Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale

Unit of Study Outline

CIS13
Information Systems Fundamentals
Study Period 4, 2011
Version date (16 November, 2011)

© Swinburne University of Technology, 2011

Except as provided in the Copyright Act 1968, this document may not be
reproduced in any form without the written permission of the University.
Unit of Study Outline
CIS 13
Unit of study code
Information Systems Fundamentals
Unit of study name
Study Period 4, 2011
Teaching Term/Semester & Year
None
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
12.5
Credit Points

Teaching Staff
Name Role Phone No. Email Address
Rob Baxendale Convenor 0425 792 922 rbaxendale@swin.edu.au
Halina Sykes Tutor See Website hsykes@swin.edu.au
Vivien Li Tutor See Website vli@swin.edu.au
Raymond Chiong Tutor See Website rchiong@swin.edu.au
Joseph Subramaniam Tutor See Website jsubramaniam@swin.edu.au

If you have any queries or problems about the unit or the course (including unit content and/or
course/ unit administration), you should contact your tutor in the first instance. If necessary, and
based upon your tutor‟s advice, you may need to consult with the convenor of the unit.
Email

All emails sent to either your tutor or the unit convener of this unit need to be sent from your
student email account. This will ensure your email is received in a timely manner and not
automatically sent to the SPAM filter used by Swinburne. Swinburne email accounts can be
forwarded to personal accounts. The Swinburne Student email system, Outlook Live, is located at
http://outlook.com. See http://live.swinburne.edu.au/faq.html for more information on how to use it.

As part of the email criteria please clearly place in the subject heading the Unit Code and a brief
topic description, also inside your email state your name (first name and last name) so that your
email can be attended to as soon as possible.

Voicemail Messages

If you are leaving a voicemail message, please make sure you leave your name and a contact
phone number, the date and time of your call and the unit code (CIS13) clearly so your call can
be returned as soon as possible.

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Aims
Overall, CIS 13 aims to instil an appreciation of how technology can be used to assist
business, without the technology becoming an end in itself. In particular, it aims to generate an
awareness of the importance of information to decision making, how to provide such
information and ensure its usefulness to the decision makers.

Learning Objectives
After successfully completing this unit, you should be able to:
 Recognize the role and use of technology in business systems and operations
 Identify and describe organizational structure and business processes within these
structures
 Apply knowledge in the development of a suitable electronic file storage system for a
business.
 Demonstrate an understanding of the process in systems design and development.
 Identify the fundamental principles of eCommerce and its applications in business.
 Describe several generic business and personal applications of data communications
technology.

Resources and Reference Material

Virtual Learning Guide

The course material (comprising Lessons, Learning Objects, the Virtual Lectures will be made
available on the first day of the study period on the Flexible Learning at Swinburne Web site:
http://ilearn.swin.edu.au/ or go to the Swinburne Lilydale home page http://www.ld.swin.edu.au/
and select my.swinburne from the top menu.

NB: The recommended browser for accessing the I.T. units online via Blackboard is Internet
Explorer Version 7 or later.

Recommended Texts
 Stair, RM & Reynolds, GW, 2007 Fundamentals of Information Systems, 5th edn.,
Thomson Course Technology, Boston.

You may wish to buy the following book (or more recent editions of it) as it will help with report
writing for many of your Swinburne units including this one:
Summers, J and Smith, B 2009, Communications Skills Handbook: How to succeed in written and
oral communication, 3rd edn., John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Queensland.

Other Useful References

 Alter, S, 2002 Information Systems: the Foundation of eBusiness, 4th edn, Prentice Hall,
Upper Saddle River, NJ.
 O‟Brien, JA, 2003, Introduction to Information Systems: Essentials for the eBusiness
Enterprise, 11th edn., McGraw-Hill Irwin, Boston.
 Turban E, Rainer R & Potter, RE 2005, Introduction to Information Technology, third
Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, New York.

