Title (Units): COMP4006 Information Technology Professional Practices (3,2,1)

Course Aims: To examine important professional issues in contemporary practice and to help
students become an effective participant in a team of IT professionals. At the end
of the study of this course, students should
i) have gained a thorough understanding of the various issues/factors an IT
professional faces and how one should respond,
ii) have learned what are considered professional behavior in the IT field, and
iii) have learned about the current IT practices in Hong Kong and elsewhere.

Prerequisite: Year IV Standing in Computer Science

Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

No. Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)

Knowledge
1 Describe the various issues/factors an information technology professional faces and explain how one
should respond
2 Describe professional practices and behavior in the ICT industries
3 Recognize current issues and their impacts in IT
Professional Skill
4 Acquire knowledge to appreciate industry practices in an integrated manner
5 Write properly formatted and organized reports and term papers
6 Present a new topic, lead discussion and comment on others' views

Calendar Description: This course examines important professional issues in contemporary practice to
help students become an effective participant in a team of IT professionals.

Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs):

CILOs Type of TLA

1, 2, 3 Lectures, in-class group presentations, guest lectures
4 Guest lectures, Group written report
5 Guest lecture reports, Self-reflection reports, Group written report
6 In-class group presentations, Group report presentation

Assessment:

No. Assessment Weighting CILOs to be Description of Assessment Tasks

Methods addressed
1 Case Study 10% 4, 6 Students will deliver a group presentation. They
Presentation will be assessment by their presentation and
discussion skills.
2 Case Study 30% 4, 5 It includes two parts: group case study report and
Report and individual group feedback assessments. Group case
individual study report assess students’ ability to conduct
assessments research and write organized reports. Individual
assessments will ask students questions regarding
the case studies to assess their understanding of the
topics.
3 Guest 20% 2, 3, 4, 5 Students will submit reflective reports after
Lecture attending the guest lectures to share their thoughts
Report about the topics. They will be assessed by their
understanding of the topics and their writing skills.
4 Group 20% 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 Students will conduct research into a topic related to
Project course lectures. Students will present the topic in a
group presentation. Students will deliver a formal
writing to summarize their understanding.

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 5 Test(s) 20% 1, 2, 3 Test questions are to test learning outcomes in the
Knowledge domain. They are designed to assess
students’ understanding of important concepts and
their ability in applying these concepts to solve
problems.

Assessment Rubrics:

1. Participation (In class & Guest lecture)

Criteria Excellent (A) Good (B) Satisfactory (C) Marginal Fail (F)
Pass (D)
Frequency Always contributes to the Sometimes Occasionally Seldom Never
and Quality discussion by raising thoughtful contributes to contributes to the participate in participate in
questions, analyzing relevant the discussion discussion in the discussion. discussion.
issues, building on others’ ideas, in the afore- afore-mentioned
synthesizing across readings and mentioned ways.
discussions, expanding the class’ ways.
perspective, and appropriately
challenging assumptions and
perspectives.

2. Reports (Group presentation report, Self-reflection reports, and Guest lecture reports)
Criteria Excellent (A) Good (B) Satisfactory (C) Marginal Pass Fail (F)
(D)
Content The report provides The report provides The report The report covers The report
both a both a clear provides only a only some of the basically
comprehensive summary of the summary of main points copies the
summary of the case case study's or the case study's or mentioned in the slides of the
study's or guest guest lecture’s guest lecture’s case study's or case study's or
lecture's main points main points and the main points. guest lecture. guest lecture.
and fresh insights of student’s own
the student. ideas/ reflections.
Structure The structure The structure is The structure is Inappropriate The structure
supports and appropriate to a appropriate to a structure to a does not
enhances a specific specific purpose, specific purpose, specific purpose, address
purpose, audience, audience, and audience, and audience, and purpose,
and context with context with context with context with audience, and
brilliant transition. smooth transition. proper transition. awkward context with
transition. poor transition.
Conventions All sentences are Most sentences are Many sentences Some sentences Fragmented
well constructed well constructed are well are well sentences lack
with varied structure with varied constructed with constructed with structure and
and do not contain structure and varied structure poor structure and contain many
any errors in contain almost no and contain few contain some errors in
grammar, spelling, errors in grammar, errors in grammar, errors in grammar, grammar,
and punctuation. spelling, and spelling, and spelling, and spelling, and
punctuation. punctuation. punctuation. punctuation.

