Course Title: Support computer hardware and software

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2010

Course Code: ISYS5670C

Course Title: Support computer hardware and software

School: 130T Vocational Engineering

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5227 - Diploma of Computer Systems Engineering

Course Contact: George Listopad

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 99254441

Course Contact Email: george.listopad@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Kenneth Falzon
PHONE: 992544716 FAX: (03) 99254377
Email: kenneth.falzon@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 120

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

UEENEED002B – Assemble, set up and test personal computers

Course Description

This unit covers upgrading and maintaining computers, computer devices and peripherals and installing, maintaining and configuring software. It encompasses safe working practices, installing and testing the upgrading components, locating faults in hardware components, replacing faulty subsystems, installing and testing the operating system and application software, testing functionality, rectifying malfunctions, following written and oral instruction and procedures and applying appropriate customer relations.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

UEENEED012B Support computer hardware and software

Element:

1. Prepare to upgrade and maintain computer hardware and software.
2. Upgrade computer hardware and software.
3. Maintain operation of computer hardware and software.
4 Complete and report upgrading and maintenance activities

Performance Criteria:

1.1 OHS procedures for a given work area are
identified, obtained and understood.
1.2 Established OHS risk control measures and
procedures are followed in preparation for the work.
1.3 Appropriate person(s) are consulted to determine
nature of computer or peripheral hardware/software
upgrading or maintenance.
1.4 Appropriate personnel are consulted to ensure the
work is co-ordinated effectively with others affected
by the work.
1.5 Hardware subsystems needed to upgrade or
maintain computers and peripherals are obtained in
accordance with established procedures and checked
against job requirements.
1.6 Software versions are deployed in accordance with
established procedures and checked against job
requirements.


Learning Outcomes



Details of Learning Activities

In this unit you will learn how to upgrade and maintain computers and peripherals and how to find and fix problems if they occur. You will also learn how to install and configure operating systems for networks.

Classroom tutorial activities:
Lectures: to introduce the important concepts.
• Attending lectures will make it much easier for you to understand the central concepts of the course
• You will feel more comfortable and you will learn more if you read the relevant material before you attend the lectures

Tutorials: to enable you to ask questions and to clarify unresolved issues
• Review the material and prepare your questions before you come to class
• There will be an overview of course content with a focus on the material students find difficult
• If something is unclear or if you find yourself falling behind please ask for help immediately
• You may be given worksheets to complete during the tutorial

Practical exercises: to give you the hands on experience of implementing and troubleshooting networks
• In general there will be one practical exercise per week
• You will perform the exercise and write it up in a lab journal
• The lab journal will be a bound exercise book
o Loose leaf binders will not be accepted
• The write up will be a record of your actions as they are performed and your corresponding observations
• The write up must be performed in the lab as you perform the practical exercise, not at a later date
o Write ups not in the lab journal will not be marked
o Write ups which are not done concurrently with the performance of the practical exercise will not be marked
• In general the detail of the write up must be sufficient for you to be able to comfortably perform the practical exercise a year or more later directly from the lab journal
• Any difficult or tricky points should be especially noted in the lab journal for future reference
• Responses to worksheets for practical exercises must be written up in the lab journal
• The neatness, completeness and the presentation of the lab journal must be of a quality such that you would be prepared to show it to a future employer as an example of your work

Work simulated activities: you will be given computer upgrade and
fault finding situations as well as networking configuration and
troubleshooting scenarios as you would find in industry.

Test and exams:
There will be two practical exams, an assignment and a final written
exam.

Occupational Health and Safety:
Conduct in lecture theatres, classrooms and laboratories will be of a
standard required by OH&S legislation as applied to industry.
• You must behave in such a way as not to place the health and safety of yourself or anyone else at risk
• Covered shoes must be worn in all labs
o Thongs and sandals must not be worn in any lab

Preparation for the Work place:
All skills and knowledge in this course are oriented towards current
industry practices and technologies. An essential industry
ecpectation is that you are responsible for your behaviour and
actions. When you are in employment you will be expected to attend
work on time on a regular basis, perform you work on time to an
accepted standard and be responsible for what you do. Industry will
expect you to comprehend and follow both verbal and written
instructions. All industry expectations will applied to you in this
course. You will be expected to:
• Observe all Occupational Health and Safety requirements
o You must behave in such a way as not to place the health and safety of yourself or anyone else at risk
• Prepare for classes
• Attend all classes regularly and on time
• Use your class time in a productive and responsible way
• Finish your work on time to an accepted standard
• Pay attention to, comprehend and follow both verbal and written instructions.
o It is your personal responsibility to be aware of course requirements and timelines
o Please ask if something is not clear

The Preparation for the Workplace component will be an essential part of the assessment for this course. It will be included in the assessment of the practical and work simulated activities.

Activities Outside of Class:
It is expected that students allocate at least 60% of course hours for reading, independent study, project research, design, implementation, testing and problem solving activities.


Teaching Schedule

Week 1 Introduction to course & OH&S
Workshop/Laboratory Practices and Safety
Electronics and the Environment
Week 2 Computer Components and interactions
Week 3 Workstation Operating Systems
Week 4 Peripheral Devices
Week 5 Preventative Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Week 6 Computer Upgrades
Week 7 Customer Service
Week 8 Revision
Week 9 Network Components and Interactions
Week 10 Network Operating Systems
Week 11 Network Services
Week 12 Network Operating System Administration
Week 13 Client – Server Networks
Week 14 Network Configuration
Week 15 Linux
Week 16 Linux Networking
Week 17 Revision
Week 18 Assessment feedback, catch-up and finalisation


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

Practical test
Project
Written Examination


Assessment Tasks

Assessment task 1: 20%
Practical assessment to demonstrate :
• Upgrading and maintaining computer hardware
• Hardware fault finding
• Operating system and device driver installation and configuration.

Assessment task 2: 10%
Written assignment on:
• Linux

Assessment task 3: 20%
Practical assessment to demonstrate knowledge in:
• The installation and configuration of network operating systems
• The use of networking services in networking.
• Network security issues

Assessment task 4 : 40%
• Written exam

Assessment task 5 : 10%
• Practical work and lab journal


Assessment Matrix

Course Overview: Access Course Overview