Foundation Degree Computing
Foundation Degree in Computing FDSc Foundation Degree in Computing (Forensic Computing) FDSc Foundation Degree in Computing (Mobile Technology) FDSc Foundation Degree in Computing (Web Development) FDSc
Validated by Middlesex University, London, UK Programme Leader: Magdi Tawafig Institutional Link Tutor: Magdi Tawafig Middlesex Link Tutor: Simon Jones Student Name:
Foundation Degree Computing Handbook 2013/14
Foundation Degree Computing
Information in alternative formats This handbook can be found online at: http://ilearn.barnet.ac.uk If you have a disability which makes reading this handbook or navigating our website difficult and you would like to receive information in an alternative format, please contact Ines Asis on 020 8266 4018 or email ines.asis@barnet.ac.uk Please state your disability and details of the specific information you need.
We can supply sections from this publication as: a Word document with enlarged type — sent by email or supplied on a CD or memory stick printed copy on non-white paper printed copy with enlarged type As Braille Other formats may be possible. We will do our best to respond promptly. To help us, please be as specific as you can and include details of your disability. Purpose and status of your student handbook The purpose of this handbook is to provide you with information about your Programme of study and to direct you to other general information about studying at Barnet and Southgate College and information about Middlesex University who validate this programme of study. The material in this handbook is as accurate as possible at the date of production however you will be informed of any major changes to the information in this handbook in a timely manner. Your comments on any improvements to this handbook are welcome - please put them in writing (an email will suffice) with the name of the handbook to an email will suffice) with the name of the handbook to Ann Cleary Ann Cleary Head of School of Business Industries (IT) Barnet College Wood Street Campus High Barnet EN5 4AZ
The University Regulations This handbook must be read in conjunction with the Middlesex University available online at www.mdx.ac.uk/regulations
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CONTENTS Academic Calendar ......................................................................................................................... 3
INTRODUCTION TO School of Business Industries at Barnet and Southgate College ............................. 4 Programme Leader’s welcome ........................................................................................................ 5
INTRODUCTION TO MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY .............................................................................................. 6 The Middlesex University Regulations ............................................................................................ 6
School of Engineering and Information SCIENCES AT Middlesex Unversity ............................................. 8 CONTACTS AND COMMUNICATION ............................................................................................................... 9 Programme staff list and contact details .......................................................................................... 9 Student website ............................................................................................................................. 10 E-mail ............................................................................................................................................ 10 Your contact and personal details ................................................................................................. 10
YOUR PROGRAMME ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Programme structure diagram ....................................................................................................... 11 Your first year modules.................................................................................................................. 14 Your timetable ............................................................................................................................... 14 Your first year assessment ............................................................................................................ 14 Assignments Schedule .................................................................................................................. 15 Your learning Resources ............................................................................................................... 16 Attendance requirements .............................................................................................................. 16 Fitness for practice/ Professional capabilities ................................................................................ 16 Health and Safety requirements .................................................................................................... 17 How to help enhance your programme ......................................................................................... 17 Employability ................................................................................................................................. 19
LEARNING, TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................ 22 Learning and teaching methods .................................................................................................... 22 Assessment methods .................................................................................................................... 22 Submission, receipt, marking and return of assessment ............................................................... 23 Assessment Feedback .................................................................................................................. 24 Progressing on your programme ................................................................................................... 24 Academic Misconduct ................................................................................................................... 26 Appeals ......................................................................................................................................... 27
SUPPORT ......................................................................................................................................................... 28 Academic Support ......................................................................................................................... 28 Support services at Barnet and Southgate College ....................................................................... 28 Student Services ........................................................................................................................... 28 Student Union membership ........................................................................................................... 29
........................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Programme specification and curriculum map FOR FOUNDATION Degree in Computing..................... 30 Module narratives ............................................................................................................................................ 37 Introduction to Programming ......................................................................................................... 37 Computing Essentials .................................................................................................................... 39 Introduction to Databases.............................................................................................................. 41 Introduction to Computer Networks ............................................................................................... 43 Computer Systems ........................................................................................................................ 45 Web Development ......................................................................................................................... 47 Introduction to Mobile Technology ................................................................................................. 49 Introduction to Forensic Computing............................................................................................... 51 Software Development Using Object Oriented Programming ........................................................ 53 Object-Oriented Analysis ............................................................................................................... 55 Human Computer Interaction ........................................................................................................ 57 Advanced Databases .................................................................................................................... 59 Employer Consultancy Project ...................................................................................................... 61 Interactive Multimedia ................................................................................................................... 63
Programme Handbook 2013/14
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Foundation Degree Computing Advanced Web Technologies ........................................................................................................ 65 Advanced Network Design ............................................................................................................ 67 Advanced Mobile Technology ....................................................................................................... 69 Advanced Operating Systems ....................................................................................................... 71 Data Structures and Algorithms ..................................................................................................... 73
APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................................... 75 A. e-Learning ................................................................................................................................. 75 B. Bibliographic Referencing ......................................................................................................... 76 C. Quality Assurance Policy .......................................................................................................... 77 D. Complaints Procedure .............................................................................................................. 83 E. Health and Safety Policy ........................................................................................................... 85 F. Equality Policy ........................................................................................................................... 86
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Academic Calendar This is your calendar for the 2013/14 academic year. WINTER TERM September 2013 Induction & enrolment Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 September October 2013 Half term week
Monday 28 October to Friday 01 November
December 2013 Board of Studies Christmas Break
Wednesday 11 December 2 pm Monday 23 December return Monday 6 January 2013
SPRING TERM January 2014 Term starts End of semester 1 Work Shadow
Monday 6 January 2014 Friday 17 January Monday 21 January to Friday 31 January
February 2014 Exam board – semester 1 Start of Semester 2 Half term week
Wednesday 05 February Monday 03 February Monday 17 February to Friday 21 February
April 2014 Easter Break
Monday 07 April to Friday 18 April
SUMMER TERM Return to College
Monday 21 April
May 2014 Bank holiday Board of Studies Half term week
Monday 5 May Thursday 21 May Monday 26 May Friday 2 June
June 2014 Final date of attendance Workshop
Friday 13 June Monday 16 June - Friday 27 June
July 2014 Final Exam Board
Wednesday 2 July
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Foundation Degree Computing
INTRODUCTION TO SCHOOL OF BUSINESS INDUSTRIES AT BARNET AND SOUTHGATE COLLEGE Barnet and Southgate College is a large College of Further Education with more than 21,000 students. We offer a very wide range of provision across our four sites. We have a long history of offering Higher Education programmes in conjunction with Middlesex University and other validating institutions. In The School of Business Industries our staffs is highly qualified and committed to ensuring that you receive the best possible computing education. We are able to offer excellent facilities and a high level of personal support. The staff undertakes to ensure they do their best to assist your achievement. Specifically: You will receive a course handbook during induction explaining your programme and how the course is graded You will be assigned a personal tutor who will work with you to monitor your progress and ensure you know how you are getting on with your studies and what is required of you to improve your performance Your lessons will start on time and your lecturers will do everything they can to ensure your lessons are interesting and enjoyable Copies of your course handbook, your assignments, deadlines and an outline programme for each of your modules can be found in the ILearn – your tutor will explain how to access the ILearn If you have any particular problems while you are on the course, we will endeavour to support you. In return we expect the following things of you: Arriving on time to your classes Attending regularly (the College absolute minimum requirement is 85% attendance) and we have a target of 95% attendance Switching your mobile phone off in class Behaving well in class and not disrupting learning by talking or behaving inappropriately Completing any homework set on time as requested Handing in course work on time and as required The College disciplinary procedure will be used if you fail to comply with these requirements. Finally I would like to wish you great success with your studies and reassure you that I will do everything I can to ensure your time with the School of Computing is rewarding. Ann Cleary Head of School
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Programme Leader’s welcome These programmes contain a wide spectrum of fundamental computing subjects whilst preparing students for careers in some of the most exciting and important areas in the industry.
