Course Title: Contribute to copyright, ethics and privacy in an IT environment

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2013

Course Code: COSC6089C

Course Title: Contribute to copyright, ethics and privacy in an IT environment

School: 155T Vocational Health and Sciences

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4299 - Certificate IV in Information Technology Networking

Course Contact: Geoff Moss

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 99254852

Course Contact Email: geoff.moss@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 40

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

There are no pre-requisites for this course.

Course Description

This unit defines the competency required to contribute to copyright, ethics and privacy in an IT environment as prescribed in the ICA11 Information and Communications Training Package.
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to maintain professional and ethical conduct as well as to ensure that personal information of stakeholders is handled in a confidential and professional manner when dealing with stakeholders in an information technology (IT) environment.
 


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

ICAICT418A Contribute to copyright, ethics and privacy in an IT environment

Element:

1. Protect intellectual property

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Identify current legislation and standards relating to intellectual property and copyright
1.2 Investigate current organisational copyright policy
1.3 Adhere to organisational policy and current legislation in work practices

Element:

2. Contribute to copyright policy

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Contribute to the creation or updating of the organisation’s copyright policy and procedures to align with legislation and industry standards
2.2 Distribute new or revised policy and procedures to stakeholders

Element:

3. Protect rights of stakeholders

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Identify and document the relevance of legislation and standards to organisational outcomes
3.2 Investigate and review organisational privacy policy and procedures
3.3 Investigate and review organisational code of ethics
3.4 Determine the integrity, confidentiality, security and availability of information as required by organisational policy
3.5 Maintain confidentiality and proprietary rights of stakeholder interests

Element:

4. Contribute to privacy policy

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Contribute to the creation or updating of the organisational privacy policy and procedures to align with privacy legislation
4.2 Distribute new or revised policy and procedures to stakeholders
4.3 Implement new work procedures and collect feedback from stakeholders
4.4 Ensure the integrity, confidentiality, security and availability of information as required by organisational policy

Element:

5. Maintain privacy policy

Performance Criteria:

5.1 Review work practices to ensure application of privacy policy and procedures
5.2 Maintain the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of information as required by organisational privacy policy
5.3 Review work practices to ensure system security according to organisational privacy policy

Element:

6. Contribute to creation of ethics code

Performance Criteria:

6.1 Assist in developing or updating a code of ethics to align with legislation and standards for the organisation
6.2 Distribute the new ethics code to stakeholders and collect feedback
6.3 Implement new ethical work procedures and collect feedback
6.4 Review ethical work practices and feedback to ensure application of the code

Element:

7. Maintain ethics code

Performance Criteria:

7.1 Perform regular checks to ensure stakeholders understand and are continuing to apply the code of ethics in the workplace
7.2 Establish a review and grievance procedure to enable confidential reporting of any ethical issues
7.3 Interview and regularly follow up with stakeholders to ensure they are receiving consistent and appropriate service in dealing with the code of ethics


Learning Outcomes


In this unit you will develop the knowledge and skills required to maintain professional and ethical conduct when dealing with colleagues, clients and employers. You will develop an understanding of the need for IT professionals to have a clear understanding of ethics, and the laws relating to privacy and copyright within the organization and beyond.

You will develop an understanding of the concept of ethics and its relevance to your behaviour and activities in the workplace and the IT industry. In addition, you will become aware of relevant legislation and industry practice in the areas of copyright and privacy, and ascertain how far the organisation’s practices meet the legislative and industry standards.

Specifically you should be able to demonstrate:

  • An understanding of intellectual property and copyright laws
  • An awareness of copyright, privacy and ethics policies and/or codes
  • An awareness of stakeholders of an organisation and the need to protect their rights
  • An awareness of Privacy laws and the need for a privacy policy
  • An understanding of the concept of ethics and its relevance to your behaviour and activities in the workplace and the IT industry
  • An understanding how ethics, privacy and copyright impact on the workplace and the role of IT professionals in ensuring appropriate conduct 


Details of Learning Activities

Activities in this course are aimed at enhancing student understanding and knowledge of the concepts of copyright, privacy and ethics and its application in the workplace and the IT profession.

