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COIT20249 Assessment Details
Assessment item 4—Portfolio
Due date: 11:55pm AEST, Friday, Week 12 ASSESSMENT
Weighting: 30% 4
Length: Not applicable
Objectives
This assignment is designed to develop a portfolio of resources that you can use during your degree. The compilation of your Portfolio is progressive throughout the term. Please refer to the Unit Profile to see how this assessment item relates to the Unit Learning Outcomes.
These objectives will be measured by the ‘closeness of fit’ to meeting the assessment requirements and the marking criteria.
General Assessment Criteria
Requirements
Week 3 – Portfolio: Critical Thinking (5 marks)
Task
This portfolio item requires you to write two paragraphs about Critical Thinking.
Your entire submission should be approximately 350 words in length. It should be written objectively in third person.
Your first paragraph should include a paraphrased definition of critical thinking supported by evidence. The reference must be a peer-reviewed, academic source from the last 5 years. It must be selected using the Triple R framework (see textbook). The structure of the paragraph should include a topic sentence, evidence and a concluding sentence summarising your definition.
Write the second paragraph to highlight the need for ICT professionals to be good critical thinkers. This paragraph should begin with a topic sentence. You should then provide two unique examples to explain how ICT professionals would need apply their critical thinking skills. Conclude your paragraph with a sentence that summarises the importance of critical thinking for ICT professionals.
Marking Criteria
• Definition of critical thinking, paraphrasing a peer-reviewed, academic source. You must acknowledge the reference using APA referencing style (2 marks).
• Two (2) unique examples about the importance of ICT professionals being critical thinkers (2 marks).
• The paragraphs are structured as required – with a topic sentence, evidence/examples and a concluding sentence (1 mark).
Notes:
• If you have current or previous ICT work experience, you may use examples from that. Otherwise, research the duties of various ICT jobs to find relevant examples. If you use other sources, you must to correctly acknowledge them using the APA referencing style.
• APA referencing style is discussed in week 5 of the Term.
Note:
There will be a penalty of -1 mark if the submission contains grammatical and/or typographical errors or is NOT well structured and easy to understand or it is too long or too short (less than 300 or greater than 400 words).
Critical thinking is a crucial skill that enables individuals to analyze and evaluate information in order to make informed decisions. According to Facione (2018), critical thinking is “the process of purposeful, self-regulatory judgment that results in the interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as explanation of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological, or contextual considerations upon which that judgment is based.” In other words, critical thinking involves using logic and reasoning to assess information and develop well-reasoned conclusions. It is a key skill in many industries, including the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
ICT professionals must possess strong critical thinking skills in order to effectively navigate the rapidly evolving digital landscape. For example, when faced with a complex problem, such as a system malfunction or data breach, ICT professionals must use critical thinking to identify the underlying cause and develop a solution. They must also be able to evaluate and assess new technologies and tools, determining which ones are most effective for their organization’s needs. Additionally, as ICT professionals often work in teams, they must be able to communicate their ideas clearly and effectively, using critical thinking to evaluate and respond to the perspectives of their colleagues.
In summary, critical thinking is an essential skill for ICT professionals. It allows them to make informed decisions, evaluate information, and solve complex problems. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the ability to think critically will become increasingly important for ICT professionals, enabling them to navigate new technologies and tools, collaborate effectively with colleagues, and achieve organizational success.
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Week 5 – Portfolio: SWOT Analysis (5 marks)
Task
Conduct a Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) analysis of your academic writing skills. An example can be found on page 16 of the prescribed textbook. The SWOT analysis should be presented in a square with four (4) quadrants or in a list as it is presented in the textbook. Each quadrant/section should have at least two (2) unique points. In addition to the SWOT analysis, you should outline some strategies to address one of the weaknesses that you identified in your academic writing skills. That is, if you identified ‘lack of good grammar skills’ as a weakness then describe at least two strategies that you could use to overcome that weakness.
Marking Criteria
SWOT analysis:
Each section/quadrant of the SWOT analysis must have at least two (2) unique points that are an accurate appraisal of your academic writing skills. You need to provide enough detail so that the marker can understand your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities or Threats (4 marks).
Strategies:
Identify a weakness that is listed in the SWOT analysis section. Must describe at least two strategies that are reasonable ways to overcome the weakness you identified (1 mark).
It is difficult to prescribe a recommended word count for this portfolio item as it will vary depending on how it is presented. It is expected that the length of the submission would be about one (1) A4 page.
Please note that if you have a Title page for your assessment submission, it is NOT counted as a part of the length.
Note:
1. If the submission contains grammatical and/or typographical errors or is NOT well structured and easy to understand there will be a penalty of –1 mark.
2. If you present the SWOT analysis as a quadrant it MUST NOT be an image. The marker has to be able to add comments or edit your submission to provide feedback – penalty of -1 mark.
3. If you use bullet points then make sure the intent is clear, e.g. if grammar is a weakness write about ‘Lack of grammar skills’ if it is a strength write about ‘Possess good grammar skills’.