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Content

Lesson 1: Organisations
Learning Object 1-1: Introduction to Organisation Structure
Learning Object 1-2: Organisational context , culture and change

Lesson 2: Writing for Communication

Learning Object 2-1: Report Writing
Learning Object 2-2: Harvard Referencing

Lesson 3: Information Systems

Learning Object 3-1: Introduction to Information Systems
Learning Object 3-2: Information Systems in Organisations

Lesson 4: Systems Architecture

Learning Object 4-1: Telecommunication
Learning Object 4-2: Networks
Learning Object 4-3: Databases

Lesson 5: Management Support Systems

Learning Object 5-1: Intro to MSS
Learning Object 5-2: Specialised Support Systems

Lesson 6: Data Flow Diagrams

Learning Object 6-1: Construction of DFDs

Lesson 7: Systems Development and Project Management

Learning Object 7-1: Methodologies for IS development
Learning Object 7-2: Introduction to IS Project Management

Lesson 8: Ethical and Social Issues

Learning Object 8-1: Computer crime and Privacy
Learning Object 8-2: Professional and Ethical Conduct

Key Generic Skills for this Unit of Study

Content and feedback in CIS13 Information Systems Fundamentals is directed at developing a
range of generic skills in students. Through a process of assessment and feedback students will be
able to gauge the extent to which they have attained the following:

 Analysis and research skills will be assessed through the assignment reports requiring a
critique of each case study and justifications for each database design.
 Problem-solving skills will be assessed through the design recommendations which
address existing problems stated in the 2nd assessment.
 Communication skills will be assessed formally through the written assignment reports
with feedback on report clarity, structure and demonstration of understanding for the task
requirements.
 Ability to work independently will be developed in the writing and reading requirements
of the unit and assessed through the test which demonstrates individual knowledge and
ability to find solutions.

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Learning and Teaching Structure
The course material (comprising Lessons, Learning Objects, Virtual Lectures and assessments)
will be made available on the first day of the study period on the Flexible Learning at Swinburne
Web site: http://ilearn.swin.edu.au/ or go to the Swinburne Lilydale home page
http://www.ld.swin.edu.au/ and select my.swinburne from the top menu.

Flexible learning at Swinburne is designed to assist students to study in their own time, and from
their own homes. Online communication will be available through Online Chat sessions the
„Discussion Board‟ and emails. By reading the material and adding your own thoughts, you will be
able to contribute to the on line discussions and everyone will benefit.

As an Off-Campus unit you will need to take control of your learning processes. While teaching
staff will be available to assist when required, it will be up to you to take the initiative and contact
your convener or appointed online tutor by email or via the online discussions. It is expected that
you will explore all the resources which are available online and undertake the preparatory reading
and exercises outlined in the unit learning materials. In a Semester, you should normally expect to
spend, on average, twelve and a half hours of total time (formal contact time plus independent
study time) a week on a 12.5 credit point unit of study.

You should follow the dates provided in your Weekly Schedule (as contained in this document) for
all assessment items and suggested course content sequencing.

NB: The recommended browser for accessing the I.T. units online via Blackboard is Internet
Explorer Version 7 or later.

Lessons and Case Studies

There are lessons in this unit that cover the major areas. The main function of these is to give a
general overview of the lesson and to direct the student to relevant learning objects required to
gain an understanding of the concepts and skills involved for the lesson. The lesson will provide
study guidelines, but will not attempt to deal with every relevant aspect pertaining to that lesson.

Learning Objects
A Learning Object is an organised collection of learning resources and activities that focuses on a
particular body of knowledge and the accompanying set of skills at the conceptual and content
level. You will need to already know or learn the material in a Learning Object so that you can
successfully study any Lessons that incorporate the Learning Object.

Peer Support
As you study this unit, you will not be alone. You will be participating in a community of students
studying the same unit. Your fellow students will have slightly different skills and levels of
knowledge, but they will experience similar problems to those that you will face. Other students can
be valuable resources, and you can be a valuable aid for your companions, so help other students
and seek the help of others. But, please remember that all the work you submit for assessment
must be your own work – do not submit the work of others as if it is your own as heavy penalties
will be applied.

