Course Title: Customise a complex ICT content management system
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2020
Course Code: COSC7368C
Course Title: Customise a complex ICT content management system
School: 650T Vocational Business Education
Campus: City Campus
Program: C5395 - Diploma of Information Technology
Course Contact: Val Christou
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5076
Course Contact Email: val.christou@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Course Leader: Michael Edwards
email: michael.edwards@rmit.edu.au
phone: +61 03 9925 1615
Nominal Hours: 80
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
None
Course Description
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to create, and customise, an information and communications technology (ICT) content management system (CMS) powered website using an open source, to meet client requirements.
It applies to individuals working as web developers who have a detailed knowledge of markup languages and their associated standards, and are proficient in server-side language and security techniques. Individuals in this role also have high-level understanding of server functionality.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
ICTWEB507 Customise a complex ICT content management system |
Element: |
1. Analyse the specifications and requirements |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 Determine the required functionality of the website, as per the client requirements 1.2 Determine the appropriate server-side language and hosting environment 1.3 Determine additional functionality that the CMS will not be able to handle ‘out of the box’ 1.4 Determine the functional requirements of the client’s additional functionality 1.5 Determine any pre-existing restraints that need to be considered when developing the website solution |
Element: |
2. Develop customisation |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Plan and outline, the requirements of the additional functionality 2.2 Create and develop plug-in, extension or new functionality to the CMS to meet client requirements |
Element: |
3. Create a CMS powered website |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 Install and configure, the chosen content management system 3.2 Install and integrate, the new CMS functionality |
Element: |
4. Validate and evaluate |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1 Validate the final website markup against the current website standards 4.2 Validate CMS performance in different browsers, checking compatibility and core CMS functionality 4.3 Validate the developed additional functionality against the client requirements |
Learning Outcomes
Details of Learning Activities
A range of learning activities are planned for this course on a variety of topics as shown in the teaching schedule.
This may include self-paced and collaborative classroom activities such as:
- Class exercises
- Challenges
- Problem solving
- Project work
- Quizzes
We expect you to participate and contribute in all scheduled learning activities as each week builds on the next
Teaching Schedule
Course Delivery:
The nominal hours associated with this are a guide only and represent the total teaching time and student effort required to successfully complete the course. This may include not only scheduled classes but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Course Schedule | ||||
Semester 1 2020 | ||||
Week |
Week Commencing |
Topic |
Learning Materials and Activities |
Assessment Remarks |
1 |
10 Feb |
Overview of the course. Introduction to CMS Websites: |
Activity 1- Intro to Wordpress Activity 2- Hosting site setup Activity Handout |
|
2 |
17 Feb |
Users & comments. Creating a simple theme & plugin |
Activity 1- Create a plugin Activity 2- Create a theme Activity Handout |
|
3 |
24 Feb |
Adding new Pages. Page templates, sidebars & widgets. Adding plugins. Managing images, gallery plugins & videos. Processing images with Photoshop or similar. |
Activity 1- Add in Pages Activity 2- Plugins Activity Handout |
ASSESSMENT 1 - Project Specifications issued |
4 |
2 Mar |
Managing themes. FTP accounts & simple child themes. Managing menus & sub-menu items. Reading settings. Table plugins |
Activity 1- FTP Activity 2- Menus and tables Activity Handout |
|
5 |
9 Mar (Monday Labour Day Public Holiday) |
Creating a new page template using PHP & CSS. Adding widgets, Google maps, contact forms & Captcha |
Activity 1- Add in Page templates Activity 2- Maps and Captcha Activity Handout |
|
6 |
16 Mar |
Managing videos. Adding image sliders. Permalinks. Introduction to SEO. Database & content backups |
Activity 1- Add in Videos Activity 2- SEO and Backups Activity Handout |
ASSESSMENT 1 - Preliminary Website Demonstration / Feedback on documentation |
7 |
23 Mar |
Introduction to WooCommerce, including settings & products. Validation against client requirements |
Activity 1- Add in WooCommerce Activity 2- Validation Activity Handout |
|
8 |
30 Mar |
Optimising pages using Yoast SEO. Selecting themes. Responsive & WooCommerce-friendly themes. Security issues. SSL certificates. Testing in browsers & on devices |
Activity 1- SEO and optimization Activity 2- Themes and testing Activity Handout |
Revision for In class Assessment next week |
9 |
6 Apr |
Customize options. Using Inspect in Chrome & Yellow Pencil. Final work on customisations & documentation for travel site |
Activity 1- Customize the site Activity 2- Yellow Pencil Activity Handout |
ASSESSMENT 1 – Final Website Completion ASSESSMENT 2 – WIL Project Specifications issued |
Break (Thursday 9th April to Wednesday 15th April – inclusive) | ||||
10 |
20 Apr |
Fresh installation of WordPress. Client requirements for Business Website project. Customising themes. Validating themes against standards. Creating footer menus |
