ISY10212

Contemporary Issues in
Information Technology

Unit Information Guide

Session 2, 2019

scu.edu.au
CRICOS Provider: 01241G
2 | ISY10212 Contemporary Issues in Information Technology (Session 2, 2019)

Contents
.About
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Content
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Graduate . . . . . . . . .and. . . .unit
. . . .learning
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. . . . . . . . . .resources
Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
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Prescribed . . . . .and
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Optional . . . . .and
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Studying . . . . unit
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Teaching . . . .learning
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Estimated ..............................................................6
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Scheduled . . . . . .Hours
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Assessment
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Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
. . . . . . . . . . . details
Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
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Assessment
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Assessment
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Assessment
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Assessment
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Assessment
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Timetables .
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Suggested . . . . .timetable
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 About this unit | 3

About this unit

Creating and using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) applications needs
consideration of social, ethical and legal factors. This unit focuses on issues associated with
human impact, ethics, regulation, privacy, law, equity, access and cultural and indigenous
issues which influence and affect the Information and Communication Technology industries.
Examples are discussed.

Content
Topic 1: Ethics and cyberethics
Topic 2: Critical thinking and fallacies of argument
Topic 3: ICT in the workplace
Topic 4: Professional ethics in ICT
Topic 5: Multimedia and ICT in education and training
Topic 6: ICT and privacy
Topic 7: ICT and Intellectual Property
Topic 8: Cybercrime and security issues
Topic 9: Regulation of inappropriate content
Topic 10: Computer games, entertainment, communities and identities
Topic 11: Digital divide and equity
Topic 12: Ethical aspects of emerging and converging technologies

Graduate attributes and unit learning outcomes

As a graduate of Southern Cross University, you will have developed skills, values and attitudes
that are essential for gaining employment and advancing lifelong learning. The University
refers to these as graduate attributes (http://policies.scu.edu.au/view.current.php?id=00091#s3)
and identifies them as follows:
GA1 Intellectual rigour, GA2 Creativity, GA3 Ethical practice, GA4 Knowledge of a discipline,
GA5 Lifelong learning, GA6 Communication and social skills, GA7 Cultural competence.
This unit will assist students to develop the following graduate attributes (shown below as they
relate to this unit's learning outcomes):

Learning outcomes for this unit GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7

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

1. discuss the impact of Information and ✓ ✓ ✓

Communication Technologies upon
society

2. discuss the role of governments in ✓ ✓

legislating and regulating the use of
Information and Communication
Technologies

3. explain the ethical requirements for ✓ ✓

professionals in the area of Information
and Communication Technology
4 | ISY10212 Contemporary Issues in Information Technology (Session 2, 2019)

Learning outcomes for this unit GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7

4. identify and discuss recent, current, and ✓ ✓ ✓

likely future ethical issues associated
with Information and Communication
Technology.
 Learning resources | 5

Learning resources
The referencing style used below is Harvard. PLEASE NOTE that you may need to use a
different style for this unit. Refer to Referencing guides (https://www.scu.edu.au/library/
study/referencing-guides/) for information about the referencing style you should use.

Prescribed texts and materials

There are no prescribed texts and materials for this unit.

Optional texts and materials

Optional texts
"Ethics and Technology" by Herman Tavani has previously been the textbook for this unit. It
will remain as the primary reference used in this unit but alternative sources of information
are available both on-line and in the library. It is a comprehensive resource and is available as
an "E-book" at a much lower cost than a hard copy version. Previous editions of this book are
also suitable: Tavani, HT 2015, Ethics and Technology; Controversies, Questions, and Strategies
for Ethical Computing, 5th edn, John Wiley & Sons Inc., USA. ISBN: 978-1-119-18657-1.
6 | ISY10212 Contemporary Issues in Information Technology (Session 2, 2019)

Studying this unit

The first step in managing your study for this unit is to familiarise yourself with this document
and the MySCU (http://learn.scu.edu.au) Learning Site. You should refer frequently to the
MySCU Learning Site for announcements and updates.

Teaching and learning arrangements

Estimated workload
Scheduled hours Personal study Total

36 114 150

Your scheduled study hours are allocated as follows:

Gold Coast
Teaching method Duration Frequency

Lecture online 1 hour 12 weeks

Tutorial on-site 2 hours 12 weeks

Online
Teaching method Duration Frequency

Lecture online 1 hour 12 weeks

SCU Sydney
Teaching method Duration Frequency

Lecture online 1 hour 12 weeks

Tutorial on-site 2 hours 12 weeks

PNG-IBSUniversity-Port Moresby
Teaching method Duration Frequency

Workshop on-site N/A N/A

China - GXUST
Teaching method Duration Frequency

Workshop on-site N/A N/A

SCU Melbourne
Teaching method Duration Frequency

Lecture online 1 hour 12 weeks

 Studying this unit | 7

Teaching method Duration Frequency

Tutorial on-site 2 hours 12 weeks

SCU Perth
Teaching method Duration Frequency

Lecture online 1 hour 12 weeks

Tutorial on-site 2 hours 12 weeks

8 | ISY10212 Contemporary Issues in Information Technology (Session 2, 2019)

Assessment
Assessment overview
In order to achieve a passing grade in this unit you must submit all assessment tasks and
obtain a score of at least 50% of the total assessment marks for the unit.

