Teaching and Learning Strategy

Mode of delivery is a Hybrid mode. COMP2800 is taught via lectures (via Zoom live and recorded for revision purposes) and the tutorial sessions have two possible streams: On campus(in the classroom) or online via Zoom (NB. You can only elect to be in one or the other stream, you cannot decide to come on campus one week and then online the next)

Lectures are used to introduce new material and discuss the use of information technology within society. While lectures are largely one-to-many presentations, you are encouraged to ask questions of the lecturer to clarify anything you might not be sure of. Tutorials are small group classes, which give you the opportunity to interact with your peers and with a tutor who has a sound knowledge of the subject.

Each week you should:

• Attend lectures, take notes, ask questions.
• Attend your tutorial, seek feedback from your tutor on your work. See them in consultation times!
• Read appropriate sections of the text, add to your notes, and prepare questions for your lecturer or tutor.
• Prepare answers to the following week's tutorial.

Lecture notes will be made available each week but these notes are intended as an outline of the lecture only and are not a substitute for your own notes.

Classes

Each week you should attend two hours of lectures and a one-hour tutorial class.

(For details of days, times and rooms consult the timetables webpage.)

Note that workshops start in week 1.

What has changed from previous semesters?

We have modified the assessments in alignment with feedback from the previous offering.

We have moved to a Hybrid model due to the COVID19 situation.

Textbook

• N/A

Technology used and required

Zoom

Echo (Zoom lectures uploaded at some point post the live lecture when available)

Digital recordings of lectures are available.

COMP2800 makes use of the following software/technologies:

• Microsoft Windows 10
• Microsoft Office 2010 / 2013 / 2016
• Internet Explorer / Mozilla Firefox / Chrome 
• ilearn

Website

The web page for this unit can be found at: http://ilearn.mq.edu.au.

Discussion Boards

The discussion board for this unit can be accessed through http://ilearn.mq.edu.au.

Staff-Student Liaison Committee

The Department has established a Staff-Student Liaison Committee to provide all students studying a Computing unit the opportunity to discuss related issues or problems with both students and staff. The committee meets during the semester. For each meeting, an agenda is issued and minutes are taken.

If your issue is unable to be addressed through the Staff-Student Liaison Committee, then you should consult the Director of Teaching (Dr. Steve Cassidy) or the Head of Department (Dr. Michael Sheng). You are entitled to have your concerns raised, discussed, and resolved.

Student Support Services

Macquarie University provides a range of Academic Student Support Services. Details of these services can accessed at http://www.student.mq.edu.au.

Assumed knowledge

Basic computer skills.

Transitioned to a Hybrid mode due to COVID19 situation.

Unlike many units, COMP2800 covers a wide range of areas, but at limited depth. Therefore it is not appropriate to identify core knowledge and assess each student's mastery of that at increasing levels of complexity. Instead, the assessment of Learning Outcome #1 is based in large part on the amount of knowledge the student gains across the range of the unit, as assessed by performance in the workshops, reflections and final research paper etc.

The final mark for the unit will be calculated by combining the marks for all assessment tasks according to the percentage weightings shown in the assessment summary. In order to obtain a grade of Pass (P) or higher in this unit if you satisfy the following:

• obtain an overall mark of at least 50% (calculated according to the weightings given above).

Obtaining a higher grade than a Pass (P) in this unit will require a student to obtain (in addition to the above):

• the required total number of marks (Credit - 65, Distinction - 75, High Distinction - 85);
• obtain a mark of at least 70% overall for the Group Workshop Assessments;
• obtain a mark of at least 70% in the final research paper; and
• obtain an overall mark of at least 70% (calculated according to the weightings given above).