Activity 1- WIL project specs Activity Handout |
ASSESSMENT 1 - In-Class Quiz & Final Website Submission (by end of week) |
11 |
27 Apr |
Creating logos & customising headers. Analysis of key plugins for to achieve functionalities required for business coaching Website. Class work on project |
Activity 1- Add in Logos and Headers Activity 2- Class work on project Activity Handout |
|
12 |
4 May |
Testing key plugins required eg. form, subscription & e-commerce plugins. Class work on project |
Activity 1- Testing Activity 2- e-commerce Activity Handout |
ASSESSMENT 2 - Preliminary Website Feedback |
13 |
11 May |
Other useful plugins eg. backup, migration, analytics & caching plugins. Class work on project & documentation |
Activity 1- Add in Plugins Activity 2- Backup and migration Activity Handout |
|
14 |
18 May |
Validation against client requirements. Testing in browsers & on devices. SEO requirements. Web accessibility. Class work on project & documentation |
Activity 1- Validation Activity 2- SEO and project work Activity Handout |
ASSESSMENT 2 - Final Website Presentations |
15 |
25 May |
Project demonstrations (to teachers & clients in class). Final class work on documentation for business Website |
In Class presentation of website |
ASSESSMENT 2 - Final Website & Documentation due (by end of week) |
16 |
1 Jun |
Course & assessment feedback. Re-assessment if required |
You will receive feedback after two weeks from the due date of each assessment. If required, re-submissions are due by the end of the following week.
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
You will need laptop with charger for each class You may also refer to various media, websites, textbooks and e-books as indicated in Canvas
Overview of Assessment
In order to achieve competency in this unit, you must provide:
Performance Evidence
Evidence of the ability to:
- create a content management system (CMS) powered website, using an open source with additional custom functionality that is not available ‘out of the box’, that meets client requirements
- perform basic content manipulation tasks in commonly used browsers
- evaluate content management additional functionality against current programming and security standards
- customise functionality into a pre-existing core CMS, to fulfil client requirements by programming
- validate the front-end code markup against standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
Knowledge Evidence
To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, you must:
- analyse and describe, a range of content management systems and their respective functionality
- explain markup language and their associated standards
- outline server functionality in relation to the client and business requirements
- describe and apply, server-side language and security techniques
- explain the importance of web accessibility.
Assessment Conditions
Assessment must be conducted in a safe environment where evidence gathered demonstrates consistent performance in conditions that are safe and replicate the workplace. Noise levels, production flow, interruptions and time variances must be typical of those experienced in the website technologies field of work, and include access to:
- the client requirements, and content
- a text editor
- a range of browsers
- the internet for research, validation of code and programming documentation
You are advised that you are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate your assessment work to your teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
Feedback
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions. You are encouraged to ask and answer questions during class time and online sessions so that you can obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts and issues being discussed. Finally, you can email or arrange an appointment with your teacher to gain more feedback on your progress.
You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your learning outcomes and final performance in the course.
Assessment Tasks
ASSESSMENT 1 - Travel Website Project
For this assessment task you will be required to create a fully customised Website for a travel agent in consultation with a client, in this case your teacher. In particular you will learn some of the key features of WordPress and how a simple site can be planned, configured, developed and tested. You will work individually on this project.
In order to be deemed competent in this task you will be expected to demonstrate proficiency in a variety of areas including the following:
- Analysing specifications & requirements for a Website
- Creating a basic WordPress powered Website as per requirements
- Customising WordPress to further its functionality
- Validating a Website against current standards, browsers & client requirements
During the course you will develop knowledge and skills in key areas such as Web hosting, HTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL and WordPress. This will enable you not only to meet the basic requirements of the client, but also to develop any customisations needed to extend the functionality of the Website.
After initially installing WordPress you will be asked to demonstrate a simple child theme and a page template. This will involve HTML, CSS and PHP coding. You will need to understand the file and folder structure in WordPress.
After creating the initial required pages and menu, you will need to employ a variety of plugins in order to create image galleries and sliders, a contact form and a simple shopping cart, as well as implement SEO etc.
As you are developing your Website, you will be asked to demonstrate your site in class. You will of course receive feedback regarding the appearance and functionality of your site, particularly in relation to the client requirements.