Group/ Learning Grading Min Length/ Professional

Assessment individual outcomes indicator Score Weight duration Due accreditation

1. Individual 1, 2, 3, 4 Graded N/A 10% 500 05 Aug N/A

Discussion words 2019
board 11:00 PM

2. Essay Individual 1, 2, 3, 4 Graded N/A 35% 1500 26 Aug N/A

words 2019
11:00 PM

3. Individual 1, 2, 3, 4 Graded N/A 10% 10 16 Sep N/A

Presentation minutes 2019 9:00
AM

4. Report Individual 1, 2, 3, 4 Graded N/A 35% 2500 02 Oct N/A

words 2019
11:00 PM

5. Individual 1, 2, 3, 4 Graded N/A 10% 500 11 Oct N/A

Discussion words 2019
board 11:00 PM

Assessment details
Assessment 1: Discussion board
This assessment is for these students only: China - GXUST; Gold Coast; Online; PNG-
IBSUniversity-Port Moresby; SCU Melbourne; SCU Perth; SCU Sydney.

Group/ Learning Grading Min Length/ Professional

Assessment individual outcomes indicator Score Weight duration Due accreditation

Discussion Individual 1, 2, 3, 4 Graded N/A 10% 500 05 Aug N/A

board words 2019
11:00 PM

See MySCU for details.

Assessment 2: Essay
This assessment is for these students only: China - GXUST; Gold Coast; Online; PNG-
IBSUniversity-Port Moresby; SCU Melbourne; SCU Perth; SCU Sydney.

Group/ Learning Grading Min Length/ Professional

Assessment individual outcomes indicator Score Weight duration Due accreditation

Essay Individual 1, 2, 3, 4 Graded N/A 35% 1500 26 Aug N/A

words 2019
11:00 PM
 Assessment | 9

See MySCU for details.

Assessment 3: Presentation
This assessment is for these students only: China - GXUST; Gold Coast; Online; PNG-
IBSUniversity-Port Moresby; SCU Melbourne; SCU Perth; SCU Sydney.

Group/ Learning Grading Min Length/ Professional

Assessment individual outcomes indicator Score Weight duration Due accreditation

Presentation Individual 1, 2, 3, 4 Graded N/A 10% 10 16 Sep N/A

minutes 2019 9:00
AM

See MySCU for details. Presentation schedule to be arranged by local tutor.

Note that some students may be required to deliver presentations in the week beginning
Monday16 September to assist in managing the full set of student presentations to be
completed in session. Provided that the presentation file is submitted at time of class delivery
then all is fine. On this basis students must check their presentation schedule with their local
tutor.

Assessment 4: Report
This assessment is for these students only: China - GXUST; Gold Coast; Online; PNG-
IBSUniversity-Port Moresby; SCU Melbourne; SCU Perth; SCU Sydney.

Group/ Learning Grading Min Length/ Professional

Assessment individual outcomes indicator Score Weight duration Due accreditation

Report Individual 1, 2, 3, 4 Graded N/A 35% 2500 02 Oct N/A

words 2019
11:00 PM

See MySCU for details.

Assessment 5: Discussion board

This assessment is for these students only: China - GXUST; Gold Coast; Online; PNG-
IBSUniversity-Port Moresby; SCU Melbourne; SCU Perth; SCU Sydney.

Group/ Learning Grading Min Length/ Professional

Assessment individual outcomes indicator Score Weight duration Due accreditation

Discussion Individual 1, 2, 3, 4 Graded N/A 10% 500 11 Oct N/A

board words 2019
11:00 PM

See MySCU for details.

10 | ISY10212 Contemporary Issues in Information Technology (Session 2, 2019)

Timetables
Suggested study timetable
This timetable applies to the Australian study period. It may be varied for students studying
elsewhere.
Please confirm dates with your local tutor.

Week/
commencing Topic Notes

1 1 Ethics and cyberethics

08 Jul 2019

2 2 Critical thinking and fallacies of argument

15 Jul 2019

3 3 ICT in the workplace

22 Jul 2019

4 4 Professional ethics in ICT

29 Jul 2019

5 5 Multimedia and ICT in education and training

05 Aug 2019

6 6 ICT and privacy

12 Aug 2019

7 Study Week
19 Aug 2019

8 7 Multimedia, ICT and Intellectual Property

26 Aug 2019

9 8 Cybercrime and security issues

02 Sep 2019

10 9 Regulation of inappropriate content

09 Sep 2019

11 10 Computer games, entertainment, communities and

16 Sep 2019 identities

12 11 Digital divide and equity

23 Sep 2019

13 12 Ethical aspects of emerging and converging technologies

30 Sep 2019