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CIS13 Weekly Schedule – Study Period 4, 2011
# Week Lesson Learning Objects Assessments
Starting

Introduction to Organisation Structure

1 28 November Lesson 1 - Organizations Organisational context, culture and
change

Lesson 2 - Writing for Report Writing

2 5 December
Communications Harvard Referencing

Assessment 1a Due:
3 12 December Lesson 3 - Information Systems Introduction to Information Systems Online Quiz to be completed
this week

19 December Census Date

4 19 December Lesson 3 - Information Systems Information Systems in Organisations

5 26 December Christmas and New Years Break

Telecommunication
6 2 January Lesson 4 - Systems Architecture Networks
Databases

8 January – Last day to withdraw without academic penalty (WD)

Lesson 5 - Management Support Introduction to MSS Assessment 1b Due:

7 9 January
Systems Specialised Support Systems Sunday 15th January

OUA Examination Services Venue Selection Open 9-27 January

8 16 January Lesson 6 - Data Flow Diagrams Construction of DFDs

22 January – Last day to withdraw to receive (WDFP)

9 23 January Lesson 6 - Data Flow Diagrams Construction of DFDs (cont‟d)

22 January – Students withdrawing after this date will receive (NLWD)

Lesson 7 - Systems Development

10 30 January Methodologies for IS development
and Project Management

Lesson 7 - Systems Development Introduction to IS Project

11 6 February
and Project Management Management

Lesson 8 - Ethical and Social Computer crime and Privacy Assessment 2 Due:
12 13 February
Issues Professional and Ethical Conduct Sunday 19th February

13 20 February Revision

DATE PURPOSE

To be advised by OUA Examination Services EXAM supervised by Invigilator

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Blackboard Site for this Unit of Study

Important information concerning this unit of study is placed on the Swinburne course management
system (Blackboard), accessible via http://ilearn.swin.edu.au/
It is your responsibility to access on a regular basis
 the Blackboard site for your unit of study. Type in your ID number and your password. Note
your ID number is your student ID and your password is initially set to your date of birth in the
format DDMMYY
 the Announcements section on Blackboard, and
 any emails sent by the teaching staff to your student email address via Blackboard.
 If you access your email through a provider other than Swinburne, it is your responsibility to
ensure that your Swinburne email is forwarded to your private email address. To redirect your
Swinburne email, go to http://live.swinburne.edu.au/redirect.html for information on how to do
this.

Please note: Not all internet browsers support Blackboard. The compatible browsers are as
follows:
For PC users: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, 7 and 8 and Mozilla Firefox 2 and 3
For MAC users: Mozilla Firefox 1.5 and 3
More information about this is can be found at http://www.lilydale.swinburne.edu.au/oua/

Password
Your Blackboard password is one of many that is controlled by the Swinburne Identity Management System
(SIMS). Once you have synchronised your account, your password will be your SIMS password. See
http://www.its.swinburne.edu.au/students/guides/network/sims/index.html for more information. Keep your
password secret! If you think that someone has discovered your password, change it immediately.

Using Blackboard
See
http://www.its.swinburne.edu.au/students/guides/learning_teaching/blackboard_9_1/student_resources.htm

Getting help
If you have any problems with Blackboard, please contact the ITS Service Desk (servicedesk@swin.edu.au)
or (03) 9214 5000. In addition, there is a Help Request web form (recommended for non-telephone queries)
on the Blackboard login page.

(On-campus)Teaching Periods: (On-campus) Non-Teaching Times:

Monday to Friday: 8:00 am to 9:00 pm Monday to Friday: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

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Student Feedback:

Swinburne seeks student feedback in a number of ways, including through periodic Student
Feedback surveys, as part of the university‟s approach to quality assurance and improvement.
Possible improvement based on both student and staff feedback is considered by Unit Convenors,
Unit Panels made up of relevant teaching staff, Program Panels, Faculty Academic Committees,
and the Academic Programs Quality Committee, as appropriate.

