Dr Cate Jerram
09.03 Nexus 10
#34757
cate.jerram@adelaide.edu.auhttp://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/cate.jerram

Teaching Team

Dr Daowei Sun Email daowei.sun@adelaide.edu.au Work Phone 088313 Office Location: 09.04 Nexus 10 Office Hours: Flexible, email for appointments. http://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/daowei.sun

Dr Larissa Statsenko Email larissa.statsenko@adelaide.edu.au Work phone 08 8313 Office location: 09.?? Nexus 10 Office hours: Flexible, email for appointments. http://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/larissa.statsenko

Venue: Nexus10, Room 207 (Computer Suite 4, level 2).
NOTE: this course is more workshop and research than technical, and is a business course, not an IT course.

Important – there will sometimes be a change of venue, so always check the course website (MyUni) and announcements, in case you need to go somewhere else.

NOTE: there is an expectation that members of the course will participate actively in the online components of the course, and that MyUni will be accessed (asynchronously) at least 2-3 times per week, in addition to physical attendance at class.

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Solve simple business problems by determining data and information needs and designing an appropriate (MS Access) database to address the need.
2. Effectively elicit business data requirements (ie: elicit end-user and management requirements) through an appropriate interview-based and observation-based research process.
3. Effectively present and communicate the data requirements to IT and to management, through algorithms, flow-charts, data-maps and short reports.
4. Manage the critical relationships (including internal team relationships) to successfully carry through a database design and delivery project.

1. Your presence in class and off-site in investigative activities.
2. Use of all prerequisite resources provided in MyUni – before arriving in class.
3. Those resources students are directed to source (find or create) and share.

Note:

• No textbook will be used in this course.
• MS Access; NVivo11Pro; Textpad; Internet; Server space (all provided by the university)
• Student research will determine text resource needs, & DRMC will be arranged on an ongoing basis with Library, to resource student selections (approved by Course Coordinator) each week.

The major resources required are primarily: intelligence, imagination, sense of humour and integrity. Commitment also helps.

1. Everything provided on the MyUni site is strongly recommended as a great (required) starting point.
2. Quality resources you find or create yourself and share with your classmates.

This course is built upon an engagement and self-directed learning pedagogy – almost all didactic and information-based ‘resources’ are provided online. In-class learning and off-site activities are where the ‘rubber hits the road’ – and are dependent upon students having worked through the necessary online resources.

IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE ACCESSING the MyUni site for this course, please contact the Course Coordinator (CC) Dr Cate Jerram immediately! (Remember to give your official name, your preferred name, and your student id#.) Note: An enrolment into MyUni takes 24 hours to take effect, so - the sooner the better!

Business Data Requirements is conducted in intensive mode and uses Blended Learning (combined face-to-face and online) flipped classroom approach. It is a problem-based & research-based course, incorporating individual and team learning and projects (formative as well as summative), as it is very much geared to developing graduates capable of being independent and inter-dependent employees and/or successfully self-employed.

There will be an element of gamification. Class time will predominantly be workshop (particularly communication skills, but also software) and will also include project-based participation and debates. Research and problem-solving will incorporate both self-directed and team-based learning. The course is designed to build students from early simulation games to end-of-course engagement with workplace (mentored) client projects, using workshop and games as well as Just-in-Time Discovery learning to acquire needed knowledge and skills, when and as required, to meet client needs.

Projects conducted well should give students real projects for their professional demonstration portfolio, as well as higher-order communication skills; analysis skills; and data- and information-management knowledge and skill-sets.
This means that:

• participation in face-to-face classes is vital
• participation in online and off-site activities is crucial
• participating in and developing a community of practice is not only important now, but will ideally start to build a network of collegial peers who will continue as a support network for life

BLENDED LEARNING
Class time will be predominantly workshop, so any 'lectures' will mostly be online (pre-recorded core concepts); students will be working in wikis and/or other collaborative tools; online communication and research tools will be taught and used; student-developed artefacts will be created and showcased; MS Access and NVivoPro11 will be used.

The University expects full-time students (i.e. those taking 12 units per semester) to devote a total of 48 hours per week to their studies.

• This means that students are expected to commit approximately 12 hour per week to this course (including class time and the research, collaboration, online, & study time outside of your regular classes).
• Students are required to attend all class sessions.
• Students are required to complete class preparation (posted in MyUni) before the start of class.
• A considerable proportion of this course will be in team-mode. It is recognised that outside commitments can mean that team-work is challenging in terms of compatible scheduling, but much of the team-work can be managed online, so full participation in out-of-class team-work is expected.

• BDR will be delivered in 13 sessions in intensive mode. Each session will commence online and be concluded in class. For more precise details, see MyUni.
• Each class will start with a Communications Challenge.
• Each session will comprise communications skills practicum, software review workshop, individual & team research and problem-solving activities, class discussion and debate, and/or student presentations. Session 13 will include an in-class reflective test.
• MS Access and NVivo11Pro (basics only) will be taught online and in workshop.
• Team skills will be taught online and in workshop.
• Communication skills will be taught online and in workshop.

Students must pass the Assessment Task in Week 13 “In-class reflective report” to be able to pass the course.
Participation in both face-to-face and online activities is critical and therefore is required.
Any need to deviate from any of the stated expectations must be negotiated with the Course Coordinator.

This course is designed along the core principles of the SGDE. Graduates of this course must be capable of working as effectively in teams as they do as individuals (and vice-versa), and students will be taught teamwork skills. As this course is part of the Information Management and Systems stream, it is critical that Graduates of this course are capable of Discovery Learning to be able to keep pace (both during studies and during their graduate careers) with rapid technological and information changes in a fast-moving and globalised world. Students are taught self-directed learning skills as a core part of this course, and are similarly taught networking and collaboration skills to start developing their professional community of practice.

