Request Server from SC-10

Year

2021

Credit points

10

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit

Prerequisites

Nil

Incompatible

DATA200 Data and Information Management

Teaching organisation

4 hours per week for twelve weeks or equivalent.

Unit rationale, description and aim

In the information age we live in, data is recognised as a vital asset and managing data has become a critical and high demand skill for organisations. Databases have become an essential technology for the organisations to record, process and manipulate data and information efficiently, and preserving data quality and security. This unit will provide you with foundational knowledge and practical skills in database design and implementations. The unit further develops your skills in identifying and modelling organisational information requirements; developing using conceptual data models and verifying its structural characteristics with normalisation techniques; implementing and utilising a database using an advanced Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) and Structured Query Language (SQL) to manipulate data and generate information. In addition, the unit introduces database administration activities and ethical consideration in handling organisational data. This unit is designed in alignment with Microsoft’s curriculum and provides a pathway to the DP-900: Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals certification.

The primary aim of this unit is to provide students with knowledge and practical skills needed to design, implement and administer database solutions to address real-world needs of organisations while preserving data privacy and security to support the dignity of humans served by the organisation.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Describe the main components, functions, advantages and challenges of database management systems (GA5, GA8)

LO2 - Discuss security, professional, legal and ethical issues in managing organisational data for the dignity of the human person (GA1, GA5)

LO3 - Apply conceptual database design techniques including ER diagrams and normalisation to create a conceptual database design for a given case study (GA5, GA8)

LO4 - Apply SQL for creating database and manipulating data stored in databases and generating meaningful information (GA5, GA10)

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

Content

Topics will include:

  • Database concepts/foundations
  • The relational database model
  • Non-Relational databases
  • Entity-Relationship (ER) modelling
  • Normalisation of database tables
  • Structured Query Language (SQL)
  • Database security
  • Database administration
  • Distributed and highly available databases
  • Big data and scalable storage
  • Modern data warehouses for Data analytics and visualisation
  • Professional, legal and ethical issues in data management

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit is offered in different modes. These are: “Attendance” mode, “Blended” mode and “Online” mode. This unit is offered in three modes to cater for the learning needs and preferences of a range of participants and maximise effective participation for isolated and/or marginalised groups.

Attendance Mode

In a weekly attendance mode, students will require face-to-face attendance in specific physical location/s. Students will have face-to-face interactions with lecturer(s) to further their achievement of the learning outcomes. This unit is structured with required upfront preparation before workshops, most students report that they spend an average of one hour preparing before the workshop and one or more hours after the workshop practicing and revising what was covered. The online learning platforms used in this unit provide multiple forms of preparatory and practice opportunities for you to prepare and revise.

Blended Mode

In a blended mode, students will require face-to-face attendance in blocks of time determined by the School. Students will have face-to-face interactions with lecturer(s) to further their achievement of the learning outcomes. This unit is structured with required upfront preparation before workshops. The online learning platforms used in this unit provide multiple forms of preparatory and practice opportunities for you to prepare and revise.

Online Mode

This unit uses an active learning approach to support students in the exploration of the essential knowledge associated with working with technology. Students can explore the essential knowledge underpinning technological advances and develop knowledge in a series of online interactive lessons and modules. Students are given the opportunity to attend facilitated synchronous online seminar classes with other students and participate in the construction and synthesis of knowledge, while developing their knowledge of working with technology. Students are required to participate in a series of online interactive workshops which include activities, knowledge checks, discussion and interactive sessions. This approach allows flexibility for students and facilitates learning and participation for students with a preference for virtual learning.

Students should anticipate undertaking 150 hours of study for this unit, including class attendance, readings, online forum participation and assessment preparation.

Assessment strategy and rationale

To pass this unit, students are required to complete and submit three graded assessment tasks and achieve an aggregate mark of at least 50%. Marking will be in accordance with a rubric specifically developed to measure the level of achievement of the learning outcomes for each item of assessment. Students will also be awarded a final grade which signifies their overall achievement in the unit.