Towards the end of the project you will be asked to develop further customisations, including some of your own choice. These will include selecting an attractive and responsive theme and customising your theme's appearance. Special plugins will be required.
Once your Website has been completed and validated, any major customisations will need to be documented for assessment purposes. Guidelines will be provided.
You will be expected to complete a checklist with your teacher and have finished all parts of the Website, including required customisations, by the end of Week 10. Timely completion of each of the requirements and response to client feedback is therefore essential.
In Week 10 you will be questioned on key concepts and techniques in using WordPress via a formal online quiz. To be deemed competent in this task you will be expected to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in all areas of the course.
Key milestones in the project will be:
Preliminary Website Demonstration - Week 6
- Implementation of basic requirements & customisations in WordPress as per client requirements
- Draft versions of individual Web pages & posts as per client requirements
eg. home page, contact form, gallery pages, sliders & blog posts - Comments & widgets displayed as per client requirements with a simple theme
In-Class Quiz & Final Website Completion - Week 10
- Formal online quiz covering key concepts and techniques in using WordPress (conducted in class)
- Final version of the Website, including all required plugins & a new fully-customised theme
- Validation of Website against W3C standards, browsers & client requirements
- Basic documentation highlighting any major customisations, including header and logo
ASSESSMENT 2 - WIL Website Project
Work Integrated Learning (WIL) is the term given to an activity which integrates academic learning with its application in the workplace. This semester, as part of RMIT's focus on innovation and WIL projects, you will be developing an IT infrastructure for a local business.
For this assessment task you will be asked to use WordPress to create a fully-functional, customised Website for a business. You will need to consult with the key stakeholders, including a real client, as well as your teacher.
You will need to plan, configure, develop and test the Website as a team. You will work in pairs or teams of three on this project. You will be expected to maintain a simple team diary of tasks performed by team members each week to ensure a fair distribution of workload.
You will need to acquire a basic understanding of the business and how it operates, in particular various transactions including payments. Existing business documents such as a strategic plan for the business, and business forms and reports will be examined or developed well before you start the Website.
You will need to research and customise advanced plugins to achieve all the required functionalities.
Each team of students will need to formulate a number of questions for the client in order to clarify the requirements of the client for the Website. You will probably also need to refer to other Websites for similar businesses to get a better idea of the key requirements and arrive at an optimal solution for the client.
Text for each of the main pages on the Website will be supplied by the client, along with number of high quality photos. As mentioned above materials such as business documents will be available prior to the start of the project.
It is of course essential that all the requirements of the client are met, where feasible. You will be asked to demonstrate your Website to your teacher on a regular basis and to the client prior to completion.
You will of course receive feedback relating to the appearance and functionality of the site and be expected to implement any required changes. It also is possible that some changes to the scope of the project will need to be made. Therefore it is vital that each stage of the Website is completed on time.
You will also be asked to employ some basic SEO techniques to improve the Google rankings for the site and test your pages in a variety of browsers and devices. You will also be expected to research a suitable hosting plan, and write clear instructions for the client. Finally you will need to explain how to transfer and how to maintain the site.
You will also be expected to document all aspects of this project. Detailed documentation guidelines will be available midway through the project. It is recommended that each team uses Google Docs for the team proposal document. As mentioned above, a simple team diary will also be required.
Teams may be asked to submit a draft version of their documentation, and will be expected to submit the final team project proposal document on Canvas.
Key milestones in the project will be:
Preliminary Website Demonstration (Week 13)
- An attractive responsive theme (to be customised)
- Draft versions of individual Web pages as per client requirements e.g. home page, contact form, subscription form, menu categories etc
- Implementation of basic requirements & customisations in WordPress as per client requirements
Final Website Completion (Week 15)
- Final version of the Website, including all key pages and plugins and a fully customised theme
- Validation of Website against client requirements and W3C standards, testing in browsers and devices
Final Website Documentation (Due Week 15)
- The purpose & scope of Website project as per client requirements
- Any recommendations for suitable domain names and hosting etc
- Any functionalities beyond the basics which cannot be handled 'out of the box'
- Any of constraints and issues encountered in developing the Website
- Any basic requirements for the Website eg header and footer menus, required pages and posts, image galleries, sliders and forms
- Any key customisations such as membership plugin and a shopping cart
- Any changes made to default colour schemes, page layout etc in the selected theme
- How the site was validated against Web standards, client requirements etc
- How the site was optimised and tested in various browsers and devices
- Any instructions for the user eg transferring the site and site maintenance in general
- Any screenshots as required for clarity of presentation
General Points
- The team proposal document should include a header (eg with the name of the document and team members' names) and a footer (eg with the date and page number).
