Overview

This unit aims to teach students to develop a sense of professional responsibility in the ICT domain through exploring a range of social, organisational, legal, ethical and sustainable issues that professionals face in their careers in dynamic technology environments. Students are guided by ethical principles and frameworks and professional codes of conduct articulated by professional accrediting bodies.

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Summer
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
06-January-2025
16-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
06-January-2025
Census date
17-January-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
31-January-2025
Results released date
04-March-2025
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Develop and present a resolved project outcome which synthesises an understanding of ethical and socio-technical challenges faced by an ICT professional
  • Evaluate the role of standards, codes of conduct and legislative/regulatory obligations on the level of professionalism of the ICT industry
  • Review the roles and responsibilities of ICT professionals in organisations and society from a range of perspectives such as work-life balance, mentoring and life-long learning
  • Communicate effectively as a professional and function as an effective leader or member of a team

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Class		2.00 12 weeks 24
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning		1.00 12 weeks 12
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Independent Learning		9.50 12 weeks 114
TOTAL150

Sarawak and Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Lecture		2.00 12 weeks 24
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Tutorial		1.00 12 weeks 12
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Independent Learning		9.50 12 weeks 114
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning		12.50 12 weeks 150
TOTAL300

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Assignment 1Individual 30 - 40% 2,3 
Assignment 2Group 30 - 40% 1,2,3,4 
Assignment 3Individual 20 - 40% 2,3 

Content

  • Ethics and professionalism, including the philosophical foundations of professional ethics
  • Formal codes of professional conduct and their impact on the work and behaviour of ICT professionals
  • Understanding industry drivers, ICT trends within industries and interconnectedness between industries
  • Professionals’ roles and responsibilities, professional group dynamic behaviours and attitudes
  • Business compliance imperatives, including Sarbanes Oxley, & Australian Standard 8015, and their implications and impacts on the work of ICT professionals
  • Issues in both employee and contractor relationships, including responsibilities and management issues involved in providing IT contracting services
  • Broader social impacts of ICT including life-long learning, career development, mental health and positive computing and how to go about upgrading your world considerations for the ICT professionals

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.