Foundation Degree in Computing FDSc Foundation Degree in Computing (Web Development) FDSc Foundation Degree in Computing (Mobile Technologies) FDSc Foundation Degree in Computing (Forensic Computing) FDSc I would like to welcome you to Barnet College. Although you will be attending at Barnet College you will be studying for a Foundation Degree which is validated by Middlesex University. When you graduate you will receive your Foundation Degree award from Middlesex University. We aim to provide the best possible learning environment at the College. You will be taught in a group of up to 22 students. You will be allocated a personal tutor who will see the students in a group and on a one to one basis at least twice a term. Your programme is intended to combine the rigors of an academic degree but also provide you with the skills you will require to obtain employment in the field of computing. We are committed to doing everything we can to support you through your studies at the College to ensure you have a motivating and positive time and that you achieve the qualification you desire. Course Leader
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Foundation Degree Computing
INTRODUCTION TO MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY Although you will enrol at and attend Barnet and Southgate College the Foundation Degree Computing is validated by Middlesex University and therefore you are a student of both. Within Middlesex University Foundation Degree Computing is part of the School of Engineering and Information Sciences. Being a Middlesex student means, in brief, the following: If you successfully complete the programme you will receive the Middlesex qualification of Foundation Degree Computing You may attend the appropriate Middlesex graduation ceremony. Foundation Degree Computing does not abide by Middlesex University Regulations and instead abides by Barnet and Southgate College which can be found http://ilearn.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk. You do not receive a Middlesex ID card You are not a member of the Middlesex University Students’ Union This list is not exhaustive and therefore please contact your link tutor if you have any questions about your entitlements as a Middlesex student.
The Middlesex University Regulations The programme does not abide by Middlesex University Regulations and instead abides by Barnet and Southgate College which can be found http://ilearn.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk Although it is not necessary to read the Regulations in their entirety you should know where you can find them and also be aware of the following key details: Appeals Please note that Barnet and Southgate College uses its own regulations for handling student appeals and therefore this section of the Middlesex University Regulations (section G) does not apply to you. More information about the appeal process is available from http://ilearn.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk (see page 30 of this handbook) Academic Misconduct Plagiarism is the presentation by a student, as his or her own work, of a body of material (written, visual or oral) which is wholly or partly the work of another. In fact, plagiarism extends to cover one's own work previously assessed or published which is also required to be properly referenced. Students will receive input from the Course Leader during induction on the seriousness of plagiarism. Students who submit plagiarised work will in the first instance be given a warning and placed on Stage 1 of the Disciplinary Procedure. Repetitions will be dealt with more harshly and may result in a student being excluded from the programme. More information about the Regulations regarding assessment is given in the section ‘Progressing on your programme’.
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Foundation Degree Computing Memorandum of Co-operation. This is the formal agreement between Middlesex University and Barnet and Southgate College on the delivery of the Programme. The Memorandum, among other things, sets out the responsibilities of both Barnet and Southgate College and Middlesex University. In brief these include: Access to Facilities at Middlesex You are entitled to enter Middlesex University Libraries for reference use only on presentation of their student ID card You are entitled to use any of the sports facilities of the University Copy of this document will be distributed during induction, also can be found online at: http://ilearn.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk Certificates When you graduate your final qualification certificate will be issued by Middlesex University and as well as details of the qualification it will also include Barnet and Southgate College along with the words “in collaboration with”. Your certificate will be sent to Barnet and Southgate College by Middlesex University within 4 months of the date the qualification is awarded (usually the assessment board date). Once it has arrived it will then be forwarded to you at the address Barnet and Southgate College holds for you. It is therefore very important that you keep Barnet and Southgate College up to date of your address details if they change at any point. Full details of the information which will appear on the certificate are set out in the Middlesex Regulations, section E13.5: http://www.mdx.ac.uk/aboutus/Strategy/regulations/sectioneug.aspx Diploma Supplement Since September 2010 students have been issued with Diploma Supplements verified by Middlesex University. This document replaces the traditional transcript and is a ‘supplement’ to a qualification certificate. It will still include the modules you have taken, grades achieved and will state your qualification achieved with the classification and title but it additionally contains information on the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies undertaken and successfully completed. Diploma Supplements are intended to help external parties such as current or future employers or other Higher Education providers understand more about your programme in addition to your grades. Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) UK Quality Code. The QAA is an independent agency appointed by the UK Government to be responsible for upholding the academic quality and standards of all universities and colleges in the UK. The QAA produce the UK Quality Code which outlines the key expectations placed on all UK Higher Education providers. In particular there is a specific chapter on how institutions should manage partnership arrangements, such as the programme you are now enrolled on. This section is chapter B10 ‘Managing higher education provision with others’. The QAA also review higher education providers (including Middlesex) to ensure that it is operating in line with the Quality Code and providing the best academic experience for its students. You can also learn more about Quality Assurance from watching two short videos designed specifically for students in Higher Education, which are available on line at: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/AssuringStandardsAndQuality/what-is-quality
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Foundation Degree Computing
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AT MIDDLESEX UNVERSITY The School of Engineering and Information Sciences (EIS) is one of the largest in the UK, having trebled in size since 1994, with more than 1000 students from a rich diversity of backgrounds, ages and countries. Teaching is located at Hendon campus and Trent Park campus in North London and within 30 minutes by Underground to Central London. We offer a range of high quality undergraduate and postgraduate courses across our four academic departments: Business Information Systems, Computer Communications, Computing and Multimedia Technology and Product Design and Engineering. As mentioned already the Foundation Degree Computing programme is linked to the Engineering and Information Science School at Middlesex University. Dean of School: Professor Martin Loomes Campus: Hendon Web: http://www.mdx.ac.uk/aboutus/Schools/EIS/index.aspx Telephone: +44(0) 208 411 4409 Campuses: http://www.mdx.ac.uk/campus/campuses/index.asp Maps and directions to Middlesex University campuses can be found here. Learning Resources: http://www.lr.mdx.ac.uk Provides information and support throughout your studies Facilities and Services (library, academic computing support, audio-visual support, language services etc.) Opening Hours Enquiry Desks Learning Support
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Foundation Degree Computing
CONTACTS AND COMMUNICATION Programme staff list and contact details The following members of staff are those who have a major input into your programme:
Head of School Business Industries Name: Ann Cleary Address: Wood Street Campus Telephone: +44(0)208 362 5014 Email: ann.cleary@barnet.ac.uk
Course Leader and Link Tutor Name: Magdi Tawafig Room number: WS/CF06 Address: Wood Street Campus Telephone: +44(0)208 275 5068 Email: magdi.tawafig@barnet.ac.uk
Middlesex University Link Tutor Name: Simon Jones Campus: Hendon Telephone: +44(0)208 411 4299 Email: s.jones@mdx.ac.uk
Curriculum Manager Name: Maria Bell Campus: Wood Street Room: CF07 Telephone: +44(0)208 275 5012 Email: maria.bell@barnetsouthgate.ac.uk
Teaching staff Ms Nirupa Patel– Lecturer & Personal Tutor Campus: Wood Street Room: CF06 Telephone: 0208 275 5067 Email: nirupa.patel@barnetsouthgate.ac.uk Mr Frank Nyarko– Lecturer Campus: Wood Street Room: CF07 Telephone: ext. 8801 Email: frank.nyarko@barnetsouthgate.ac.uk
Ms Sheri Darby – Lecturer Campus: Wood Street Room: CF06 Telephone: +44(0)208 275 5079 Email: sheri.darby@barnetsouthgate.ac.uk Mr Floyd Anderson – Lecturer Campus: Wood Street Room: CF06 Telephone: +44(0)208 275 3918 Email: floyd.anderson@barnetsouthgate.ac.uk
Technicians
Administration staff Ms Paula Vaughan – Senior Administrator School of Business Industries Campus: Wood Street Room: CF06 Telephone: +44(0)208 362 5025 Email: paula.vaughan@barnetsouthgate.ac.uk
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Foundation Degree Computing
Student website Barnet and Southgate College website: http://www.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk/ E-Learning: http://ilearn.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk Intranet: https://mle.bsc.ad.local/ To access your files from outside college use the following website: https://extranet.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk, use your login details of college.