Assessment
a. Assessment Task Details:

Assessment Task Individual Related Learning Weighting Due Date

Objective(s)
Assessment 1A - Individual 1-1, 1-2, 2-1, and 10% Week 3 - See Website for
Quiz 2-2 due dates

Assessment 1B Individual 2-1, 2-2, 3-1, 3-2, 20% See Website for due
4-1, 4-2, 4-3 dates

Assessment 2 Individual 2-1, 2-2, 5-1, 5-2, 30% See Website for due
6-1, 7-1, 7-2 dates

Final Examination Individual All 40% TBA

b. Participation Requirements
Students are encouraged to make use of all the electronic facilities and resources available on the
unit website, which are online tutorials, discussion boards and emails. These methods of engaging
in the unit are advised but not mandated.

c. Minimum Requirements to pass this Unit of Study:

In order to be awarded a pass in this unit of study you must complete the following requirements:
• To achieve a pass or higher grade in this unit you must obtain a pass in the exam (greater
than 45% of the available marks) and a minimum aggregate of all available marks of at
least 50%.

A final grade will be assigned, based on the aggregate marks after moderation in accordance with
University Policy

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d. Assessment Criteria:

Assessment 1A
Marks: 10%
Due Date: The assessment is to be taken during the week stated in the schedule.

Brief Outline – Online Quiz. You will demonstrate your understanding of organisational structure. A more
detailed specification and marking criteria will be made available via Blackboard.
Note: It is strongly recommended that the students do not start this assignment until they have gone through
the “Introduction to Organization Structure” Learning Object that is located in Lesson 1 and the learning
objects in Lesson 2.

Assessment 1B
Marks: 20%
Due Date: Assignment to be lodged in Blackboard by midnight of the due date stated in the schedule.

Brief Outline – This assignment will require you to prepare a report demonstrating your understanding of
business processes and how Information Systems can support business processes. A more detailed
specification and marking criteria will be made available via Blackboard.

Note: It is strongly recommended that the students do not start this assignment until they have gone through
the “Introduction to Organization Structure” Learning Object that is located in Lesson 1 and the learning
objects in Lesson 2, Lesson 3 and Lesson 4.

Assessment 2
Marks: 20%
Due Date: Assignment to be lodged in Blackboard by midnight of the due date stated in the schedule.

Brief Outline – This assignment will require you to analyse a particular scenario from an Information
Systems perspective using Data Flow Diagrams. You will prepare a report based on your diagrams, your
analysis and recommendations. A more detailed specification and marking criteria will be made available via
Blackboard.

Note: It is strongly recommended that the students do not start this assignment until they have gone through
the “Data Flow Diagrams” Learning Object that is located in Lesson6.

Final Examination:
Marks: 40%
Due Date: To be advised by OUA Examination
Duration: 2 hours writing time, preceded by 10 minutes reading time.

The exam is marked out of 100, and worth 40% of the overall assessment. A mark of at least 45 of the total
possible 100 marks on the exam is required in order to be eligible to obtain a Pass or better grade in the
unit.

Note that ONLY writing materials (such as pens and highlighters) and a hard copy (printed) „other language –
English‟ or „straight‟ English dictionary are permitted in the exam room. Electronic dictionaries, thesauruses
and similar hardware are strictly forbidden.

NB. The exam marks may be subject to moderation by the teaching panel, based on faculty
guidelines, statistical distribution and comparative assessment tasks from previous study periods.

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e. Submission of Assignments:
All work you submit for assessments must be submitted in the form prescribed by the unit
convener. Unless otherwise indicated, all the work you submit for assessment in this unit must be
submitted in Blackboard with an appropriate cover sheet.
Note that when you submit any work for review or assessment, you thereby declare that the work
submitted is your own, that no part of the work submitted has been copied except where due and
explicit acknowledgment has been made within the content of the work, and that no part
whatsoever of the work submitted has been produced by any other person.
Note that all assessment tasks should be completed and submitted by the specified submission
date. Any late or unsatisfactory assessment submissions made without prior agreement with the
Unit Convenor may incur a loss of marks in accordance with the University's Extensions and Late
Penalties policies (see below)

f. Extensions and Late Submissions:

Extensions Policy
Assessment due dates are published in Unit Outlines at the start of the teaching period and will
not normally be extended except where students had their studies adversely affected by acute
illness, misadventure or other extraordinary cause or circumstance reasonably beyond their
control. Students who need to request an extension of time to the due date for a piece of
assessment (excluding end of teaching period final examinations) should contact their Unit
Convenor directly to discuss their circumstances and submit the extension form located at
http://www.lilydale.swinburne.edu.au/students/current.htm

If approved, the convenor will notify the student of the extended date. For more information
refer to http://policies.swinburne.edu.au/ppdonline/showdoc.aspx?recnum=POL/2007/9

Late Penalties Policy

1. This policy should be read in conjunction with the University‟s Assessment and Appeals
Procedures and Higher Education, Lilydale‟s Extensions Policy.
2. Pieces of assessment which carry a weighting of 10% or more towards a student‟s final
result shall incur a late penalty of 10% of the available marks for each day or part thereof
that the assessment is late provided it is submitted within one week of the due date.
Assignments submitted more than one week after the due date will receive a mark of zero.
3. Pieces of assessment which carry a weighting of less than 10% towards a student‟s final
result shall incur a late penalty of 1 mark for each day or part thereof that the assessment
is late provided it is submitted within one week of the due date. Assignments submitted
more than one week after the due date will receive a mark of zero.

g. Assessment Results:
All results (excluding final examination and final results) will be available in Blackboard Grade
Centre. This can be accessed by students through their Blackboard site via „My grades‟.
Students must retain all assessed material that contributes to the final result up until such time as
the final results are published.

h. Groupwork Guidelines:
Not applicable in this unit.

i. Plagiarism:
Swinburne University of Technology defines Plagiarism as the action or practice of taking and
submitting or presenting the thoughts, writings or other work of someone else as though it is your

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own work. Plagiarism includes any of the following, without full and appropriate acknowledgment to
the original source(s):
(i) The use of the whole or part of a computer program written by another person;
(ii) the use, in essays or other assessable work, of the whole or part of a written work from any
source including but not limited to a book, journal, newspaper article, set of lecture notes,
current or past student‟s work, any other person‟s work, a website or database;
(iii) the paraphrasing of another‟s work;
(iv) the use of musical composition, audio, visual, graphic and photographic models,
(v) The use of regalia, that is objects, artefacts, costumes, models and the like.
Plagiarism also includes the preparation or production and submission or presentation of
assignments or other work in conjunction with another person or other people when that work
should be your own independent work. This remains plagiarism whether or not it is with the
knowledge or consent of the other person or people. It should be noted that Swinburne encourages
its students to talk to staff, fellow students and other people who may be able to contribute to a
student‟s academic work but that where independent assignment is required, submitted or
presented work must be the student‟s own.
Enabling plagiarism contributes to plagiarism and therefore will be treated as a form of plagiarism
by the University. Enabling plagiarism means allowing or otherwise assisting another student to
copy or otherwise plagiarise work by, for example, allowing access to a draft or completed
assignment or other work.

j. Assessment and Appeals Policy and Procedure

The information outlined in the Assessment sections above is covered in more detail in
Swinburne‟s Assessment and Appeals Policy and Procedure. Students must be familiar with the
Policy and Procedure, found at:
http://www.swinburne.edu.au/corporate/registrar/ppd/docs/AssessmentandAppealsHigherEducatio
n.pdf
The Policy and Procedure provides details about:
 Assessment issues such as the conduct of examinations, plagiarism policies and details
explaining how to apply for a review of results and other appeals, and
 Student progress issues such as unsatisfactory academic progress and early intervention
procedures, and
 Information for students with disabilities and special needs and procedures for applying for
special consideration.
Students should make themselves familiar with all aspects of the Policy and Procedure, as failure
to do so is not grounds for appeal.
Students are advised to seek advice from the staff at the Swinburne Student Amenities Association
SSAA (http://www.swinburne.edu.au/ssaa/) if they require assistance with advocacy for Sections
12 (At-Risk and Progress Review) and 13 (Appeals) of the Policy and Procedure.

k. Safety Standards and Conduct Requirements:

Student misconduct is an action by a student which is in breach of the policies specified by
Swinburne in the student General Misconduct policy. This extends to publishing on websites even
where those sites are not set up or managed by Swinburne. Swinburne accepts no responsibility
for unauthorised material posted in social networking sites (such as Facebook).

