INDUCTION DAY - SECONDARY RESEARCH AND LITERATURE REVIEWS
• Use of the Library
• Academic report writing
• Secondary research and literature reviews
• Use of Word Processing packages (eg. MS Word)

AUTUMN TERM - MATHEMATICS FOR DATA ANALYSIS AND COMPUTING
• Basic arithmetic and mathematical concepts required for Computing including
• Propositional Logic
• The basics and operators, truth tables, equivalence, valid arguments.
• the concept of a function and inverse functions for simple polynomials.
• Probability - Rules of probability, Probability trees, Conditional Probability.
• Descriptive Statistics, spreadsheets such as MS Excel, tabulating and charting data, averages, measures of spread
• Use of graphs and charts for the presentation of statistics

SPRING TERM - COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
• Use of logic circuitry including adders, memory, processors, I/O, peripherals etc.
• Number systems relevant to computer systems
• Computer system structure and components including Operating Systems, peripherals, services etc.
• Graphical displays including basic buffering and acceleration techniques.
• Introduction to virtualisation and cloud computing

Types and relevance of Operating Systems.
Memory management and protection
Memory types - static and dynamic
Security and access control.

• Servers and choice of server operating system including the use of remote solutions, e.g. the cloud
• Principles of 'Green' computing
• The potential social impact and ethical and legal implications of the choices made
PRIMARY RESEARCH AND DATA
• Primary research techniques
• Data quality and value
• Legislation around data collection and storage
• Data security (CIA)
• Team work.
• Presentation skills and presentation tools such as MS Powerpoint

Learning Strategies Module Launch (30 hours)
There will be a module launch in each term during which 10 hours of face to face contact will be devoted to undertaking tasks which are designed to provide useful insights into the module content and purpose for that term.

Guided Learning (30 hours)
A module tutor who is part of the teaching team of the module will be allocated to you and you will meet them during the launch. Following the launch, there will be some materials on the VLE which are designed to guide your learning. Additionally, there will be at least one hour per week of contact time for the ten weeks following the launch. This will be used for learning guided led by your module tutor. It might be undertaken as face to face classroom teaching if you are on day release. Alternatively, it might be a flipped classroom approach with online group seminars

Independent learning (238.5 hours)
The module leader will provide resources through the virtual learning environment which will include videos and presentations as well as links to useful websites. Other academic learning will be achieved through reading around the subject area. Module tutors will suggest useful texts, though many others will be suitable and can be found in our e-library. If you require help understanding any of the concepts, you may contact your module tutor for assistance.

Part of your independent learning will take place in your workplace under the guidance of your mentor. You will complete a work-based learning agreement to ensure that arrangements are in place at your workplace to facilitate this work-based learning. You are encouraged to endeavour to apply your growing academic knowledge to improve your work practice and to reflect on your work-based experiences to improve your learning.

You will be required to work complete assignment work during independent learning time. Assignment work for this module should take around 30 hours per component to complete.

Formal Formative Reviews (1.5 hours)
You will have 2 individual formal formative reviews with your module tutor during in each term. These will be circa 15-minute telephone/skype calls during which your module tutor will be able to answer any queries that you have regarding module work. The review weeks are listed in the module handbook and your mentor will be invited to join the call and provide feedback.

Additional help
You will have access to the departmental librarian and you will also have an academic coach who will organise group coaching sessions to guide you through your academic journey with us. As a student, you are more than welcome to visit the university at any time and to use the resources. During time at the university, you may arrange to meet your module tutor or academic coach for additional help.

MATHEMATICS Weighted at 30%, Learning outcomes 4,5,6
A class test (45 minutes) to test key mathematical concepts (15%)

• A group work project (groups of 3/4) to produce a spreadsheet model with presentation of statistics based on a case study. Circa 2000 words (15%)

COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE Weighted at 40%, Learning outcomes 7,8
An individual portfolio of exercises aimed at understanding capacity and functionality of systems:

• Some theory based using a case study
• Some practical and work based
• Some requiring reflection of use and applicability of theoretical concepts in the work environment of the learner
(circa 2400 words)