Week 7 – Portfolio: Reflective Writing (5 marks)
Task
By now you should have received feedback and marks for your Participation Activity 1 (email to the lecturer). Discuss that experience in two paragraphs of reflective writing. Describe the experience including your contribution for the outcome in one paragraph. In the second paragraph, demonstrate what you have learnt from the experience, describe how you would handle it or another assignment differently in the future, and evaluate the positives and negatives of the experience (e.g. reading and reflecting on assessment feedback).
If you received full marks for your PA1 and the feedback indicates that you do not require further improvement, then select another assessment from this Unit or another Unit you studied at CQU or at another university where you received feedback on improvement. In this case, you should clearly identify the alternative assessment item when describing your experience. Discuss with your local lecturer if necessary.
Your submission should cover the three key points on reflective writing (see below). This should be approximately 450 words.
The key points to consider when writing reflectively are:
1. You need to demonstrate what you have learned from a particular experience not just describe what happened.
2. There is no right or wrong answer—reflective writing is about what you learned from the experience.
3. Ask yourself the following questions and give your responses in your writing: Why did X happen? What did I do in X situation? What were the positive and negative outcomes in the situation? How might I do things differently next time? What have I learnt and how does this knowledge contribute to my development?
(McCulloch & Reid, 2015, p. 131)
Note 1: You should re-read pages 130-132 of the textbook to ensure you know what is meant by reflective writing.
Note 2: This reflective writing is about evaluating yourself; it is NOT about evaluating the marker of your assessment.
Marking Criteria
Your submission will be marked as follows. Write points 1 and 2 in your first paragraph, and write points 3, 4 and 5 in your second paragraph.
1. Include a brief description of the experience (1 mark).
2. Reflect on how you contributed to the experience (include positive and/or negative contributions as applicable) (1 mark).
3. Demonstrate what you have learned from the experience (1 mark).
4. Describe how you would handle the experience differently in the future or why you may not have to do anything different (1 mark)
5. Evaluated the positives and negatives of the situation (1 mark).
Use the three key points listed above to check that you have written reflectively about your experience. Ensure that you have addressed all 5 points.
Note if the submission contains grammatical and/or typographical errors or is NOT well structured and easy to understand or it is too long or too short (less than 400 or greater than 500 words) there will be a penalty of –1 mark.
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Week 11 – Portfolio: Responding to an ethical scenario (5 marks)
Task
In week 9 you learnt about making decisions in various ethical situations. Understanding who you are and how you relate to others in both your personal and work life can make you aware of the values that are important to you as well as the values that you may need to work on to improve your professional standing. This portfolio item is designed to make you think about how to respond to an ethical scenario as a good ICT professional. As you are training to be an ICT professional you should refer to the ACS Code of Ethics and/or ACS Code of Professional Conduct in your response. It should be approximately 400 words.
Responding to an ethical situation
Scenario:
You are currently working in an ICT role (you may select a relevant position related to the ICT industry in your response) where you have access to client information including their personal and health information. During the course of your job you find that your best friend’s husband has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and has only six months to live. Your friend has never mentioned to you that her husband is so unwell. Your friend and her husband are just about to take out a huge home loan to buy a property in Sydney. You are concerned that her husband may die soon and leave your friend with a huge debt that she will be unable to pay on one salary.
Write about 400 words (in 2 – 3 paragraphs) outlining how you will respond to this ethical dilemma. What will you do in this situation? Will you tell your friend about her husband’s diagnosis so she can rethink taking out the home loan, or will you inform your management about your dilemma and ask for advice? Or will you not say anything to your manager but simply contact your friend to inform her of the situation? Is there anything else you will do? Explain what you will do and the reasons for your actions referring to the ACS Code of Ethics and/or the ACS Code of Professional Conduct. You must correctly reference the document/s in APA style.
Marking Criteria
Your response should include:
1. What would you do in this situation and why? (2 marks)
2. What elements from the ACS document/s would you consider as reasons for your actions? Indicate the particular element/s in the document/s you are referencing? (2 marks)
3. Why do you think it is important for an ICT professional to be an ethical person? (1 mark)
Note if the submission contains grammatical and/or typographical errors or is NOT well structured and easy to understand or it is too long or too short (less than 350 or greater than 450 words) there will be a penalty of –1 mark.
Incorrect APA referencing will have a penalty of -1 mark.
As an ICT professional, my first priority is to maintain the confidentiality of client information, including personal and health information. However, in this scenario, I am faced with a dilemma where I have access to confidential information about my best friend’s husband’s terminal illness, which could potentially impact my friend’s financial situation. After careful consideration, I would inform my friend about her husband’s diagnosis and suggest that they consider delaying the purchase of the property until they have a better understanding of the situation.
According to the ACS Code of Professional Conduct (2016), as an ICT professional, I have an obligation to act with integrity and honesty, and to ensure that my actions do not harm others. In this case, I am concerned that my friend may face financial hardship if her husband passes away, and as a result, it is my responsibility to inform her of the situation so she can make an informed decision. However, I would not disclose any confidential client information to my friend or anyone else, as this would be a breach of my professional obligations.