E-mail As an enrolled student, you have your own college email address (in the form xxnnn@barnetsouthgate.ac.uk, Your Barnet and Southgate College email account will be used for a wide range of communications from and to your fellow students, your tutors, the student support team, the Learning Resource Centre, the College administrators and authorities and the rest of the world. You can gain access to your account if you are logged in on a computer on College premises or from home via the College website or iLearn
Your contact and personal details You should ensure that we are kept up to date of your contact details to ensure that all important communication reaches you. To update your contact details check with reception.
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YOUR PROGRAMME Programme structure diagram Programme Diagram for Foundation Degree in Computing (Web Development)
YR 1 FDCWD16 Level 1
FDC15
FDC12
FDC14
Computer Systems
Computing Essentials
Web Development
Introduction to Computer Networks
FDC11
FDC13
FDCFC18
FDCMT17
Introduction to Programming
Introduction to Databases
Introduction to Forensic Computing
Introduction to Mobile Technology
YR 2 FDC22
FDC23
Objectoriented Analysis
Human Computer Interaction
Advanced Databases
FDCWD26
FDCWD27
FDC21
Interactive Multimedia
Advanced Web Technologies
Software Development using OOP
LevelFDC24 2
FDC25
Employer Consultancy Project
KE YCompulsory Optional
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Foundation Degree Computing Programme Diagram for Foundation Degree in Computing (Forensic Computing)
YR 1 FDC15
FDC12
FDCWD16
FDC14
Computer Systems
Computing Essentials
Web Development
Introduction to Computer Networks
FDC11
FDC13
FDCFC18
FDCMT17
Introduction to Programming
Introduction to Databases
Introduction to Forensic Computing
Introduction to Mobile Technology
FDC22
FDC23
FDC24
Objectoriented Analysis
Human Computer Interaction
Advanced Databases
FDCFC210
FDCFC211
FDC21
Advanced Operating Systems
Data Structures and Algorithms
Software Development using OOP
YR 2
FDC25
Employer Consultancy Project
KE YCompulsory Optional
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Programme Diagram for Foundation Degree in Computing (Mobile Technology)
YR 1 FDC15
FDC12
FDCWD16
FDC14
Computer Systems
Computing Essentials
Web Development
Introduction to Computer Networks
FDC11
FDC13
FDCFC18
FDCMT17
Introduction to Programming
Introduction to Databases
Introduction to Forensic Computing
Introduction to Mobile Technology
FDC22
FDC23
FDC24
Objectoriented Analysis
Human Computer Interaction
Advanced Databases
el 1
YR 2
FDC25
FDCMT28
FDCMT29
FDC21
Advanced Network Design
Advanced Mobile Technology
Software Development using OOP
Employer Consultancy Project
KE YCompulsory Optional
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Foundation Degree Computing
Your first year modules Year 1 Level 4 Compulsory Semester 1 FDC12 – Computing Essentials FDC14 – Introduction to Computer Networks FDC15 - Computer Systems FDCWD16 - Web Development
Lecturer: Shery Darby Lecturer: Frank Nyarko Lecturer: Nirupa Patel Lecturer: Magdi Tawafig
Semester 2 FDC11 - Introduction to Programming FDC13 - Introduction to Databases FDCMT17 – Introduction to Mobile Technology FDCFC18 - Introduction to Forensic Computing
Lecturer: Nirupa Patel Lecturer: Shery Darby Lecturer: Frank Nyarko Lecturer: Magdi Tawafig
Your timetable You are allocated to timetabled lectures, labs, seminars, and workshops of your first year modules. You can find your timetable in MLE (Intranet) of the college Any changes to your timetable will be notified to you by your course leader or personal tutor.
