University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 1 Professionalism and Personal Skills Lecture 1: Introduction to The Module

University of Sunderland

Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 1

Professionalism and Professionalism and Personal Skills Personal Skills

Lecture 1:

Introduction to The Module




"A study of how people interact

with computers and how computers have changed the workplace, home etc.

Legislation governing IT and the

ethics/professional responsibilities of an IT Professional"




Objectives• By the end of this lecture the student should

– Understand the module content and requirements– Understand what constitutes New Technology– Appreciate the need for competing views– Appreciate the need for presentations and research– Appreciate the need for effective report writing– Appreciate the importance of effective problem

solving techniques– Appreciate the importance of effective project

management




Essential Module Information• Discuss issues of IT; for example those

affecting –– Home– Employment– Education




Essential Module Information• Assessment• The need for Team work• Practical Sessions• Ethics and responsibilities of an I.T.

Professional• Laws




Essential Module Information

• Skills to be learnt• Research Techniques• Report Writing• Preparing and delivering effective presentations• Problem Solving• Project management• Perspectives




Practicals, Research etc.• The University has moved away from ‘passive’ learning

(lectures) to ‘active’ learning• Contributions to this will be monitored• Assessments will be made of work undertaken• Will need this work to get a good pass in the exam• Tutorials are the practical elements




Practicals, Research etc.• Definition of ‘Active Learning’

“An approach which allows the student to take charge and responsibility of their learning process”

THE AMOUNT YOU GET FROM ACTIVE LEARNING IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO WHAT YOU

PUT INTO IT




Week Date Lecture Tutorial

1 2 Feb 09 Introduction to the module. Group formationProblem Solving Exercises, Research

Topic

2 9 Feb 09 Research Techniques Present Research topic, Problem SolvingExercises, Evaluation of sources

3 16 Feb 09 Perspectives Present evaluation, Presentation skillsdiscussion, Prepare mini presentation

4 23 Feb 09 Data collection techniques Deliver mini presentationPresentation skills discussion

5 2 Mar 09 New Technology and Employment Project managementEvaluation of paper, Assignment out

6 9 Mar 09 Report Writing, Diagramming Techniques Present Evaluation of paper

7 16 Mar 09 Computer Crime Manage Project

8 23 Mar 09 Professionalism and Ethics Ergonomics, Health and Safety

9 30 Mar 09 Data protection Act Manage Project

6 Apr 09 Easter Vacation

10 27 Apr 09 Project Presentations Project Presentations, Assignment hand in

11 4 May 09 Revision Revision

12 11 May 09 TCT TCT




Assessments• Assignment

– Group based project– Involves completion of a professional report and presentation

• Time Constrained Test– 1.5 hour



Professionalism and Professionalism and Personal Skills Personal Skills Presentation Skills

• What are effective presentations?– Using OHP slides

– Using Powerpoint




Problem Solving• Thinking

• Defining Problems

• Learning

• Blocks to Problem Definition



Professionalism and Professionalism and Personal Skills Personal Skills Problem Solving

• The Brain• Brainstorming• Mind Maps• Analogies• Probability• Decision Trees• Weighted Matrices• SWOT Analysis• Fishbone Diagrams




Report Writing• Introduction

• Body/Findings

• Conclusions

• Recommendations

• Summary

• References and Bibliography




Teamwork and Project Management• Introduction to Teamwork and Project

Management

• Examine teamwork

• Understand Task Identification

• Understand Task allocation




New Technology• What is new technology?

– It is not just I.T.– Newspaper– Typewriter– Radio– Cinema– Television




Some Competing Views of I.T.• IT extends high level work, brings new employment

opportunities, and will save our economy

OR• IT throws huge numbers out of work and downgrades

those that remain• IT will increase malevolent control by the state and big

corporations

OR• IT will bring new opportunities for democratic

participation and a better way of life for all




Some Competing Views of I.T. (cont)• IT is inevitably revolutionising all our lives, whether we

like it or not

OR• IT’s development depends on human choices; including

political and legal decisions • Go ahead managers will be equipping offices with the

best and most recent technology

OR• Good managers think first about people and problems;

only secondly about technology



Professionalism and Professionalism and Personal Skills Personal Skills Competing Views

• IT can be either DOOM or UTOPIA• There are two main perspectives

– Technological Determinist

– Social Context




Recommended Reading• Major

– People and Chips: The human implications of Information Technology (3rd edition) Christopher Rowe and Jane Thompson, Blackwell Scientific Publications ISBN 0-07-709345-3

– Adair J, Decision Making and Problem Solving, Institute of Personnel Development (London), 1997.

– Whetten D, Cameron K, and Woods M Effective Problem Solving, Harper Collins, 1996.

• Additional Texts– Abbott P & Sapsford R, Research into Practice, OU Press, 1992.– Stanton N, Mastering Communication, Palgrave MacMillan, 2004..– Lyon D, The Silicon Society, Lion Paperbacks, ISBN:0-7459-1038-6.– Drucker P F, The New Realities, Mandarin Business, ISBN: 0-7493-0355-

7.




Recommended Reading• Useful Journals and Magazines

– Computing– PC Weekly– Computer Weekly– The Computer Bulletin (a BCS publication)




Objectives– Understand the module content and requirements– Understand what constitutes New Technology– Appreciate the need for competing views– Appreciate the need for presentations and research– Appreciate the need for effective report writing– Appreciate the importance of effective problem

solving techniques– Appreciate the importance of effective project

management

Documents

University of Sunderland Professionalism and Personal Skills Unit 1 Professionalism and Personal Skills Lecture 1: Introduction to The Module