ITEC201 - Fundamentals of Information Technology

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Nil

Incompatible

ISYS201 Information Technology Infrastructure,ITED201 Fundamentals of Information Technology

Teaching organisation

150 hours over a twelve-week semester or equivalent study period

Unit rationale, description and aim

This foundation level unit is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of architecture components of IT Infrastructure. It covers the Information Technology architectural building blocks which include hardware, software and network facilities that are necessary to deliver seamless and ethically informed Information technology services. This includes ethical considerations such as stewardship responsibilities.

The aim of this unit is to provide students with the fundamental understanding of IT infrastructure capabilities and the knowledge and practical skills they need to plan, design or manage information technology solutions.

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 - Demonstrate knowledge on different number systems and how they are used to exchange digital information   (GA5, GA8)

LO2 - Demonstrate how to operate digital information and construct and evaluate digital logic components and processes in collaboration with peers (GA5, GA7)

LO3 - Design cloud-based solutions and services by utilising the knowledge of networking models and the underlying concepts of cloud computing  (GA5, GA10)

LO4 - Apply principles underlying social, environmental and ethical aspects in designing IT solutions for an organisation (GA3, GA5)

Graduate attributes

GA3 - apply ethical perspectives in informed decision making

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

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively 

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

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively

Content

Topics will include:

• Introduction to computer systems
• Data representation
• Digital logic operations
• Azure Fundamentals
• Number system
• Memory and storage organisation
• Computer networks and applications
• Packet Transmission and Internetworking
• Ethical Issues
• Social and environmental Impacts of IT

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit will be delivered in multi-mode over a twelve-week semester or equivalent study period. Students will have access to all primary learning materials online, along with formative and summative assessments, all of which will be available online, to provide a learning experience beyond the classroom. While there are no formal classroom lectures for this unit, students will be required to attend weekly two-hour workshops, which will include a seminar and specific tasks related to achievement of the unit learning outcomes.

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

A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. The first assessment task provides opportunities for students to apply their theoretical knowledge in solving problems in the environment. The purpose of this assessment is to guide students to build essential skills required to solve critical problems. The second assessment is an opportunity to assess students’ understanding of digital logic operations. The final assessment is an open book exam which provides students with an opportunity to evaluate their knowledge and skills learned throughout the unit.

To pass this unit, students must demonstrate competence in all learning outcomes and achieve an aggregate mark of at least 50%. Marking will be in accordance with a rubric specifically developed to measure students’ level of achievement of the learning outcomes for each item of assessment. Students will be awarded a final grade which signifies their overall achievement in the unit.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

White, C. 2016, Data communications and computer networks: A business user's approach, 8th edn, Course Technology, Boston, MA.

Kurose JF & Ross KW 2016, Computer Networking A Top-Down Approach,7th edn, Addison Wesley, New Jersey.

Gray H, Issa T, Pye G, Troshani I, Rainer RK, Prince B & Watson HJ. 2015, Management Information Systems, 1st Australasian Edition, John Wiley and Sons Australia Ltd, Australia. ISBN: 9781118646021

Blundell B. G, Khan N, Lasebae A, Jabbar M, 2007, Computer Systems and Networks, Cernage Learning EMEA, ISBN: 9781844806393.