In addition, they will become aware of relevant legislation and industry practice in the areas of copyright and privacy, and ascertain how far the organisation’s practices meet the legislative and industry standards.
They will produce a simplified code of ethics for their workplace (this may be a theoretical exercise rather than a practical exercise, depending on the organisation and the status of its ethical practices).

The Internet and YouTube videos will be used as a learning tool and a resource for students to seek and locate relevant information.
Learning activities may be modified during the semester to meet the needs of students in the current program and the needs of their workplace.
 

Activities will include:

  • Classroom discussion and debate
  • Classroom activities and Activity Tasks
  • PowerPoint presentations
  • Case Studies
  • Work-based activities and tasks
  • Observation and discussion in the workplace
  • Internet research
  • Assignments on Privacy and Copyright 


Teaching Schedule

Weeks Topic Software/Reading Practical exercises Assessment
1 Introduction to Topic, Overview of course and relevance to traineeship and workplace.  Develop concepts of ethics.
2 Introduction to concept of ethics See reading list and online resources
ACS Code of Ethics
PowerPoints

Task 1 – Ethics – How do you rate
Class Activity Tasks

Assignment
Class Tasks

3 Ethics and how it relates to the Law: copyright, privacy, spam See reading list and online resources
ACS Code of Ethics
PowerPoints
ACS Case Studies Practical tasks; class discussion and observation
Case Studies
4 Copyright legislation; copyleft See reading list and online resources
PowerPoints
Legislation
Case Studies

Case Studies
Class Activity Tasks

Case Studies
Class Activity Tasks
Assignment
5 Privacy legislation: State and Federal
Organisation and Industry standards
See reading list and online resources
PowerPoints
Legislation
Case Studies
Case Studies
Class Activity Tasks
Case Studies
Class Activity Tasks
Assignment
6 Overview.  Industry and Organisational standards and practices.  Review. See reading list and online resources Case Studies
Class Activity Tasks
Case Studies
Class Activity Tasks
Assignment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weeks referred to above will not necessarily refer to conseutive weeks. 
There will be a specific formal class for each "weekly" topic for the delivery of PowerPoint presentations and relevant case studies.
Discussions will arise from Assignment questions and tasks.


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References

Potts (ed.) et al , I.T. Applications VCE Units 3 and 4 Student Book, 3rd Edition;; Nelson Cengate Learning, 2011,
ISBN-10: 0170187470 ISBN-13: 9780170187473
 

ISBN-10: 0170


Other Resources

  • Class Notes
  • Extracts from Potts (ed.) et al , I.T. Applications VCE Units 3 and 4 Student Book, 3rd Edition;; Nelson Cengate Learning, 2011,
    ISBN-10: 0170187470 ISBN-13: 9780170187473.
  • PowerPoint presentations on Learning Hub; S: Drive
  • Internet, including Australian Computer Society website
  • Case studies
  • Relevant Legislation
  • Newspaper and Internet news extracts
     


Overview of Assessment

Activities in this course are aimed at enhancing your understanding and knowledge of the concepts of copyright, privacy and ethics and its application in the workplace and the IT profession. To this end, assessment will involve both in-class and work-based elements. Assessment will involve assessing and observation of your understanding, knowledge and practice of the elements in both the theoretical and practical environment.

You must be competent in all elements to successfully complete the course
 


Assessment Tasks

Class and Work-Based Assessment Activities 40%
Class Activity Tasks and Assignment 60%
 


Assessment Matrix

Element Assignment Practical Tasks In Class/Work Observation In Class Testing Individual and Group discussion**
1.1  x  x x   x
1.2  x   x   x
1.3   x x x x
2.1   x x x x
2.2   x     x
3.1  x x x x x
3.2  x x x x x
3.3 x x x   x
3.4 x x x   x
3.5 x x x   x
4.1 x x x   x
4.2 x x x   x
4.3 x x x   x
4.4 x x x    
5.1 x x x    
5.2 x x x    
5.3 x x x    
6.1 x   x    
6.2     x    x
6.3     x    x
6.4 x   x    x
7.1          x
7.2          x
7.3          x
           

** small group discussion and problem solving on variety of issues at appropriate times during delivery of the course

Course Overview: Access Course Overview