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Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2012 - 2013
Please note that this information is subject to change.

Module Title
Module Code
School
Online Module Resources

Module Co-ordinatorSemester 1: Martin Molony
Semester 2: Martin Molony
Autumn: Martin Molony
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating
Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None
Description
The C20th century heralded the birth of the computer revolution. Since then technology and computer mediated communications has continued to play an increasingly important role in society and computer literacy has become a prerequisite for all C21st careers. The aim of this course is to provide students with basic computer literacy knowledge and skills so that they can: understand and critically examine the development of computers and electronic media in the information age; consider the implications for society of the increasing application of computer mediated technology; explain basic web site architecture and demonstrate basic web production.

Learning Outcomes
1. Explain the five parts of an information system
2. Explain computer connectivity, the wireless revolution and the internet
3. Describe search tools, including search engines, metasearch engines , and specialised engines
4. Discuss the privacy issues related to the presence of large datbases, private networks, the internet and the web
5. Debate the social, ethical and legal issues associated with the Information Age
6. Design a basic website



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture11Lecture will cover the following topics: hardware, software, operating systems, the internet and the web, communications and networks, privacy and security, the digital divide, website design
Seminars11Seminars will be hosted on website development
Laboratory35Students will work on developing their websites for their final assignment
Independent learning36Students will prepare for and participate in weekly quiz
Library35Time allocated to reading and study to supplement course lectures and complete course assignments
Total Workload: 128

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities
Introduction to Computer and Media Technology.
Evolution of the Computer Age; Understanding hardware and software; the internet and the web; communications and networks; social ethical and economic dimensions of new communications media; introduction to Basic HTML Using a WYSIWYG Web Editor.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment% Examination Weight%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Computerised test/examStudents will be required to sit a weekly quiz on Moodle50%n/a
Practical/skills evaluationStudents will be required to design and produce a website50%n/a
Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
1 = A resit is available for all components of the module
2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module
3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
This module is category
Indicative Reading List
  • Michael Miller: 2009, Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computers, 5th,
  • Jackie Sherman: 2008, Computing for Beginners, 3rd Edition, Age Concern Books UK,
  • Chapman N. & Chapman J.: 2009, Digital Multimedia, 3rd, John Wiley: Chichester,
  • Quinn, Michael J.: 2009, Ethics for the Information Age, 3rd, Pearson Addison Wesley, Boston,
  • Roche John: 2009, Step by step computer applications, Gill & McMillan Ltd., Dublin,
  • Andrew Tanenbaum: 2009, Modern Operating Systems, 3rd, Pearson/Prentice Hall, New Jersey,
  • Kaveh Pahlavan: 2009, Networking Fundamentals, Chichester, West Sussex, UK,
  • Wendy Chisolm & Matt May: 2009, The universal design for web applications, Beijing;Farnham;O'Reilly,
  • Richard A. Spinello: 2003, CyberEthics, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA 01776,
  • J.S. Brown & P. Druid: 2002, The Social Life of Information, Harvard Business School Press,
  • Johathan Zittrain: 0, The future of the Internet and how to stop it, Penguin Group, UK,
  • C. Stoll: 1996, Second thoughts on the information highway, London,
  • Neil Postman: 1993, Tchnopoly: The surrender of culture to technology, Vintage Books,
  • Angus J. Kennedy: 2004, The Internet; The Rough Guide, Penguin Rough Guides,
  • Simson Garfinkel: 0, The Death of Privacy in the 21st Century,
  • Jeremy Harris Libschultz: 2000, Free Expression in the Age of the Internet,
Other Resources
744, Website and TV, BBC, 0, Click, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online,
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