Teamwork is required. Collaboration is encouraged. Collusion is unacceptable.
Peer Review and support is required.
Critical Analysis (of own work and each other's) is absolutely necessary.

Ideally, if a Community of Practice is genuinely developed during this course, it will help each of you create a network that can build to sustain and support you throughout your entire career.

Assessment Task	Weight	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
1. Resource Compilation Portfolio      (a) Draft to teams      (b) Draft to seminar      (c) Final	15%	Week 03 Week 04 Week 09	1, 2 (& 3, 4)
2. Individual Database (“Fluffy”)	15%	Week 05	3 (& 1, 2, 4)
3. Communications Analysis      (a) Draft      (b) Final	20%	Week 06  Week 11	3 (& 1, 2, 4)
4. Client Project Database      (a) Algorithm & Flow Chart/Model      (b) Database      (c) Presentation (Written)      (d) Presentation (Oral)	30%	Week 07 Week 12 Week 12 Week 12	1, 2, 3, 4
5. In-class (week 13) reflective report      (closed book test conditions)	20%	Week 13	1, 2, 3, 4
Total	100%

Please note: students must pass the final Assessment Task (Reflective Report / Test) in Week 13. Any student failing to gain a mark of 10/20 or higher in the final Test will receive a final course grade of 48 Fail.

The critical things to note about the assessments in this course are that:

• they are very interdependent - built on the concept of community of scholars and peer support. ie: if you miss deadlines or mess up, your colleagues suffer as well as you.
• the assessment activities all contribute to an actual research project as well as to your (and your peers') future career strengths (whatever career paths you follow).

Therefore:

• be timely - meet deadlines
  but be sane - when you can only do it by half-killing yourself - negotiate
• collaborate (note: acknowledged collaboration is a powerful professional and academic strength; UNacknowledged collaboration is called 'collusion' and is seen as cheating)
• do your best - not just for your own work, but when in investing in others' growth
• be excited about your learning and growth and about your peers' learning and growth - it is exciting!
• and have fun (if you don't learn to enjoy it now, it will always be 'unpleasantly hard work' rather than deeply satisfying and rewarding endeavour)
• know that it DOES get easier - every piece you do makes the next one easier; every impossible-to-understand article you read makes the next one more possible and more readable - and your Resource Compilation Portfolios will help you scale that wall faster and more easily than you can expect... the collaboration with your peers will make a world of difference. Therefore (again) your feedback to one another is critical!

Wherever possible, assessment details remain consistent but due to the emergent design nature of the course can sometimes change. Any and all changes will always be posted in the Assessment Folder in MyUni and in the Announcements, with accompanying Email.

Submission Dates & Times are listed under each Assessment Task. These are negotiable in first seminar. 
Marking Rubrics and greater detail on assessment tasks are available in MyUni in the Assessmentsfolder, and will be confirmed after first seminar negotiation.

#1 Resource Compilation Portfolio 15%

(a) Draft due by start of seminar (to be negotiated), suggest Week 3*
(b) Final due by start of seminar (to be negotiated), suggest Week 9*
The goal of this assignment is to accumulate a number of quality resources (annotated) which supports your knowledge of the field generally, and your information needs for your client project specifically. Done well, this Resource Compilation will be useful for any Management, Information & Systems courses and some other components of your degree program, and possibly afterwards as well.
Your draft Portfolio will receive feedback and a ‘temporary’ indicative mark out of 15. This mark is replaced by the mark you receive for your final submission.
Resources to be compiled and annotated include assigned readings and self-selected readings (annotated). Links to and analyses of small database programs you find (and your own) will be very useful. Other resources are also encouraged including links to books, videos, YouTube clips, etc. Full details are on MyUni. Rubric will be on MyUni after class negotiation is confirmed.

#2 Individual Database (“Fluffy”) 15%

Due by start of seminar (to be negotiated), suggest Week 5
Before undertaking the client project, students will gain experience by creating their own individual database and marketing it to their peers and instructors. Full details of the database to be built can be found on MyUni, accompanied by a marking rubric (after class negotiation is complete).

#3 Communications Analysis 20%

(a) Draft due by start of seminar (to be negotiated), suggest Week 6
(b) Final due by start of seminar (to be negotiated), suggest Week 11
Students will keep records of the communications theory, games and exercises with reflective reports on their learning, identified weaknesses and strengths as a communicator, their personal preferences, objective and subjective analyses of the games and their learning in communication, and analyse what they have theoretically learned, what (of the theory) they can practicably action, and their planned course of action for developing their communication strengths and skills, including how they will present these to future employers.
Rubric will be on MyUni after class negotiation is confirmed.

#4 Client Project Database 30% (CLOs 1, 2, 3 & 4)

(a) Algorithm & Flow Chart due: Week 7
(b) Database & manual due: Week 12
(c) Presentation (Written) due: Week 12
(d) Presentation (Oral) due: Week 12
(e) Self & Peer Assessment due: Week 12
Students will interview and observe their client to elicit business data requirements, and draft an algorithm and flow chart to address their needs. (Member check required). They will then design and build a database that follows the criteria, processes and procedures identified in their flow chart and algorithm, write a user’s manual for their database, an executive report (500 words) to management about the database and its use, and create a brief (extremely short) presentation to ‘sell’ their work to management and users (and markers).

#5 In-class Reflective Report (test) 20% (CLOs 1, 2, 3 & 4)

Date: class time, Week 13.
Duration: 1 hour - specific time to be negotiated.

This report will be written under closed-book test conditions. A minimum of 50% (10 marks) must be achieved in this report, to pass the course. The report will require reflective self-analysis and team-evaluation of the client project. Full details and rubric can be found in MyUni.