Weighting : 15%

  Criteria for assessment :

  Will be discussed in the lecture and tutorials.

  Due date : 5/12/2008

• Assignment Task

  Title : Assignment 2 - Developing an Data Management and Information System

  Description :

  This assignment is based on the development of a small database which will contain data related to a Motel Bed and Breakfast business.

  Weighting : 20%

  Criteria for assessment :

  Will be discussed in the lecture and tutorials.

  Due date : 12/12/2008

Examinations

• Examination 1

  Weighting : 50%

  Length : 2 hours

  Type ( open/closed book ) : Closed book

  
  

Assignment submission

Assignment submission will be made available with the assignment specification. 

Assignment coversheets

Students will submit their assignments electronically online via MUSO/blackboard or Damocles. They will have to fill out an electronic coversheet on those systems.

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 lecturer at your campus 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.

Late assignment

Assignments received after the due date will be subject to a penalty of 1 grade 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/

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:

• Faculty of Information Technology Student Service staff, and / or
• your Unit Coordinator, or
• Disabilities Liaison Unit

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.