Skip to main content
Unit outline_

INFO1111: Computing 1A Professionalism

Semester 1, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit introduces students to the fundamental principles that underlie professional practice in computing. It lays the foundation for later studies, and presents to the students challenges common to a multidisciplinary IT environment. The subject also provides students with the opportunity to develop important attributes such as communication skills, an understanding of professional ethics, and of working as a part of a team. Tool use is an important aspect of this unit: students are required to learn to use tools for planning and completing work, managing artefacts including reports, and communicating within the team. A selection of guest speakers will address students on different career paths. Dalyell students may enrol in ENGD1000 Building a Sustainable World in place of INFO1111

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Computer Science
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
ENGG1805 OR ENGG1111 OR ENGD1000
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Masahiro Takatsuka, masa.takatsuka@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Khimji Vaghjiani, khimji.vaghjiani@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Khimji Vaghjiani, khimji.vaghjiani@sydney.edu.au
Aleney Khoo, akho0602@uni.sydney.edu.au
Falguni Sanyal, falguni.sanyal@sydney.edu.au
Andrew Lee, andrew.r.lee@sydney.edu.au
Luke English, lucas.english@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam Final exam
50% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO11 LO8 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3
Assignment Assignment - team work and tool use
10% Multiple weeks n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO12
Assignment Professional development plan
5% Multiple weeks n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO12
Tutorial quiz Quiz
10% Week 09 n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO11 LO8 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO2
Assignment Assignment - oral presentation
10% Week 12 n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO7 LO11 LO10 LO9 LO8
Assignment group assignment Assignment - written report
15% Week 13 n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO7 LO11 LO10 LO9 LO8
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Assignments: Early in the semester, students will form groups within their tutorial classes. The assignment will require each group to generate multiple reports and document the reports online in a collaborative manner. The assignment will be assessed in a number of ways: the report to be produced by the group; the oral presentation to be given by the group; and the group work skills demonstrated in completing the project (using the tools and processes specified, applying professional IT practice, team interaction etc) 
  • Professional development plan: a structured self assessment and planning process used to help students identify the skills they need to be developed for professional IT practice. 
  • Team profile and capability assessment: A structured team analysis and assessment process to use in developing and reflecting on team skills through the unit.
  • Quiz: Assessment and feedback of students’ learning of the conceptual material and terminology.
  • Final exam: Summative check on the conceptual material and terminology covering all the course work. The exam will require each student to report and reflect on their project activities.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 1. Introduction; 2. Professionalism Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 02 The ICT professionals and teams Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 03 Communication and collaboration Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 04 Information retrieval Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 05 ICT problem solving: designing abstractions, model-building Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 06 Intellectual property Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 07 Ethics Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 08 Systems Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 09 Computer science Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 10 Software development Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 11 Data science Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 12 Information systems Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 13 Review Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. analyse and evaluate situations where ethical issues arise within IT professional activities, and relate the choices to ethical frameworks as well as professional standards and requirements
  • LO2. explain the principles behind problem-solving in a professional IT environment and apply these to example problems
  • LO3. explain the theoretical concepts and principles of intellectual property and its protection
  • LO4. explain and give examples of the principles governing participation in a professional IT context including codes of practice, professional standards and legislative and statutory requirements
  • LO5. track issues, and manage group work and communication for a small scale project using project methodologies and tools, as well as evaluate the limits and capabilities of the project tools
  • LO6. negotiate and evaluate team responsibilities and team processes with respect to the various points of view of team members
  • LO7. execute defined project tasks within a predefined project context in small diverse teams
  • LO8. carry out the processes of the small team project according to professional codes and principles and then compare the process to what one would expect to find in a large-scale professional IT environment
  • LO9. confidently use IT specific language and concepts in communication
  • LO10. formulate queries about a particular topic, research, retrieve relevant information from digital and other sources, evaluate it for reliability and synthesise it for a task, as well as adapt communication to meet the format and needs of the audience (including producing a written report and delivering an oral presentation)
  • LO11. explain and give examples of the scope of activities and responsibilities of professionals working in the areas of information technology and how these are described by the degree major options
  • LO12. reflect on, and assess, own skills and attributes to create a professional development plan.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No significant changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.