Unit rationale, description and aim
Technological advances over the past decades have fundamentally changed the nature of work and communications. As technology continues to evolve at an ever-increasing pace, all employees need an appreciation of how technology impacts various aspects of their lives. In this unit, students will obtain a general understanding of Information Technology (IT) components, and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), Extended Reality (XR), etc. that are having a significant impact on our work and life. Students will explore different applications of emerging technologies, and critically discuss ethics in IT, and technology's broader impact on the stewardship of creation e.g. considering sustainability and the environment.
In addition to the foundational knowledge of IT, this unit will also develop students’ applied skills in using Microsoft Office applications and digital productivity tools which enables them to be a powerful contributor in many career fields. Microsoft’s Excel Associate curriculum has been embedded in this unit, and as part of the assessments, students are provided the opportunity to gain industry certification by completing the Microsoft Excel Associate exam which is recognised and validated by employers’ community.
The aim of this unit is to enhance students' ICT (information and Communication Technology) literacy and knowledge of emerging technologies and their impact on the individuals, organisations, society, and the environment, highlighting both positive and negative impacts of technology on stewardship of creation, and to develop students’ skills in using IT to contribute positively to the effective operation of the workplace.
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.
Describe how emerging information and related inte...
Learning Outcome 01
Discuss how emerging technologies create digital d...
Learning Outcome 02
Apply data analysis techniques to derive intellige...
Learning Outcome 03
Distinguish threats to digital security and data p...
Learning Outcome 04
Apply MS Office applications for data manipulation...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Understanding IT components
- Emerging Technologies (e.g. AI, IoT, Blockchain, …)
- Digital disruption
- Cybersecurity, data privacy
- Digital information and digital property
- Ethical Computing
- Green IT
- Collaborating and working on the web
- Social and environmental impact of technology
- Office applications (Microsoft Office)
- Digital communication and productivity applications
Assessment strategy and rationale
To pass this unit, students are required 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 also be awarded a final grade which signifies their overall achievement in the unit.
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 develops students’ digital literacy and data-driven decision-making skills through practical Microsoft Excel exercises, the creation of a data-driven solution, and completion of practice certification exams to prepare for industry-recognised Microsoft Excel certification. The second assessment item allows students to demonstrate knowledge and skills in using MS Excel through the official Microsoft Excel Associate Certification exam. This certification exam is included in this unit to enhance students’ employability skills by providing students the opportunity to demonstrate a proven competency at an industry associate-level and being ready to enter the job market. The final assessment item encourages students to actively engage and participate in a range of activities. It allows students to demonstrate their critical thinking skills, evaluative judgment skills (through peer review activities) and knowledge of emerging technologies.
Transition pedagogies support assessment success through staged tasks, in-class practice activities, early and ongoing feedback, discipline-specific skill development, and enhanced peer collaboration to promote progressive learning and student engagement throughout.
Overview of assessments
Assessment 1: Microsoft Excel Exercises & Pr...
Assessment 1: Microsoft Excel Exercises & Practice Exams
This assessment includes a series of hands-on exercises and development of a data driven solution using Microsoft Excel. Student also need to complete Practice Excel exam tests, which makes them ready for the Certification exam. The goal of this assessment is to develop student’s digital skills and data driven decision making.
Submission type: Individual
Assessment method: Practical Exercise + Exam
Artefact: Excel Worksheet + Exam
30%
Assessment 2: Microsoft Excel Certification exa...
Assessment 2: Microsoft Excel Certification exam
The assessment requires students to take the Microsoft Excel Associate Certification exam. Students are also required to attempt a practice certification exam (as a hurdle task) to become prepared for the certification exam. This certification demonstrates competency in the fundamentals of creating and managing worksheets and workbooks, creating cells and ranges, creating tables, applying formulas and functions, and creating charts and objects.
Submission type: Individual
Assessment method: MS Excel Associate Certificate test
Artefacts: MS Excel Associate Exam transcript
40%
Assessment 3: e-Portfolio This assessment r...
Assessment 3: e-Portfolio
This assessment requires students to develop a portfolio of work undertaken during the semester to showcase their learning achievements. This assessment includes on a variety of tasks including reflections on the impact of emerging technologies on the future of work, society and the environment and discussing ethical challenges in IT, data privacy and cybersecurity issues.
Submission type: Individual
Assessment method: e-portfolio
Artefact: Recorded Presentation with live/speaker view webcam overlay (8-10 minutes)
30%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit takes an active learning approach guiding students in both the practical use of technology and the analysis of its impact on work and life. Students engage with online learning materials, workshops, and computer lab tutorials to build foundational skills in IT and emerging digital technologies. The unit is delivered in multiple modes to accommodate diverse learning needs.
Multi-mode: Workshops encourage collaborative knowledge construction, helping students explore ethical and environmental issues while understanding technology’s influence on organisations and society. Practical skills development is embedded through PC labs, where students apply MS Office Tools to business problems and work toward obtaining the Microsoft Excel Associate Certificate.
Online unscheduled-mode: This fully online unit adopts an active learning approach, offering students choice and variety in how they engage with key disciplinary knowledge. Students participate in asynchronous discussions and practical activities that support the application of learning to professional contexts, drawing on their own examples and peer interaction. Regular, timely feedback is provided to support progress.
To support students transitioning from the Diploma to second‑year undergraduate study, the unit uses targeted transition pedagogies that strengthen discipline foundations and essential study competencies through an active, engaging and supportive learning approach.
Representative texts and references
Required text
Evans, A., Martin, K., & Poatsy, M. A. (2023). Technology in action complete (18th global ed.). Pearson Education.
Reference texts
Alexander, M., & Kusleika, D. (2025). Microsoft Excel 365 Bible (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Bluttman, K. (2025). Microsoft 365 Excel formulas & functions for dummies (7th ed.). For Dummies.
Butow, E. (2021a). MCA Microsoft Office Specialist (Office 365 and Office 2019) complete study guide: Word exam MO-100, Excel exam MO-200, and PowerPoint exam MO-300. Sybex.
Butow, E. (2021b). MCA Microsoft Office Specialist (Office 365 and Office 2019) study guide: Excel associate exam MO-200. Sybex.
Kumar, P., Tomar, A., & Sharmila, R. (Eds.). (2022). Emerging technologies in computing: Theory, practice, and advances. CRC Press.
Lambert, J., & Frye, C. (2021). Microsoft Excel step by step (Office 2021 and Microsoft 365). Microsoft Press.
Poatsy, M. A., Davidson, J., & Mulbery, K. (2022). Exploring Microsoft 365: Excel 2021 (1st ed.). Pearson.
Reynolds, G. W. (2019). Ethics in information technology (6th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Stair, R. M., Reynolds, G. W., Bryant, J., Frydenberg, M., Greenberg, H., & Schell, G. (2021). Principles of information systems (4th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Winston, W. (2022). Microsoft Excel data analysis and business modeling (Office 2021 and Microsoft 365) (7th ed.). Microsoft Press.