- All team members must sign the assessment cover sheet(s).
- Soft copies are to be retained by all team members as backups. Google Docs is recommended.
- RMIT academic discipline procedures will apply in cases of plagiarism. Students will be able to use Turnitin to ensure that their documentation meets appropriate standards.
Assessment Matrix
Elements/Performance Criteria |
Assessment Details |
|
1. Analyse the specifications and requirements 1.1 Determine the required functionality of the website, as per the client requirements 1.2 Determine the appropriate server-side language and hosting environment 1.3 Determine additional functionality that the CMS will not be able to handle 'out of the box' 1.4 Determine the functional requirements of the client's additional functionality 1.5 Determine any pre-existing restraints that need to be considered when developing the website solution |
ASSESSMENT 1 - Travel Website Project ASSESSMENT 2 – WIL - Website Project
|
|
2. Develop customisation 2.1 Plan and outline, the requirements of the additional functionality 2.2 Create and develop plug-in, extension or new functionality to the CMS to meet client requirements |
ASSESSMENT 1 - Travel Website Project ASSESSMENT 2 – WIL - Website Project
|
|
3. Create a CMS powered website 3.1 Install and configure, the chosen content management system 3.2 Install and integrate, the new CMS functionality |
ASSESSMENT 1 - Travel Website Project ASSESSMENT 2 – WIL - Website Project
|
|
4. Validate and evaluate 4.1 Validate final website markup against the current website standards 4.2 Validate CMS performance in different browsers, checking compatibility and core CMS functionality 4.3 Validate the developed additional functionality against the client requirements |
ASSESSMENT 1 - Travel Website Project ASSESSMENT 2 – WIL - Website Project
|
|
Performance Evidence create a content management system (CMS) powered website, using an open source with additional custom functionality that is not available ‘out of the box’, that meets client requirements perform basic content manipulation tasks in commonly used browsers evaluate content management additional functionality against current programming and security standards customise functionality into a pre-existing core CMS, to fulfil client requirements by programming validate the front-end code markup against standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
|
ASSESSMENT 1 - Travel Website Project ASSESSMENT 2 – WIL - Website Project
|
|
Knowledge Evidence analyse and describe, a range of content management systems and their respective functionality explain markup language and their associated standards outline server functionality in relation to the client and business requirements describe and apply, server-side language and security techniques explain the importance of web accessibility.
|
ASSESSMENT 1 - Travel Website Project ASSESSMENT 2 – WIL - Website Project
|
Other Information
Submission Requirements
You should:
- Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date via CANVAS.
- Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard copy and soft copy)
- When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration and statement of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for assessment, whether individual or group work. On the cover sheet you declare that the work you are presenting for assessment is your own work.
- Each page of your assessment should include footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers. For example, Julie Macpherson, 324567, Task 2, OHS2345C Ensure safe workplace, Page 1 of 10.
- Projects must be submitted via Canvas.
Late Submission Procedures
You are required to submit assessment items and/or ensure performance-based assessment is completed by the due dates.
If you are prevented from submitting an assessment item on time, by circumstances outside your control, you may apply in advance to your teacher for an extension to the due date of up to seven calendar days.
More Information: https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/extensions-of-time-for-submission-of-assessable-work
Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/seca86tti4g4z.pdf
Special Consideration Procedures
Where an extension of greater than seven days is needed, you must apply for special consideration. Applications for special consideration must be submitted no later than two working days after the assessment task deadline or scheduled examination
More Information: https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/special-consideration
Online special consideration link: https://specon.rmit.edu.au/specon/
Resubmissions
If you are found to be unsuccessful in a Course Assessment Task, you will be allowed one resubmission only. Your teacher will provide feedback regarding what you need to do to improve and will set a new deadline for the resubmission.
If you are still not meeting the assessment requirements you must apply to your Program Manager in writing outlining the steps you will take to demonstrate competence in your course. Your submission will be considered by the Program Team and you will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible.
Adjustments to Assessment
In certain circumstances students may be eligible for an assessment adjustment. For more information about the circumstances under which the assessment arrangements might be granted please access the following website.
More Information: https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/adjustments-to-assessment
Marking Guide (Courses delivered in accordance with competency-based assessment):
You must demonstrate that you have all the required skills/knowledge/elements in the unit of competency you are studying. You will receive feedback on each assessment task that will inform you about your progress and how well you are performing.
CA Competency Achieved
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit for assessment
Course Overview: Access Course Overview