The assessment strategy for this unit is based on the need to determine authentic student achievement of the learning outcomes. The first assessment provides students with an opportunity to apply database design and QSL through hands-on lab exercises. In assessment task 2, students will design a database for a given case study. Assessment 2 allows students to demonstrate the depth of their knowledge and understanding of database technology concepts and tools through Microsoft Certification Exam. The final assessment requires students to convert the logical-level database design to a physical-level database using a database management system software. It also requires developing queries to generate information and manipulate data. The technical report will contain the design details of the physical-database and a reflection of the learning process of this subject throughout the semester. Assessment 3 will focus on database implementation and administration, especially data manipulation using SQL and database security. This assessment also requires students to demonstrate the Catholic Social Teaching principle of dignity of the human person: how organisations organise, use, manage and secure data in organisations to maintain the dignity, privacy, rights and freedom of a person.

Overview of assessments

Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment TasksWeightingLearning OutcomesGraduate Attributes

Assessment Task 1: Database Lab Assessment

This assessment consists of a series of weekly lab exercises including conceptual database design and using ER diagrams, using a RDBMS and SQL programming for data manipulation. This task requires students to demonstrate their theoretical knowledge and practical skills gained in the unit in the creation of a database and applying SQL programming.

The feedback from this assessment will help students to apply the database concepts in the next assessment.

Submission Type: Individual

Assessment Method: Lab Practical Task

Artefact: ER Diagram + SQL code

20%

LO3, LO4

GA5, GA10

Assessment Task 2: Certification Exam

This assessment task requires student to undertake Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 Certification Exam.

The exam assesses students’ foundational knowledge of core data concepts and how they are implemented using Microsoft Azure data services.

This exam reports on a scale of minimum 100 and maximin 1000 with a passing score of 700. The exam contains 53 questions and students have 60 minutes to complete it.

Submission Type: Individual

Assessment Method: Microsoft Certification Exam

Artefact: Certification

30%

LO1

GA5, GA8

Assessment Task 3: Database Design and Implementation Project

This assessment task requires students to develop a logical-level design of a database for a given case study and verify its structural characteristics with normalisation techniques. Also, it requires students to convert the logical-level database to a physical-level database using a DBMS. 

This task also requires students to create SQL queries to generate information and manipulate data, perform user account management, and enhance the security of the database. In addition, it requires a report detailing actions performed to improve security and demonstration of the understanding of Catholic Social Teaching principle of dignity of the human person: how organisations use, manage and secure data in organisations to maintain privacy and security.

To ensure academic integrity students are required to record a video presentation presenting their assignment work.

Submission Type: Individual

Assessment Method: Practical task

Artefact: Database file + Report + Recorded Video Presentation

50%

LO2, LO3, LO4

GA1, GA5, GA10

Representative texts and references

Required text:

Coronel, C & Morris, S 2019, Database systems, design and implementation and management, 13th edn, Cengage Learning, Boston, MA

Online resources:

  • Azure Data Fundamentals: Explore core data concepts
  • Azure Data Fundamentals: Explore relational data in Azure
  • Azure Data Fundamentals: Explore non-relational data in Azure
  • Azure Data Fundamentals: Explore modern data warehouse analytics in Azure


Recommended references

Friedrichsen, L, Ruffalo, L, Monk, E., Starks, JL, Pratt, PJ & Last, MZ 2020, Concepts of database management, 10th edn, Cengage Learning US.

Silbershatz, A, Korth, H, Sudarshan, S 2019, Database System Concepts, 7th edn, McGraw-Hill Education.

Connolly TM & Begg D 2015, Database systems: a practical approach to design, implementation and management, 6th edn, Addison Wesley, Boston, MA.

Kroenke DM & Auer, DJ, Vandenberg, SL, Yoder, RC 2019, Database concepts, 9th edn, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Vanier, E, Shah, B, Malepati, T 2019, Advanced MySQL 8, Packet Publishing Ltd, Birmingham, UK.

Murach, J 2019, Murach's MySQL, 3rd edn, Mike Murach and Associates.

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