PRIMARY RESEARCH Weighted at 30%, Learning outcomes 1,2,3,4
• A group work project (groups of 3/4) involving primary research. Each group will produce a presentation which will be presented to an audience (including mentors/line managers where possible) with a question and answer session to follow - Presentation of up to 15 slides lasting 20 minutes with 10 minutes for questions (15%)
• An individual report including research into team work theories, evaluation of the group work experience with reference to the theories and a plan of action for improving approach to group work. Circa 1000 words (15%)

You will need access to these resources:

The VLE
An ICT Workplace environment. A Work-Based Learning Agreement will be completed for this module to ensure that the student will have access to the required resources in the workplace.
Access to platforms that run Linux or Unix (in addition to Windows)

The Internet and office software
Staffordshire University has subscriptions to electronic book services such as Safari Tech Books, Ebrary and Netlibrary. There are titles in each of the collections that will support students studying this module.

SILBERSCHATZ, A (2014) Operating system concepts essentials, Wiley

CROFT, A., DAVIDSON, R., (2010), Foundation Maths, Addison-Wesley(Edition: 5)

COTTRELL, S. (2008), The Study Skills Handbook (Palgrave study skills), PALGRAVE, Macmillan (Edition: 3)

Pandora's Box: Social and Professional Issues of the Information Age, Andrew Adams and Rachel McCrindle, 2007, John Wiley & Sons

QUINN, M. (2010) Ethics for the Information Age: International Edition, Pearson Education (Edition: 4)

BAASE, S. (2012) A Gift of Fire: Social, Legal and Ethical Issues for Computing and the Internet, Pearson Education, ISBN-10: 027376859X (Edition: 4)

RIDLEY, D. (2012) The Literature Review - A Step-by-Step Guide for Students, Sage Publications Ltd (Edition: 2)

1. REFLECT ON THE ASPECTS OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE SUCH AS TEAM WORKING, SELF-ASSESSMENT, PEER ASSESSMENT, LEADERSHIP, NEGOTIATION, INFUUENCE AND MOTIVATION MAKING CLEAR, CONCISE, ENGAGING AND WELL-STRUCTURED VERBAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION OF ARGUMENTS AND EXPLANATIONS.
Reflection
Communication

2. UNDERSTAND THE LEGISLATION AND ETHICS AROUND DATA COLLECTION AND STORAGE (INCLUDING CONFIDENTIALITY, INTEGRITY AND AVAILABILITY).
Knowledge & Understanding

3. APPLY APPROPRIATE PRIMARY RESEARCH TECHNIQUES TO SOURCE WORK PLACE DATA UNDERSTANDING KEY CONCEPTS INCLUDING DATA QUALITY, DATA SECURITY AND THE LIMITATIONS OF THE DATA IN TERMS OF RELIABILITY AND BIAS.
Knowledge & Understanding
Enquiry

4. USE ICT PACKAGES FOR DATA ANALYSIS, VERBAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION, AND COLLABORATION IN AN ACADEMIC CONTEXT WITH A KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF LEGISLATION AND ISSUES THAT ARISE FROM THE USE OF ICT SYSTEMS INCLUDING HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND SECURITY.
Knowledge & Understanding
Application
Learning

5. ANALYSE BOTH QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA IN A LEGITIMATE AND EFFECTIVE FASHION USING GRAPHS AND CHARTS WHERE APPROPRIATE TO PRESENT INFORMATION IN A SUITABLE FORMAT FOR DECISION MAKING.
Analysis
Communication

6. UNDERSTAND AND APPLY MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS AND PROCESSES THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES.
Knowledge & Understanding

7. UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF COMPONENTS WHICH ARE COMMONLY USED IN CONTEMPORARY ICT/TELECOMMS SYSTEMS AND CONFIGURE THEM TO MEET REQUIREMENTS (INCLUDING SECURITY REQUIREMENTS)
Knowledge & Understanding
Problem Solving
Application

8. DEMONSTRATE UNDERSTANDING OF THE FUNCTIONALITY AND CAPACITY OF AN ICT SYSTEM AND EVALUATE ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS AND ROUTES TO SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF AN ICT SYSTEM PRESENTING OBJECTIVE DATA TO CONTRIBUTE TO DECISION MAKING.
Analysis
Knowledge and Understanding