It is important for an ICT professional to be an ethical person because the work we do can have a significant impact on people’s lives. We have access to confidential information that must be protected, and we must ensure that the systems and technologies we develop and implement are safe, secure, and do not cause harm. The ACS Code of Ethics (2018) outlines the ethical principles and values that ICT professionals must uphold, including honesty, respect for privacy, and a commitment to the public good. By adhering to these principles, we can build trust with our clients and stakeholders and maintain the integrity of our profession.
In conclusion, while it is important to maintain confidentiality in our work as ICT professionals, we must also be mindful of the potential impact our actions may have on others. In this scenario, I would inform my friend of her husband’s diagnosis while respecting the confidentiality of client information. By acting with integrity and honesty and upholding the ethical principles outlined in the ACS Code of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct, we can ensure that we are making decisions that are in the best interests of our clients and the public.
References:
ACS. (2016). ACS Code of Professional Conduct. Retrieved from https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/acs-documents/ACS-Code-of-Professional-Conduct_v2.1.pdf
ACS. (2018). ACS Code of Ethics. Retrieved from https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/acs-documents/Code-of-Ethics.pdf
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Week 12 – Portfolio: Successful Completion (10 marks)
Task
This portfolio item requires you to justify that you have successfully achieved the Unit Learning Outcomes and to provide feedback about your experiences with the Unit. The response should have two parts and should not be longer than 2 A4 pages.
Part A – Justification
The Unit Profile provides a list of Learning Outcomes you are expected to have achieved after completing this Unit.
From the Unit Profile:
On successful completion of this Unit, you will be able to:
1. Describe the basic principles and importance of effective interpersonal communication, active listening and reading for meaning.
2. Demonstrate teamwork skills.
3. Communicate ideas effectively both verbally and in written form using appropriate language.
4. Create and deliver effective oral presentations.
5. Argue the importance of ethics, codes of behaviour, and societal, privacy and legal issues within the ICT industry.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of common work practices and values operating in the Australian workplace.
7. Assess how ICT can be used to improve organisational processes.
8. Evaluate the application of emerging technologies to communication and collaboration.
Write a reflective analysis that demonstrates you have satisfied all eight (8) learning outcomes that are listed in the Unit Profile for COIT20249 Professional Skills in ICT (they are listed above). Justify how the work you have completed this term has satisfied all eight (8) Unit Learning Outcomes. Please note it is important that you JUSTIFY how you have satisfied the Unit Learning Outcomes with examples. Do NOT just summarise the Unit content and/or assessment items OR define the Unit Learning Outcomes.
In short paragraphs, respond under the following themes (use relevant headings) and refer to relevant Learning Outcome/s from the above list. Use examples from the assessments you have completed in this Unit and/or the competencies you have achieved after completing the Unit. You might refer to some Unit Learning Outcomes more than once in your response. This part should be 1-1.5 A4 pages (approximate guideline).
1. Describe an example where you used interpersonal skills along with listening and verbal communication skills effectively (1 mark).
2. How did you use reading skills to effectively develop an academic document? Provide an example (1 mark).
3. Provide an example of using your teamwork skills to resolve a conflict or assign tasks for a team project. What other skills from the above list did you use in this situation? (1 mark).
4. Provide examples of two assessments where you discussed the importance of ethical behaviours, and social, privacy and legal aspects within the ICT domain. How did this help you to understand ethical behaviours, and social, privacy and legal aspects within the ICT domain? (1 mark).
5. Discuss with examples how you learnt the skills to work with staff and/or students from different cultures and demonstrate the knowledge of cultural diversity (1 mark).
6. Describe how you learnt to evaluate ICT technologies to improve organisational processes. Give an example (1 mark).
7. Describe two examples of communication and collaboration technologies you have learnt after completing this Unit. Explain a situation where each of these technologies could be used and their potential benefits (2 marks).
Part B – Feedback
Write two things you liked about this Unit and provide the reason or reasons you liked them. Also describe two suggested improvements to the Unit and justify why they would improve the Unit. This could be around half an A4 page in length (guideline only) (2 marks).
Upload the Successful Completion document into Moodle.
Marking Criteria
Justification:
Justify with examples from COIT20249 that you have successfully achieved all eight (8) Unit Learning Outcomes (1 mark per each of the first 6 points and 2 marks for the last one). Please note that a summary of the Unit content and/or assessment items or defining the Unit Learning Outcomes will receive ONE mark only for the entire section.
Feedback:
1. Two things you liked about this Unit plus reasons (1 mark).
2. Two suggested improvements to the Unit plus justification (1 mark).
Note if the submission contains grammatical and/or typographical errors or is NOT well structured and easy to understand there will be a penalty of –1 mark.
If the submission is longer than two A4 pages, you mark will be reduced by –1 mark. Please note that if you have a Title page for your assessment submission that is NOT counted as part of the length