Your first year assessment IMPORTANT: Assessment deadlines do occasionally change and while every effort has been made to ensure dates are correct at the time of publishing you should check your email and iLearn’ so you are aware of any changes. For more information about assessment, including how to submit please refer to page 21
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Assignments Schedule Week Week Mon Tues Wed Thurs No. Beginning 09/09/2013 Induction 1 16/09/2013 Semester 1 Start 2 23/09/2013 3 30/10/2013 4 07/10/2013 5 14/10/2013 6 21/10/2013 28/10/2013 Autumn Half Term 7 04/11/2013 8 11/11/2013 9 18/11/2013 25/11/2013 10 11 02/12/2013 Board of Studies 12 09/12/2013 13 16/12/2013 FDC15 - SG 23/12/2013 Christmas Break 30/12/2013 14 06/01/2014 FDC12 - SG 15 13/01/2014 FDC14 - SI FDC15 - SI 20/01/2014 Work Work Shadowing 27/01/2014 Shadowing 1 03/02/2014 Semester 2 Start Exam Board 2 10/02/2014 17/02/2014 Spring Half Term 3 24/02/2014 4 03/03/2014 5 10/03/2014 6 17/03/2014 7 24/03/2014 8 31/03/2014 07/04/2014 Easter Break 14/04/2014 9 21/04/2014 10 28/04/2014 11 05/05/2014 FDCMT17 - SG 12 12/05/2014 Board of Studies 13 19/05/2014 FDCFC18 –SI2 26/05/2014 Half Term FDC11 - SI 14 02/06/2014 15 09/06/2014 16/06/2014 23/06/2014 FDC11 – Exam 30/06/2014 Exam Board 07/07/2014 Key:
Fri
FDC12- SI FDCWD16 –SI1
FDC14 - SG FDCWD16 –SI2
FDC13 – SI1
FDCMT17 – SI
FDCFC18 – SI1 FDC13- SI2
College Week No
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
SI: Summative individual assignment - SG: Summative group assignment
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Foundation Degree Computing
Your learning Resources Library Students have visiting rights to the Middlesex University Learning Resource Centre at the Hendon campus, but they do not have borrowing rights. There is a Learning Resources Centre on site. You may obtain a list of books and journals held there from your course folder in ILearn. We have purchased all the books listed on the reading lists for the modules you will be studying and you will be able to take these out on loan or use a reference copy in the Learning Resources Centre. Staff in the Learning Resources Centre is trained to be able to assist you in finding information or help you access databases which may assist you. IT facilities There is ample open access to computers at the Wood Street site. There are 4 separate spaces with approximately 25 computers in each area. In addition, your classes will be largely timetabled in computer rooms. At the beginning of course each student will get laptop for his own use There is wireless access across the whole site with a 300 Mbps 10Gb infrastructure backbone with 1Gb to the desktop. All 64 bit servers SAN Storage Interactive whiteboards and projectors in all rooms Pull printing with the use of student ID cards Learner Development Learner Development activity is embedded into the programme (Computing Essentials module and Tutorials) for example assistance with academic writing (essay writing, presentations, referencing etc‌) on a one to one or group basis, numeracy skills, dyslexia support.
Attendance requirements Barnet and Southgate College has a policy relating to Attendance and Punctuality. Students are expected to arrive on time for their classes and to attend at least 85% of the time. Students who fail to do this may be subject to the disciplinary procedure Policy on late arrival Students are expected to arrive on time because: Late arrival jeopardises your own learning Late arrival interrupts the study of others Late arrival requires accommodating action on the part of lecturing staff Personal tutors take disciplinary action for persistent late arrival and will work with students to identify reasons for late arrival and encourage them to develop a strategy to improve their punctuality. Persistent lateness will result in disciplinary action.
Fitness for practice/ Professional capabilities Plagiarism is the presentation by a student, as his or her own work, of a body of material (written, visual or oral) which is wholly or partly the work of another. In fact, plagiarism extends to cover one's own work previously assessed or published which is also required to be properly referenced. Taking unfair advantage over other authors, students or oneself in this way is considered by the University and Barnet and Southgate College to be a serious offence.
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The University and Barnet and Southgate College will take serious action against any student who plagiarises whether through negligence, foolishness or deliberate intent. Make sure written material, ideas, theories, formulae, etc. are acknowledged through the use of quotation marks, references and bibliographies. Information on the correct way of acknowledging work from other sources is available from iLearn (See Appendix B). Academic misconduct also covers cheating in examinations. Students will receive input from the Course Leader during induction on the seriousness of plagiarism.
Health and Safety requirements The College has a Health and Safety policy – which is included in (Appendix E– Health and Safety Policy). Your personal tutor will go through this with you at Induction and make sure you are aware of all the key factors required to ensure a safe experience in the College on a day by day level. You will particularly be made aware of the fire drill for your building – exit routes and mustering points in the College grounds. Your personal tutor will arrange group tutorials on a variety of health related issues including – sexual health, drug awareness, diet and fitness. You will also be provided with contact details for the College counselling service.
How to help enhance your programme How you can feed back to us As well as talking to your module leaders or programme leaders about any issues, there are also other ways you can feed back and help enhance the quality your programme. Board of Study This is a forum where student representatives and staff meet to discuss the Foundation Degree Computing programme. This includes any issues but also talking about future developments and things that are going well. The Board also looks at student survey results and the reports from External Examiners. Minutes are made of the discussions and decisions and you can read these online at http://ilearn.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk: The membership of a Board of Study includes:
Student representatives (for more information about being a student rep see below) Head of Department Middlesex University Link Tutor Barnet & Southgate College Link Tutor Programme co-ordinator and other academic staff involved in the delivery of the programme and/or modules Support services representatives The student representatives are elected by the end of week 2 to ensure that the interests of students on the programme are represented. They are also responsible for feeding back the outcomes of any meetings or events they attend. Being a student representative can be immensely rewarding as much of the experience you gain can be linked to personal development and employability. The graduate market is very competitive and prospective employers are looking for people who stand out and can demonstrate, with real 17
Foundation Degree Computing examples, skills listed in CVs. As a student representative you get to put skills into action, such as communication, leadership, teamwork, problem solving, time management etc. The Course Leader/Personal Tutor will organise the election of the student representatives. Normally students are invited to make nominates and then there is a ballot to elect the representative. Those students who put themselves forward for election need to commit to attending meetings to represent their fellow students. They may also put themselves forward for election as a Student Representative at the Governing Body of the College meetings. As well as attending Boards of Study meetings student representatives are often asked to give their feedback on other issues relevant to students through focus groups or other committee meetings which are organised on a more ad-hoc basis. Meeting dates Boards of Study meetings generally take place towards the end of the Winter Term (December) and again towards the end of the Spring Term (late March) Dates will be notified to you by the Course Leader. See Assessment Schedule page 14 Cross College Student Meetings The purpose of Cross-College meetings is that they are held by the Head of Student Services in the College. The Student Services Department provides all services in the College other than the academic programmes. Therefore these meetings tend to focus on issues like the refectory, College facilities in its broadest sense. Student representatives attend these meetings on behalf of the students on the programme and may report back verbally to the group during group tutorials or circulate the minutes of meetings. These meetings are held once a term. Student surveys Programme feedback survey The Programme Feedback Survey takes place towards the end of the academic year and is anonymous. The aim of this feedback process is to give you the opportunity to give your views on the quality of your programme and your satisfaction overall. It is important that you complete this survey as it helps us to identify what you think is going well and what we need to address to continue to improve the student experience for you and future students. Results of the survey are available by the start of the new academic year and each programme is expected to produce a brief report or action plan to resolve any problems that have been identified. This action plan will also be discussed during the Board of Study meeting with student representatives. Other surveys There are 3 on-line surveys each year and you will be invited to complete these surveys when you log on to your computer to give you the opportunity to give your views on the 34 National Student Survey (NSS) The Higher Education Funding Councils for England, Wales and Northern Ireland have commissioned IPSOS MORI, a specialist survey company, to ask finalists in all higher education institutions about the quality of their learning experience. The aim of the National Student Survey (NSS) is to gather feedback on the quality of students' courses, to help inform the choices of future applicants to higher education, and to contribute to public accountability. Most final-year undergraduate students at these institutions will be asked a series of questions about the quality of their courses you will be contacted by email, phone or sent a letter and invited to fill in the survey.