If you have any issues resulting from the behaviour of other students, you should immediately
contact the Swinburne Student Amenities Association (SSAA)
http://www.myssaa.com.au/advocacy/academic-advice-and-advocacy

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Relevant links:
Student General Misconduct policy
http://policies.swinburne.edu.au/ppdonline/showdoc.aspx?recnum=POL/2007/29
Information Technology (IT) Systems Acceptable Use Policy
http://policies.swinburne.edu.au/ppdonline/showdoc.aspx?recnum=POL/2008/34
All students are expected to respect the rights and sensibilities of their fellow students and
teaching staff. This also applies in respect of the content of video and audio work submitted for
assessment. The University has rigorous anti-discrimination and harassment policies and
procedures. http://ppd.swinburne.edu.au/humres/AntiDiscrimination.htm

l. Special Needs

Students with disabilities who require extra time or have special requirements in examinations may
seek advice from Swinburne Equity Unit http://www.swinburne.edu.au/stuserv/equity/index.html.
(Telephone: +61 3 9214 8852).
Students should also notify the Unit Convenor by e-mail, fax or phone. See also the “Students with
Disabilities and Special Needs” Section of the Assessment and Appeals Policy & Procedure, at:
http://www.swinburne.edu.au/corporate/registrar/ppd/docs/StudentswithaDisability.pdf

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Open Universities Australia
Withdraw from a unit
If you need to withdraw from a unit the date of the notification is very important. See below for
further information.
From week 1 - 6
Please advise Open Universities Australia, of your intention to withdraw up until the end of week 6,
the unit(s) will be removed from your record. From weeks 1 – 3 you will, however, incur an
administration fee. Please refer to the OUA website https://www.open.edu.au/public/student-
admin-and-support/changing-your-study/withdrawing for these details. You will not incur a FEE
HELP debt for the unit(s).
Financial penalties are based on the date that Open Universities Australia receives your withdrawal
request.

From weeks 4-6 you will incur your fee help debt.

Weeks 7-13
Please submit a withdrawal form http://www.lilydale.swinburne.edu.au/oua/withdrawal.pdf , to
advise Swinburne University of Technology, Higher Education Lilydale, of your intention to
withdraw from week 7 and no later than eight weeks after the start of the Study Period, the unit(s)
will receive a WDFP – Withdrawn, Fee Payable grade on your academic record. You will retain the
FEE HELP debt for the unit(s).
If the notification of withdrawal is received after Week 8 of the Study Period, the unit(s) will receive
a NLWD – Not Pass, Late Withdrawal grade on your academic record. You will retain the FEE
HELP debt for the unit(s).
If you do not formally withdraw and you have submitted work, it will be assessed and a grade
awarded accordingly. If no work for assessment has been submitted, a “Not Assessed” grade will
be awarded.
Refunds for withdrawal after the Census Date are available under Special Circumstances for
students who have paid their registration fees upfront. Please refer to the Special Circumstances
section of the Refund Guidelines in the Open Universities Australia handbook or the website
www.open.edu.au for further information.

Further Information
For further information on OUA through Swinburne University of Technology a website has been
provided. The address for this site is: http://www.ld.swin.edu.au/oua/

Contacts
Student Advisers - Open Universities Australia
Swinburne University of Technology, Lilydale GPO Box 5387
Locked Bag 218 Level 1, 131 Queen St.,
Lilydale VIC 3140 Melbourne VIC., Australia 3001
ouald@swin.edu.au http://www.open.edu.au/contactus
Phone: (+613) 9215 7206 Phone (+61) 1300 36 36 52
Fax: (+613) 9215 7254 Fax (+613) 8628 2955

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