ITEC310 - Emerging Technologies of Blockchain and Internet of Things

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

ITEC101 Computer Networks

Unit rationale, description and aim

Blockchain and IoT are two emerging technologies and the convergence of these two technologies can provide a secure and robust mechanism of managing data generated by IoT devices. These two emerging technologies will disrupt existing processes across variety of industries including manufacturing, trading, shipping, the financial sector and healthcare. However, the wide scale adoption of these two technologies depends on how effectively they are integrated with each other. This unit aims to develop practical skills required to design IoT enabled blockchain solutions.  

This unit will provide an overview of blockchain and IoT technologies and will cover the basics of these two technologies. In this unit, students will learn how blockchain can be integrated with IoT to securely unlock business and operational value of these two emerging technologies. In addition, students will be identifying various blockchain and IoT based applications that will drive social impacts in different sectors. These applications include food safety through supply chain tracking, reduce energy wastage, digital identity for homeless, climate monitoring, and charity fund management.

The aim of this unit is to equip students with necessary knowledge and skills required to design and develop IoT enabled blockchain applications to drive social impact.

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 applications and use cases of IoT and blockchain technologies in different sectors such as agriculture, energy, health, philanthropy, human dignity and human rights across societies and national borders (GA2, GA5). 

LO2 - design an architectural model for an IoT enabled blockchain-based system to provide interoperability and security (GA5, GA8)

LO3 - implement and test an IoT enabled blockchain application on the test network using an appropriate blockchain platform (GA5, GA10)

Graduate attributes

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

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

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

Content

Topics will include:

• Evolution of blockchain
• Blockchain features
• Blockchain vs Distributed Ledger
• Components of distributed ledger
• Consensus mechanism
• Blockchain programming
• History of IoT
• IoT landscape
• Design principles
• IoT architecture
• IoT and blockchain benefits
• Integration challenges
• IoT and blockchain use cases

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

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 for 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.

Students should anticipate undertaking 150 hours of study for this unit, including class attendance, readings, online forum participation and assessment preparation.

Assessment strategy and rationale

A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. The first assessment item is a design report, where students will identify a suitable use-case and analyse both functional and non-functional requirements to design the architectural model. The purpose of this item is to assess students’ ability to apply their knowledge and skills in designing an interoperable architectural model. The second assessment item is a practical assessment, where students will develop an IoT-enabled blockchain application based on the architectural model designed in the first assessment item. The purpose of this assessment task is to assess students’ ability to apply their knowledge and skills in developing a blockchain application.

The assessments for this unit are designed to demonstrate the achievement of each learning outcome. To pass this unit, students are required to:

• obtain an overall mark of at least 50%
• attempt all three assessment items 

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

D. Hellwig, G. Karlic, and A. Huchzermeier, Build your own blockchain: A Practical Guide to Distributed Ledger Technology, Springer, 1st Edition, 2020.