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Module feedback It is planned to invite students to complete a module evaluation form at the end of each module. This feedback will be shared with the module lecturer and will be expected to influence the delivery and organisation of the module. Complaints If you have a suggestion or a complaint about any aspect please raise it with the person concerned in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the outcome you can progress the matter through informal and formal procedures step by step up the management structure of Barnet and Southgate College. (See Appendix D Complaints Procedure) The complaints and grievance procedures of Barnet and Southgate College must be followed and have been fully exhausted before you can follow the Middlesex University “Complaints in relation to collaborative partner institutions” which can be found in the Middlesex University regulations: www.mdx.ac.uk/regulations How we consider your feedback The feedback you give through your student reps, through surveys and at Boards of Study meetings plays an important part in reviewing the Foundation Degree Computing programme during and at the end of the academic year. Some of the changes we have made to the programme have been a result of student feedback.
Employability Employability and your programme The development of employability skills – for example, team work, self-management, business and customer awareness, communication, literacy and numeracy – are all integral parts of Foundation Degree Computing although this may not always be evident to you as they will not always be presented as such. Barnet and Southgate is committed to supporting you in enhancing your employability and helping you to develop professionalism in your field of choice as employers constantly tell us that they are looking for polished graduates who not only have a good degree but who also have the right skills, attributes and values to support their knowledge. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) defines employability as 'a set of attributes, skills and knowledge that all labour market participants should possess to ensure they have the capability of being effective in the workplace, to the benefit of themselves, their employer and the wider economy’. Although you can see how to a certain extent employability has been embedded in the Foundation Degree Computing curriculum, it is still your responsibility to actively seek out these skills and identify what is covered where. Your employability cannot be ensured without your engaging with and understanding the importance of it. Once you take ownership of this, the University can support your development in a variety of ways both within your curriculum, outside of your curriculum and outside of the University, by helping you to make sense of your experiences and understand how to articulate your learning and development.
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Foundation Degree Computing Personal Development Planning (PDP) PDP will provide you with an opportunity to assess the value of the skills and knowledge you are developing and identify your future learning and development needs. It offers a structured way to reflect on what you are good at and what you need to develop further. You will learn to review your own skill levels and what you have learned from different situations and environments, including your studies, part time work, voluntary work and other activities. You will record your reflections and use them to help you think about and plan your future development. This is an important part of your personal development and reflects the working environment where employers encourage new graduates to assess their own continuous professional development (CPD) using a portfolio. You can also use your record of PDP as a valuable aid for marketing your skills to employers in recruitment and selection processes. You will be introduced to the Personal Development Log during the module Computing Essentials where a skills audit will be undertaken. You will then be able to identify your strengths and areas for improvements. A series of workshops will be held to assist in developing the skills required for successful completion of the programme, for progression to Middlesex University and for employment. You will complete the log for the first semester as part of the Computing Essentials modules and thereafter it will be reviewed regularly by the personal tutor during one to one tutorials. A completed log is a requirement of the successful completion of the programme. After you have completed a piece of work and received feedback from the lecturer, you are required to complete an evaluation of your performance on the work. In order for this process to be effective, it is important that lecturers provide detailed feedback on both knowledge and skills. You are encouraged to identify areas for improvement for yourselves on each piece of work. These evaluations, together with feedback sheets from lecturers build towards a Personal Development Log which will be discussed with you at one to one tutorials where themes and issues will be identified to help you understand your personal progress and areas for improvement. (Appendix G Personal Development Log). Internships and placements The whole ethos of the Foundation Degree in Computing is to ensure that students develop employability skills and transferable skills appropriate for eventual employment in the field of IT and Computing. To this end, all modules and assignments are developed in such a way so as to embed the skills and knowledge require to facilitate this development into the programme – with guest speakers from employer organisation, case studies based around real examples, placement with an employment in year one and an extended internship in year two. In order to secure the internship in year two, there is an 8 week block of preparation. This will include – writing CVs, presentation at interview, writing a letter of introduction, ensure preparation for the type of questions at interview, exploring different areas of possible placement and employment. The whole design of the Foundation Degree in Computing is to ensure that students explore possible fields – Forensic Computing, Mobile Technology and Web Development. In addition – students receive two one-to-one tutorials per term during which future plans and aspirations will be discussed. There will be a personal tutor appointed for year one and another for year two. These individuals will be provided with training to ensure they offer career and employment advice in a constructive and structured style.
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Internship Work placements are supported across the Barnet College work placement unit. This unit has experience of placing students for short-term placements – as that planned for year one, and for internships as planned for year two of the programme. In year two – during the 8 week block prior to the commencement of the internship, a member of the team will be working closely with the students to ensure they achieve the best placement possible for their skills and their future work aspirations. All prospective employers will be required to provide a copy of their Public Liability Insurance and also their Health and Safety policy – under the Health and Safety at work Act 1974. We have increasingly found that the internships are invaluable in the experience it provides for students and will provide an advantage to students when applying for jobs at the end of their period of study. In some instances, we find that students do obtain offers of employment from their work experience. Finding good internship placements is time-consuming. We are anxious that students undertaking an internship will realise they are representing the College. You will need to ensure you present yourself well, maintain the dress code of the organisation within which you are working, behave professionally, attend regularly and are punctual. Students will undertake a two week Work Shadowing Placement in Year one of their programme and a two-day-a-week placement for 20 weeks in year two of the programme. Career advice To support you in your decisions about your future, free, impartial and confidential careers advice and guidance is available for all students and prospective students at Barnet College. All of the staff in our service are trained careers advisers.
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Foundation Degree Computing
LEARNING, TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT The learning, teaching and assessment approaches used throughout your programme will encourage you to be actively involved in your learning and to co-operate with other students. We aim to give you prompt feedback on your learning as well as opportunities to reflect upon and learn from that feedback.
Learning and teaching methods You will be actively involved in a range of learning, teaching and assessment approaches as part of Foundation Degree Computing. Such active approaches aim to put you at the centre of your learning so you are involved and engaged in all aspects of your assessment and learning. Your programme will require your active participation in learning activities and engagement with your fellow students both individually and collaboratively, working and learning with other students as part of a small group. Learning activities may also occur both within and outside the classroom. Your learning will also be supported by technology. Increasingly your tutors will be using existing and emerging learning technologies to engage you in e-learning activities. Your programme will be facilitated using a variety of media and online tools which will allow you flexible access to a diverse range of online resources, quizzes and learning materials as well as collaborative tools with which you can engage and learn with your peers. Not confined by the time and space associated with traditional teaching methods you may take part in online discussions and learning activities from wherever you are studying. Your tutors and e-learning advisors will provide any support you may need whilst learning online. By engaging with e- learning you will also be developing skills which are essential for your learning and are also highly valued by employers. These include but are not limited to: working flexibly, communication, understanding of IT, team working and creating shared understandings based on quality resources and access to global expertise.
