Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Leaders in the field of IT continually develop skills that enable them to critically appreciate the latest innovations in their field. They develop and refine the ability to learn from the past, identify emerging trends, make connections between diverse situations, see gaps in the market place, communicate with peers, and synthesise what they have learnt to reach their own goals. As a postgraduate student, it is essential that you develop these professional skills in order to effectively take your place as an emerging expert in your chosen specialist area.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to broaden your understanding of potential research topics and methods and support you in developing essential skills that enable clarity and focus in investigating IT research; rigour in evaluating claims and accuracy in your understanding of domain problems, related theories and methodologies appropriate to your specialist area.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit you should be able to demonstrate the ability to:
1. Successfully locate and critically evaluate key research literature related to your learning focus and identify emerging trends, social and ethical issues and gaps in knowledge
2. Communicate your research and results at an advanced written and verbal level and present these findings at a variety of forums
3. Debate key issues, ethical dilemmas, emerging trends and gaps in knowledge in the field of your interest and defend your findings before your peers and supervisors

Content

Your supervisor will provide guided instruction to allow you to productively pursue your learning focus by directing you to seminal authors, discussing with you emerging research topics and relevant research methods used in your focus area and giving you the opportunity to present and debate with your peers.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

You will evaluate your current expertise and research interests in order to clarify a learning focus for this unit. Your supervisor will meet with you regularly, either individually or in a small group environment to assist and direct you towards effective learning throughout the semester. You will be expected to present interim and final literature results in a seminar setting.

PLEASE NOTE

It is your responsibility to ensure that a staff member is willing to be your supervisor before enrolling in this unit.

Enrolment Advice
Students are not allowed to enrol in the same unit code twice in one degree. There are multiple Advanced Reading units with the same credit point value to allow students to do a second or even third project as part of their degree. If you have completed INN600 previously, you should enrol in INN601, if you have completed both INN600 and INN601, you should enrol in INN602.

Assessment

Your supervisor will discuss with you the most appropriate strategies and milestones to be achieved throughout the semester based on your identified learning focus. This will be in the form of a mutually acceptable set of criteria and standards of expected achievement.

Once agreement on the directions and assessment criteria has been made between you and your supervisors a formal statement of expectations will be drawn up and agreed to by both parties.

The following assessment details are guidelines only. Your supervisor will confirm assessment details with you on commencement of the unit.You can obtain feedback on your progress throughout the unit through the following mechanisms:

• Your supervisor or supervision team are to give advice and assistance during regular meetings during the semester.

Assessment name: Presentation (Oral or Group)
Description: Oral presentation of the report and its defence
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 13

Assessment name: Report
Description: Final Report
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: External
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Exam period

Assessment name: Presentation (Oral or Group)
Description: Initial findings presentation
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3
Weight: 10%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 6

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

No extraordinary charges or costs are associated with the requirements for this unit.

No specific text is required, but a substantial set of readings will be given during the semester.

Risk assessment statement

There are no unusual health or safety risks associated with this unit.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 21-Sep-2012