Course Title: Aviation Project

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Aviation Project

Credit Points: 24.00

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
AERO2387	City Campus	Undergraduate	115H Aerospace, Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2008, Sem 1 2009, Sem 2 2009

Course Coordinator: Dr George Hongwei Jiang

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925-4551

Course Coordinator Email: george.jiang@rmit.edu.au

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

This course has AERO2407 – Aviation Project Management as a pre-requisite course.

Course Description

The Aviation Project is intended to provide students with an opportunity to undertake a project that is approximately equivalent to a six-week long full-time task that a new graduate might be expected to undertake shortly after starting work in the aviation industry. Through this project you will be able to demonstrate the level of ability you can bring to a significant and complex task, in terms of your skills, intelligence, and personal attributes.

The Aviation Project is the largest body of independent, but guided, work that students must complete during their undergraduate degree.

Students will receive supervision from an Internal RMIT Supervisor, but they may also have an External Supervisor who will typically be an “industry consultant”.   Students are expected to perform their project work independently with only limited guidance from staff and/or external industry supervisors.

The first phase of the course requires the student to develop a Project Definition stating the objectives, motives and methods of the proposed work. The project schedule and any special requirements are also identified at this stage. One progress report must be submitted in the first half of the semester.

In the second phase of the project, the student will produce final outcomes. A formal thesis in the form of a final project report will be submitted. The results of the project are also to be written up in the form of a conference paper (format details will be provided to students).  A presentation related to this paper is to be delivered at a public seminar program.

This course allows students to demonstrate technical skills and personal attributes at levels commensurate with professional practice. Students are expected to demonstrate professional behaviour in the form of punctual attendance at appointments, timely delivery of submissions, timely notification with explanation if deadlines cannot be met.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course is intended to a project that is roughly equivalent to a two-month full-time task that a new graduate might be expected to undertake shortly after starting work; (i.e. about 250-300 hours.) Students are expected to undertake this work with limited guidance from staff and/or external industry supervisors. The assessment recognises and rewards good professional practice such as appropriate inter-personal communication, punctuality, demonstration of appropriate written and oral communication skills, and so on.

It is in the nature of this course that each student project will be different, allowing for individual interests and catering for work-integrated learning opportunities. Nevertheless, it is expected that students will develop their capabilities in some or many of the following areas:

• Performance of a range of analytical tasks appropriate to the chosen project
• Ability to take into account the complexity of and interconnections between different aspects of aviation industry practice
• Ability to conceptualise, plan and manage the interface between human and technical systems
• Ability to plan and execute investigative activities relevant to the aviation industry
• Ability to perform a range of analytical tasks appropriate to the aviation industry
• Ability to demonstrate appropriately deep understanding of key concepts underpinning the chosen discipline/specialisation
• Ability to undertake and satisfactorily complete substantial project work of some complexity appropriate to the chosen discipline/specialisation
• Demonstrated ability to utilise a range of solution strategies and methodologies, and ability to select the most appropriate strategy for different problems
• Demonstrated ability to devise solution implementation strategies and their management
• Demonstrated systems thinking involving the interrelationship between subsystems and their impact on overall performance
• Ability to analyse requirements and constraints
• Taking into account a need to balance technical, business, environmental and social demands of an industry-based situation
• Optimisation amid conflicting requirements, and within a complex and often uncertain environment
• Written forms of communication appropriate to different tasks and audiences
• Oral communication for different tasks and audiences
• Appropriate communication of data
• Awareness of sustainability principles and concern with “whole-of-life cycle”
• Ability to appreciate appropriate balance between potentially conflicting technical, social/cultural and environmental factors
• Demonstration of personal ethical responsibilities
• Demonstrated ability and attitude appropriate to self-directed learning
• Ability to reflect on personal experience and learn from it to improve future practice

Students passing this course will be able to demonstrate their ability to undertake the planning and execution of a significant project involving reasonable complexity.  They will also be able to demonstrate well-developed written and oral communication skills.

Overview of Learning Activities

The topic for the Aviation Project should be relevant to the interests and needs of the aviation industry. The work undertaken in the project may include activities such as, for example, data gathering and analysis, planning of strategy or implementation, benchmarking, making conclusions and recommendations, and so on. The work will build on the foundations provided in the program up to this stage.

Projects consisting of ONLY a literature survey are NOT acceptable. This includes projects in which material is gathered and collated from various sources, including the Internet, and where there is no follow-on individual research or solution development component.

Overview of Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts:
Due to the nature of this course, there are no prescribed texts.

Recommended References:
Individual references will apply to each student depending on their chosen project.

Overview of Assessment

Course: Aviation Project
Capability 1: Integrative perspective. Ability to appreciate broader perspectives.
Capability 2: Professional skills. Be aware of norms of behaviour.

Assessment:
Project Definition
Description:
a) Clear description of project, including objectives/deliverables.
b) Description of the methodology to be followed in order to reach the objectives/deliverables.
c) A Gantt chart with a detailed breakdown of the tasks required.
d) Professional presentation of the report.
How this assessment adds to and/or measures Capability Development:
Students will receive formative and summative assessment in relation to the comprehensiveness and professional quality of their work.

Assessment:
Progress Report
Description:
Progress Report including first portion of the thesis:
a) A clear description of work completed, work in progress and work yet to be started.
b) A statement on the progress of the project in relation to the Gantt chart presented in the project plan.
c) A statement on whether or not resources are available in a timely manner.
d) Conclusion on the overall progress of the project.
e) Professional presentation of the report.
How this assessment adds to and/or measures Capability Development:
Students will receive formative and summative assessment in relation to the comprehensiveness and professional quality of their work.

Assessment:
Professionalism
Description:
Professionalism: Awarded by Course Coordinator and Project Supervisor.
How this assessment adds to and/or measures Capability Development:
Summative assessment will be given on the general professionalism of students in the conduct of their project.

Assessment:
Paper (appropriate to refereed conference level)
Description:
Paper - Assessed by Supervisor
A short paper is to be prepared describing one or more significant results obtained in the project.
How this assessment adds to and/or measures Capability Development:
Formative assessment - students will be assessed on:
i) Technical content (sufficient technical detail, conclusions substantiated topic well researched, etc.)
ii) Presentation structure (clear introduction, logical breakdown of content, results/conclusions, completed within time, etc.)

Assessment:
Presentation at an open seminar (based on paper)
Description:
Presentation - Assessment open to all staff attending.
Continuing with the Conference theme, students will give a 15-minute long presentation related to the conference paper. A 5-minute period will also be provided for answering questions.
How this assessment adds to and/or measures Capability Development:
Summative assessment – students will receive feedback from staff and peers in relation to their oral presentation, and appropriateness to the audience.
Formative assessment - students will be assessed on:
• technical content
• presentation structure
• use of AV technology
• speech and posture
• handling of questions

 
Assessment:
Project Work & Project Report document
Description:
Project Work - Awarded by supervisor: based on consistency and standard of work performed throughout entire semester
Project report Document - Awarded by Supervisor plus other staff
How this assessment adds to and/or measures Capability Development:
Summative assessment – students will be assessed on quality of their Project Work & Project Report document.