Assessment methods Assessment is an integral part of learning and you may hear it referred to as formative or summative. Formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your performance and how it can be improved. As a result you will get detailed feedback on formative assessment but not a grade. Formative assessment is an important part of the learning process and has been shown to help students improve both their grades and their learning style. Formative assessment may take form of exercises, workshops, hand-on practical, group discussions etc‌ Summative assessment is designed to measure the extent to which you have achieved the learning outcomes of a module and therefore the grade you will be awarded. Learning outcomes are the specific skills and knowledge that you are expected to demonstrate as a result of taking a module. Summative assessment should assess achievement of all learning outcomes in a secure, fair and accurate manner and on Foundation Degree Computing this will mainly comprise of written seminar papers, assignment reports, case study analyses, practical investigation, seminar presentations; project, reports , exams, practical labs etc. Assessment may also involve self, peer or group approaches. For example, you may be asked to self-assess your own work, indicating where you feel you have clearly demonstrated your understanding and also identifying areas where can see you have room to improve. Assessment may also be a peer process where students, individually or as groups, offer feedback on one
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another’s work. Group assessment may also be part of your programme where part of the assessment requires you to demonstrate your ability to work as part of a group and possibly receive a group mark. Please see the module narratives at the end of this handbook for more information about the specific learning arrangements for your modules.
Submission, receipt, marking and return of assessment Submission and receipt of assessment All assignments will be submitted electronically at http://ilearn.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk. Further information will be included in the assignments brief and during tutorial’s sessions. Exams Some modules of the programme have exam component. Timetable of these exams is shown in the assignment schedule above. All past exam papers are available in iLearn. There will be revision sessions before each exam. Marking, second marking and marking moderation All examination papers and coursework assignments are moderated internally. Examination papers and coursework (when a module is assessed by more than 50% coursework) are also moderated externally. A grid is produced to ensure the sample of work marked is representative of the student group. The moderated sample of coursework and all examination scripts are available for moderation by the external examiner. All projects are double marked. All project presentations are observed by a lecturer and an employer, or by two lecturers. As a final check, the overall profile of marks for the module are examined internally and externally to ensure consistency of standards. The pass mark for all units of assessed work is grade 16. In any year students are required to pass each examination and achieve a coursework pass for each module. All borderline and failed candidates’ work is double marked by an internal moderator to ensure fairness. Return of coursework Students are expected to keep a copy of their coursework. The marked version of the coursework is returned to the student within 15 working days of its submission uploaded to iLearn. The coursework is then retained for the purpose of the visit of the external examiner. Coursework should be submitted on a set date. Course work submitted late will entail a penalty – i.e. the work may only receive a pass grade. If a student feels they have valid reasons for late submission, they may write to the Exam Board – if the exam board accepts their reasons for late submission – they may choose to allow a higher grade than a pass for the work. External Examiners External Examiners are one way we assure the academic quality of your programme. They are subject experts who help assure that your Middlesex award is comparable to that at other UK universities by reviewing the programme curriculum, the assessment and the learning resources. Among other things they approve all exam papers before they are taken, attend the assessment board and write a report at the end of the year. You can obtain a copy of this report by contacting your course leader You can read more about the role of External Examiners and quality assurance on the QAA website: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/AssuringStandardsAndQuality/what-is-quality/pages/default.aspx
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Assessment Feedback Feedback on your assessment (both formative and summative) provides the opportunity for you to reflect on it and to use this feedback as the basis for learning and to improve your work Feedback can take many forms and may be informal. For example it may be given and discussed in the classroom or it may be more formal and delivered in written or audio form from peers or academic staff. Understanding your feedback is very important and to achieve this you are encouraged to discuss feedback with your peers and academic staff. Receiving feedback on your work is an essential and important part of learning and therefore all programmes provide regular opportunities for formative assessment, the purpose of which is to get detailed feedback on your performance so you get a regular update on how you are developing and to prepare you for any summative assessment. Feedback on summative assessment will be offered in a variety of forms and all your work will be marked and moderated in line with Barnet and Southgate College Quality Policy which can be found in Appendix
You will normally be provided with feedback within 15 working days of the published submission date.
Progressing on your programme Your grades Your module narrative give information on how the marks for different items of summative assessment are combined to give your final grade. Additionally by reading the Grade Criteria you can also understand the standard you must reach to achieve different grades. The Grade Criteria can be found in Section M of the Regulations http://www.mdx.ac.uk/regulations The University has a 1-20 grading scale, with grade 1 being the highest grade and 20 the lowest, 16 is the minimum required to achieve a pass as illustrated in the chart below. Grade 1-4 5-8 9-12 13-16 17 18 19 20
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Class of Honours Degree First Upper second (2:1) Lower second (2:2) Third Fail – marginal Compensation allowed Fail Compensation allowed Fail Compensation not allowed Fail - Incorporating failure to participate in assessment necessary to achieve all learning outcomes. Compensation not allowed
Foundation Degree Distinction Merit Pass Pass Fail – marginal Compensation allowed Fail Compensation allowed Fail Compensation not allowed Fail - Incorporating failure to participate in assessment necessary to achieve all learning outcomes. Compensation not allowed
Programme Handbook 2013/14
Percentage Grade
Foundation Degree Award Classification
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
80 – 100% 77-79% 73 – 76% 70 – 72% 68 – 69% 65 – 67% 63 – 64% 60 – 62%
9
58 – 59%
10
55 – 57%
11
53 – 54%
12
50 -52%
40-49%
13 14 15 16
48 – 49% 45 – 47% 43 – 44% 40 - 42%
35-39%
17
35 -39%
30-34%
18 19
30-34% 1 – 29%
20
0%
70%+
60-69%
50-59%
0-29%
DISTINCTION
MERIT
PASS
FAIL – MARGINAL Compensation allowed FAIL – Compensation allowed FAIL – Compensation not allowed FAIL - Incorporating failure to participate in assessment necessary to achieve all learning outcomes. Compensation not allowed
Further administrative grades are also used to indicate re-assessment, deferrals and academic misconduct etc. The full scale is contained in the Middlesex Regulations available online at; http://www.mdx.ac.uk/regulations If you have any questions about what your grades or status mean then you should contact your course leader or personal tutor. Programme regulations for progression and award Your results At the end of each academic year, your results will be considered and confirmed by an Assessment Board. Once the Assessment Board has met you will be able to view your results and progression status The date for the release of results and progression decisions is on the Academic Calendar which can be found at the start of this handbook Certificates When you graduate your final qualification certificate will be issued by Middlesex University and will have the details of your qualification. It will include the words “in collaboration with Barnet and Southgate College. Your certificate will be sent to Barnet and Southgate College by Middlesex University within 4 months of the date the qualification is awarded (usually the Assessment Board date). Once it has arrived it will then be forwarded to you at the address we hold for you. It is therefore very important that you keep Barnet and Southgate College updated of your address details if they change at any point.