3. Group written report

Criteria Excellent (A) Good (B) Satisfactory (C) Marginal Pass Fail (F)
(D)
Thesis The report is very The report is clear The report is not The report is not The report is
clear with with detailed clear with clear with relevant vague and
comprehensive and information. sufficient information. details are
accurate information. missing.
information.

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 Criteria Excellent (A) Good (B) Satisfactory (C) Marginal Pass Fail (F)
(D)
Structure The structure The structure The structure is Inappropriate The structure
supports and supports and appropriate to a structure to a does not
enhances a specific enhances a specific specific purpose, specific purpose, address
purpose, audience, purpose, audience, audience, and audience, and purpose,
and context with and context with context with context with audience, and
excellent transition. smooth transition. proper transition. awkward context with
transition. poor transition.
Conventions All sentences are All sentences are Most sentences Some sentences Fragmented
well constructed well constructed are well are well sentences lack
with varied structure with varied constructed with constructed with structure and
and contain just no structure and varied structure poor structure and contain many
errors in grammar, contain just almost and contain few contain some errors in
spelling, and no errors in errors in grammar, errors in grammar, grammar,
punctuation. grammar, spelling, spelling, and spelling, and spelling, and
and punctuation. punctuation. punctuation. punctuation.

4. Group Presentation
Criteria Excellent (A) Good (B) Satisfactory (C) Marginal Pass Fail (F)
(D)
Preparedness Team members Team members Team members Team members Team members
are completely seem pretty are somewhat seem mildly do not seem at
prepared and prepared but prepared, but it is uncertain, but can all prepared to
have obviously might have needed clear that do a decent present
rehearsed. a couple more rehearsal was presentation.
rehearsals. lacking.
Comprehension Team members Team members are Team members Team members Team members
are able to able to accurately are able to are able to are unable to
accurately answer answer almost all accurately answer accurately answer accurately
all the questions of the questions most of the only a few the answer
posed by the posed by the questions posed questions posed questions posed
audience about audience about the by the audience by the audience by the audience
the topic. topic. about the topic. about the topic. about the topic.
Language Speak fluently all Speak clearly Speak clearly Speak clearly Mumble most
the time and almost all the time most of the time some of the time of the time and
make no and make almost and make only a and make some make many
grammatical no grammatical few grammatical grammatical grammatical
mistakes or mistakes or mistakes or mistakes or mistakes or
mispronounced a mispronounced a mispronounced mispronounced mispronounced
few words. few words. some words. many words. many words.
Enthusiasm Facial Facial expressions Facial expressions Very little use of Obviously has
expressions and and body language and body facial expressions no intention to
body language sometimes language are used or body language, impress the
generate a strong generate a strong to try to generate resulting in not audience by
interest and interest and enthusiasm, but much interest in using facial
enthusiasm about enthusiasm about seem somewhat the topic being expression or
the topic in the topic in others. faked. presented. body language.
others.

Course Content and CILOs Mapping:

Content CILO No. Hours

I Information Technology Professionalism 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 27
II Case Studies and Best Practices in IT 1, 2, 3 12

References:

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 Schultz, Robert A, Contemporary Issues in Ethics and Information Technology, IRM Press, 2006
 Baase S, A Gift of Fire, Social, Legal and Ethical Issues for Computers and the Internet (Third Edition),
Prentice Hall, 2007.
 Johnson DG , Computer Ethics (Forth Edition), Prentice Hall, 2009.
 Spinello RA, CyberEthics: Morality and Law in Cyberspace (Fifth Edition), Jones and Bartlett, 2013.
 Spinelloo Richard, Case Studies in Information and Computer Ethics (Second Edition), Prentice Hall, 2003
 Davies G, Copyright and the Public Interest, Sweet & Maxwell, 2002.
 Online resources including www.infosec.gov.hk (Computer Crime), www.pcpd.org.hk (Personal Data
(Privacy) Ordinance), www.ipd.gov.hk (Copyright Ordinace), www.ogcio.gov.hk (Electronic Transaction
Ordinance), www.hkcs.org.hk (IT Professional: Code of Ethics)
 Current articles from IT professional related magazines and journals
 Online search for articles and information on current issues and their impacts in IT

Course Content:

Topic

I. Information Technology Professionalism

A. Personal and professional ethics
B. Privacy and personal data protection
C. Intellectual property right
D. Security and computer crimes
E. Safety in IT
F. IT profession in Hong Kong
G. Impact of information technology on society

II. Case Studies and Best Practices in IT

A. Effects of standardization
B. Managing system development
C. Managing outsourcing
D. Software quality