Module Descriptors
COMPUTING SKILLS IN THE WORKPLACE (WBL)
COCS40583
Key Facts
School of Computing and Digital Technologies
Level 4
30 credits
Contact
Leader: Susan Bailey
Hours of Study
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: 96
Independent Study Hours: 204
Total Learning Hours: 300
Assessment
  • PRESENTATION - INDIVIDUAL weighted at 20%
  • CLASS TEST weighted at 80%
Module Details
Module Indicative Content
Use of logic circuitry including adders, memory, processors, I/O, peripherals etc.
Number systems relevant to computer systems (building from basic Number Theory covered within the mathematics elements of the module).
Computer system structure and components including Operating Systems, peripherals, services etc.
Elementary data communications.
Graphical displays including basic buffering and acceleration techniques.
Introduction to virtualisation and cloud computing
Types and relevance of Operating Systems, absence of an OS and use of schedulers.
Servers and choice of server operating system including the use of remote solutions, e.g. the cloud environment and what enhancements they offer to an enterprise network system.
Principles of 'Green' computing from a hardware and systems perspective.

Propositional Logic ¿ The basics and operators, truth tables, equivalence, valid arguments.
Matrices - The basics and operators, inverse of 2 x 2 matrix, solving systems of linear equations, linear transformations in 2 dimensions.
Elements of Set Theory - The basics concept and operators, Venn diagrams, the concept of a function and inverse functions for simple polynomials.
Functions - an introduction to low order polynomial, logarithmic, exponential, and trigonometric functions. Solving simple equations involving these functions.
Probability - Rules of probability, Probability trees, Conditional Probability.
Descriptive Statistics - tabulating and charting data, averages, measures of spread. Introduction to graph theory - The basics, trees, least weight spanning tree, least weight path between two points, tree traversal.
Module Special Admissions Requirements
None
Module Resources
Specialist laboratory facilities with access to digital logic tutors or equivalent
Module Texts
Math For Information Technology, Basta & DeLong, 2013, Delmar Cengage Learning, ISBN-13: 978-1111307929.
Foundation Mathematics, Stroud & Booth, 2009, Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN-13: 978-0230579071.
Discrete Mathematics for Computing, Grossman, 2008, Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN-13: 978-0230216112.
The Principles of Computer Hardware, Alan Clements, 2006, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0199273133

Module Learning Strategies
The module will be delivered via a series of lectures and tutorials / practicals.
There will be two one-hour lectures given to the entire group each week (48 lecture hours in total). Students will also receive two one-hour tutorials / practicals each week (48 tutorial/practical hours in total). The core material will be presented during the lectures and the tutorials will give students the opportunity to gain confidence and experience through practice on suitable examples. Lectures and tutorials will alternate throughout the week so that confidence can be built up before lectures move on to the next topic.
Formative tests and vivas will be used on an ad hoc basis to assess students¿ progress.

The module will prepare students to follow additional study to take the HP ATA Certification in Servers and Storage.
Module Additional Assessment Details
Individual presentation (15 mins) based on research weighted at 20% on aspects of virtualisation and cloud computing, Learning outcome 7. The presentation may be completed on campus or through technology such as Skype if on campus attendance is not possible.

TEST weighted at 80%.
Tests comprising a series of 3 multiple choice tests (45 minutes each) and 2 short answer in-class tests assessing Learning Outcomes 1-6. This will be the final assessment.