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Foundation Degree Computing Full details of the information which will appear on your certificate are set out in the Middlesex Regulations, section E13.5: http://www.mdx.ac.uk/regulations Diploma supplement All students are issued with a diploma supplement verified by Middlesex University which will state Barnet and Southgate College as the institution where you studied. Your diploma supplement will include the modules you have taken, grades achieved and state your qualification with the classification and title but additionally it will also contain information on the nature, level, context, content and status of your studies undertaken and successfully completed. Diploma supplements are intended to help external parties such as employers or other higher education providers understand more about your programme in addition to your grades. Deferral of assessment Students who have submitted work late or failed to submit work through ill health, bereavements etc. may write to the Assessment Board and ask for extensions due to extenuating circumstances. Extenuating Circumstances Students who wish to seek deferral of assessment due to extenuating circumstances may request deferral by writing to the Assessment. If deferral is granted, the deferred assessment will be completed at the next reassessment point, normally in September each year. Re-assessment Although no one anticipates failing a module, it is important that you are aware of what happens if you do. Normally you would be entitled to one re-assessment opportunity if you don’t pass and there is no financial cost associated with this second attempt. You should however contact Course Leader if you have any questions.
Academic Misconduct Plagiarism is taking someone else‘s work or ideas and passing them off as your own. Remember plagiarism isn’t just restricted to essays or reports it can also happen with visual work as well. It includes: Copying – submission of someone else’s entire work as your own. The original work could be from the internet, a classmate, or a student in a previous year. Failing to indicate a direct quote (quotation marks should be used) in the text. Paraphrasing or synthesising material from a book, journal article or internet site without acknowledging the source in the text. Composing a paragraph by joining together sentences from a number of sources and not acknowledging them in the text. Using your own previous work in another assignment without acknowledging it. Barnet and Southgate College and University takes plagiarism very seriously and you will face a penalty if found guilty of plagiarism regardless of whether it was unintentional or a first offence. You should therefore make sure that you understand how to reference properly so that you can use another author’s work without plagiarising. Information on the correct way of acknowledging work from other sources is available from iLearn (See Appendix B). Academic misconduct also covers examinations. You should ensure that you read the exam regulations before attending your exams to ensure you know what is expected of you and what is permitted.
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If you have any questions regarding plagiarism or academic misconduct then please contact your link tutor.
Appeals All students are able to appeal against assessment board decisions and the outcome of academic misconduct cases. The Middlesex University Regulations for Appeals apply to Foundation Degree Computing and these are set out in Section G of the Regulations which is available on line at: mdx.ac.uk/regulations If you are considering submitting an appeal against an Assessment Board decision then please contact your link tutor
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SUPPORT Although you are expected to be independent and to take responsibility for your own academic and personal life, there is still a lot of help available to support you throughout your programme.
Academic Support Academic staff Your tutors will direct your studies and ensure that you know what work you need to cover in any given module. Seek advice from academic staff either during their office hours or by email or telephone please see ‘Contacts and Communication’ section for details. Your first line of support during your time at Barnet College is the Course Leader for Foundation Degree in Computing and also your personal tutor. You may be having difficulties with an aspect of your course work. If you make your tutor aware of your concerns, it may be possible to provide some one-to-one support for you which may assist you to surmount your problems. You will have a group tutorial session each week with your personal tutor and other students in your cohort. In addition you will have two one- to-one tutorials per term. If you are experiencing any difficulties with your studies or personal difficulties which are impacting upon your studies it is important that you make your personal tutor aware of this as early as possible. Firstly, without breaching your confidentiality, your personal tutor can make other members of the teaching team aware of the fact that you may be experiencing difficulties. Link Tutors As stated on the front of this handbook the link tutor at Barnet and Southgate College for this programme is Magdi Tawafig and the link tutor at Middlesex is Simon Jones. Both tutors are jointly responsible for ensuring the programme is delivered according to the arrangements agreed when it was approved. Both link tutors attend the Board of Study meetings where they hear the views of students on the programme, however you can contact either if you have a query or suggestion.
Support services at Barnet and Southgate College Student Services The Student Services is where you can go as a first point of call to find out information or to seek advice.
Counselling You may access any of the Learner Support Services in the College. There is a Learner Support Office on each site. They can, for instance, make you an appointment with one of the College counsellors where you can discuss your problems in total confidence with a professional counsellor who can help you resolve your concerns.
Disability Support Service The Learning Support team at Barnet and Southgate College reviews all application/enrolment forms for students wishing to join a higher education programme across the College and invites them in to a meeting to explain the support available in the College and to support students in their application to their local authority for funding to provide the support they are required.
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When students apply to their local authority they will invariably be sent for a detailed assessment which will identify the type of support they need for their specific disability. The Disabled Student’s Allowance is a non-means-tested grant. When the College receives the formal assessment, the support required will be put in place. Sometimes this assessment and the receipt of details from the local authority will take time. Barnet College therefore undertakes to support students in the interim to ensure they are able to commence their studies with us.
Student Union membership As you are not attending a Middlesex University campus you are, unfortunately, not a member of Middlesex University Students’ Union (MUSU). You are however still entitled to the following benefits: NUS Extra Card This is a student discount card which can be used at a very large number of retailers, please see the NUS website for further details: http://www.nus.org.uk/en/NUS-Extra. To apply for an NUS Extra Card you will need to contact MUSU who will confirm that you are a student member of Middlesex University. Please email musuinfo@mdx.ac.uk in the first instance. ISIC cards UK only: As a full time student you can apply for an International Student Identification Card which will give you discounts on travel, shopping and experiences worldwide. The ISIC card costs £9 and is available from STA Travel; http://www.statravel.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/uk_division_web_live/hs.xsl/ISIC-card.htm or you can apply for an ISIC card with your NUS Extra Card for an additional £2.99 (price as of March 2013): http://www.nus.org.uk/en/nus-extra/upgrade-and-save-even-more/ International: As a full time student you can apply for an International Student Identification Card which will give you discounts on travel, shopping and experiences world-wide. http://www.isic.org/ International Youth Travel Card (IYTC) part time students Part time students under 26 can apply for the International Youth Travel Card (IYTC) which offers similar benefits to the ISIC. Again details are available from: http://www.statravel.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/uk_division_web_live/hs.xsl/ISIC-card.htm
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Foundation Degree Computing
Programme Specification and Curriculum Map for Foundation Degree in Computing 1. Programme title
Foundation Degree in Computing
2. Awarding institution 3. Teaching institution 4. Programme accredited by 5. Final qualification
Middlesex University Barnet and Southgate College Middlesex University
6. Academic year 7. Language of study 8. Mode of study
2013/2014 English Full Time
Foundation Degree in Computing FDSc Foundation Degree in Computing (Forensic Computing) FDSc Foundation Degree in Computing (Web Development) FDSc Foundation Degree in Computing (Mobile Technology) FDSc
9. Criteria for admission to the programme Entry requirements are in accordance with the University regulations. We accept students from a range of backgrounds. Most students educated in the UK will have studied A Levels, AVCEs or an accredited Access Course. To enter a Foundation Degree programme you would be expected to have achieved 100 UCAS tariff points. Students under 21 will be required to have a GCSE maths and English language, or equivalent. Mature applicants with relevant work experience are also welcome to apply. Mature students may be required to sit a diagnostic test in English and Maths to ensure they have the prerequisite skills to complete the programme. International students who have not been taught in the English medium must show evidence of proven ability in English such as TOEFL grade 550 or IELTS grade 6.0. Students studying for the part time programme will need to be employed within an organisation which could provide them with the opportunity to complete the Employer Consultancy project 10. Aims of the programme The programme aims to: The Foundation Degree in Computing is intended to provide an introduction to the academic study of computing to allow students who successfully complete the programme to progress to an honours degree in computing at Middlesex University. Students will be introduced to a broad of subjects related to computing including programming, databases, computer systems, software development, object-orientated analysis, human computer interaction. In addition they will be introduced to three specific areas of computing – forensic computing, mobile technology and web development. It is also intended to develop a broad range of practical and transferable skills in the area of computing to ensure the programme is relevant to the current working environment in the field of computing in a wide range of organisation. To this end, the programme includes a short work shadowing placement in year one, followed by an extended internship which involves an Employer Consultancy Project in year two. Specially, the pathways in Forensic Computing, Web Development and Mobile Technology are intended to introduce students to a broad range of computer specialism – to make them aware of the progression opportunities in the university and also to ensure they understand the range of employment opportunities in the wider world.
