BUSN111 - Working with Technology

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Incompatible

ISYS111 Fundamentals of Business Information Systems

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

Technological advances over the past twenty years have fundamentally changed the nature of work and communications. As technology continues to evolve at an ever-increasing pace, all employees need an appreciation of how technology impacts the way we engage in the workplace.

In this unit students will explore the impact of technology and information systems on the workplace. Students will develop their knowledge of different applications of technology including the role of information systems in organisations, big data analysis as an input to managerial decision making, the changing nature of communications and the potential impact of artificial intelligence on traditional work practices and the professions. Students will investigate the impact of technology on the way organisations engage with employees and consumers as well as technology's broader sustainability impact. Students will also develop skills in technology enhanced communication in a variety of settings and organisational contexts.

Apart from the theoretical foundation of information technology, students will also explore, apply and demonstrate the knowledge of MS Office including Excel, PPT and Word through the entire semester. For MS Excel, students will be required to pass the Microsoft Excel Associate certification test for acquiring more hands-on experience, earning the certification will help the students to be ready to enter the job market.

The aim of this unit is to enhance student's knowledge of technology and its impact on people, the environment, work and society and to develop their skills in using technology to contribute positively to the effective operation of the workplace.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Identify the importance of technology in the workplace and explain how data underpins all facets of a business and the importance of it being protected (GA2, GA5)

LO2 - Demonstrate the execution of MS Office tools in the context of communication, data analysis, and business intelligence (GA5, GA10)

LO3 - Identify and analyse the key trends in technology and assess their ability to create sustainable workplaces (GA4, GA5)

LO4 - Show knowledge of communication theory and information literacies by applying relevant knowledge, skills and judgement for business and academic audiences (GA5, GA9)

LO5 - Demonstrate engagement and collaborative participation in professional development (GA5, GA7)

Graduate attributes

GA2 - recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society 

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively

Content

Topics will include: 

• brief history of technology in the workplace 
• digital disruption 
• emerging trends in technology 
• changing nature of work 
• the role of information systems in organisational success 
• cybersecurity and privacy issues 
• big data and data analytics 
• impact potential of artificial intelligence 
• technology enhanced communication 
• social and environmental impact of technology  
• digital communication for organisations 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit takes an active learning approach to guide students in not only the practical use of technology but also how to analyse and synthesise knowledge associated with the impact of technology on work and society. Students are able to explore the knowledge base underpinning working in a technology enhanced environment in a series of workshops. These workshops are designed to support students to actively participate in the construction and synthesis of this knowledge both individually and in groups. By participating in these workshops, students will systematically develop their understanding of the critical aspects of how technology is changing the nature of work in terms of what, where and how work is undertaken along with a consideration of how these trends impact society. This unit takes an experiential approach to support students in developing the communication and technical skills required to effectively use technology in the workplace by tapping into the knowledge of other participants, sharing stories and insights and reflecting on experiences. This approach is designed to interest students who prefer to learn within a social environment and builds in expert support for skills development. 

Mode of delivery: This unit is offered in different modes. These are: “Attendance” mode, “Blended” mode and “Online” mode. This unit is offered in three modes to cater to the learning needs and preferences of a range of participants and maximise effective participation for isolated and/or marginalised groups.  

Attendance Mode 

In a weekly attendance mode, students will require face-to-face attendance in specific physical location/s. Students will have face-to-face interactions with lecturer(s) to further their achievement of the learning outcomes. This unit is structured with required upfront preparation before workshops, most students report that they spend an average of one hour preparing before the workshop and one or more hours after the workshop practicing and revising what was covered. The online learning platforms used in this unit provide multiple forms of preparatory and practice opportunities for you to prepare and revise. 

Blended Mode 

In a blended mode, students will require face-to-face attendance in blocks of time determined by the School. Students will have face-to-face interactions with lecturer(s) to further their achievement of the learning outcomes. This unit is structured with required upfront preparation before workshops. The online learning platforms used in this unit provide multiple forms of preparatory and practice opportunities for you to prepare and revise.  

Online Mode 

This unit uses an active learning approach to support students in the exploration of the essential knowledge associated with working with technology. Students can explore the essential knowledge underpinning technological advances and develop knowledge in a series of online interactive lessons and modules. Students are given the opportunity to attend facilitated synchronous online seminar classes with other students and participate in the construction and synthesis of knowledge, while developing their knowledge of working with technology. Students are required to participate in a series of online interactive workshops which include activities, knowledge checks, discussion and interactive sessions. This approach allows flexibility for students and facilitates learning and participation for students with a preference for virtual learning. 

Assessment strategy and rationale

To pass this unit, students are required to complete and submit three graded assessment tasks and achieve an aggregate mark of at least 50%. Marking will be in accordance with a rubric specifically developed to measure students’ level of achievement of the learning outcomes for each item of assessment. Students will also be awarded a final grade which signifies their overall achievement in the unit. 

The assessment strategy for this unit encourages students to share co-creation of value. It also allows students to demonstrate achievement of the practical use of a suite of MS Office software thereby enabling fundamental technological skills needed in the workplace. Students are also required to encouraged to showcase their achievements and demonstrate a critical mindset in evaluating the impact of future technological work trends for a sustainable future. The same assessment strategy applies to all modes of delivery. 

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Dwyer, J 2020, Communication for Business and the Professions: Strategies and Skills, 7th edn, Pearson, Melbourne. 

Marr, B 2017, Data Strategy: How to profit from a world of Big Data, Analytics and the Internet of Things. Kogan Page, London. 

Orlikowski, WJ, Walsham, G, Jones, MR & DeGross, J. (eds) 2016, Information Technology and Changes in Organisational Work, reprint edn, Springer, Cham. 

Parsons, J 2018, New Perspectives on Computer Concepts 2018: Comprehensive. Cengage Learning, Boston 

Richardson, J, Nkhoma, M, Petts, A, Smith, R, Storey, I, Tolson, J 2017, Computing for Business Success, 4th edn. Pearson Custom Books 

Roos, G 2017, Technology-Driven Productivity Improvements and the Future of Work: Emerging Research and Opportunities. IGI Global, Hershey. 

Rossignoli, C, Virili, F & Za, S (eds) 2018, Digital Technology and Organizational Change: Reshaping Technology, People and Organizations Towards a Global Society. Springer, Cham. 

Shaw, WH, Barry, V, Issa, T, Catley, B & Muntean, D 2016, Moral issues in business, 3rd Asia Pacific edn, Cengage Learning, Australia. 

Soh, A 2016, Making Science Work for All. Partridge Publishing, Singapore.  

Susskind, R & Susskind, D 2015, The Future of the Professions: How Technology Will Transform the Work of Human Experts, Oxford University Press, Oxford. 

Waller, S 2016, The Digital Champion: Connecting the Dots Between People, Work and Technology. Simon Waller, Melbourne.