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11. Programme outcomes A. Knowledge and understanding On completion of this programme the successful student will have knowledge and understanding of : On completion of this programme, the successful student will be able to: 1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the complete software life cycle, from requirements elicitation to development and evaluation. 2. Design an evaluation framework for, and employ testing strategies to, a software system. 3. Demonstrate knowledge of underlying theory relevant to computer systems and networks, and to software system design, such as algorithms, data models (including databases) and software component frameworks. 4. Understand the role of software systems developers in society and the distinction between their professional and ethical responsibilities. 5. Critically evaluate technical and human features of software systems. Formulate and test hypotheses; collect and analyse qualitative and quantitative data to form evidentially supported conclusions in a computing context. B. Computing-related Cognitive (thinking) skills On completion of this programme the successful student will be able to: 1. Apply analytical skills to create requirements specifications using recognized methods. 2. Deploy appropriate tools to develop models of information system data and processes as a result of analysis and design activities, and to manage all aspects of a software project. 3. Apply sound programming principles to the construction and maintenance of software artefacts using appropriate programming paradigms and languages. 4. Design, build and deploy databases to meet application requirements. 5. Work effectively as a member of a software design and development team. Prepare detailed software design documentation. C. Practical skills On completion of this programme the successful student will be able to: 1. Communicate effectively (in writing, verbally and through graphical notations). 2. Learn independently in a variety of situations with a spirit of critical enquiry, effectively planning and managing resources and time for the purposes of continuing professional development. 3. Be effective at information-retrieval from a range of sources (including electronic sources such as the Internet, CD-ROM and electronic catalogues), including scholarly reviews and research materials, and be able to cite and reference information sources appropriately for different audiences. 4. Understand and apply appropriate mathematical methods for problem solving to the given computing context. 5. Give technical presentations to different audiences, supported by effective use of presentation media and technology. Have a broad range of general information and communications technology skills.
Teaching/learning methods As this programme is a Foundation Degree in Computing, the teaching and learning strategies meet the Foundation Degree benchmarks of developing employability skills as well as the more academic requirements of the QAA benchmark for a computer science degree. The teaching and learning strategies therefore tend to cover a broader spectrum of specialist areas rather than the more narrow focus and depth of computer science degrees. As might be expected level 4 modules tend to be broad introductions to topics and level 5 modules will endeavour to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding to a higher level. A range of teaching and learning methods will be deployed including lecturers, workshops, practical session. These are delivered in the context of assessments which relate the computer science concepts to the real world – i.e. real case studies, practical projects both group and individual. Assessment Method We will use a mixture of assessment methods – some traditional examinations/time-constrained assignments, some group presentations, some report writing, some practical observed sessions. Teaching/learning methods As with the cognitive abilities discussed above, the nature of the Foundation Degree which requires as to develop practical, employability skills as well as academic knowledge, ensures that practical abilities receives a high level importance in this programme. We will therefore include a high level of practical hands on workshops. Tasks will be set in the context of a real case study where students are required to apply their academic knowledge to a real life situation and come up with a solution. Assessment For this skills group of skills, there will be more emphasis on assessment through practical assignments. The Employer Consultancy Project will also be focused entirely on practical solutions to real life computing business problems Teaching/learning methods The design of our module Computer Essential s is a level 4 unit designed specifically to develop transferable skills in our students. The work shadowing week at the end of semester one year 1 will specifically identify and relate the content of this module to a real organisation. The development of communication skills via group work and discussions including group presentations at both Levels 4 and 5, and an individual presentation for the final year project. Level 5 in two taught modules and in the final year for the individual software development project. Other skills – for instance the ability to work in a team will be developed via group assignments, communication skills will be required for most units and will be developed in a different vein through the extended internship in year two. The internship is also an excellent vehicle for developing research skills – as our students will have to gather data in the organisation, analyse it and come up with a solution to a real problem
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Foundation Degree Computing 12. Programme structure (levels, modules, credits and progression requirements) 12. 1 Overall structure of the programme The programme is delivered over 2 years for the full time and a minimum of 3 years for the part time programme. All modules are 15 credits with the exception of the Employer Consultancy Project – which is a double weighted module. All year 1 modules are compulsory. In year two there are a further 4 compulsory modules. Students may be selected 2 options from one of 3 pathways. See page 14
12.2 Levels and modules Level 4 COMPULSORY Students must take all of the following: FDC11 - Introduction to Programming FDC12 – Computing Essentials FDC13 - Introduction to Databases FDC14 – Introduction to Computer Network FDC15 - Computer Systems FDCWD16 - Web Development FDCMT17 – Introduction to Mobile Technology FDCFC18 – Introduction to Forensic Computing
PROGRESSION REQUIREMENTS Every student on the programme must meet the set learning outcomes of the programme to progress from Level 4 to Level 5. This normally requires an overall pass (9-16 points) for each of the compulsory modules. All students will undertake the introductory module to the Pathways i.e. FDCWD16, FDCMT17 and FDCFC18.
Level 5 COMPULSORY
PROGRESSION REQUIREMENTS
Students must take all of the following:
Every student on the programme must meet the set learning outcomes of the programme to progress from Level 4 to Level 5. This normally requires an overall pass (9-16 points) for each of the compulsory modules.
FDC21 – Software Development using OOPs FDC22 – Object-oriented Analysis FDC23 – Human Computer Interaction FDC24 – Advanced Databases FDC25 – Employer Consultancy Project
All students will undertake the introductory module to the Pathways i.e. FDCWD16, FDCMT17 and FDCFC18.
OPTIONAL
PROGRESSION REQUIREMENTS
Students must take two from the following:
Year 2 of the programme offers students the opportunity to specialise in a pathway. Completing the pathway successfully will allow them to progress to year 2 of the relevant specialist degree at Middlesex University.
Web Development Pathway FDCWDC26 Interactive Multimedia FDCWD27 Advanced Web Technologies Mobile Technology Pathway FDCMT28 Advanced Network Design FDCMT29 Advanced Mobile Technology Forensic Computing
All students will have completed one unit from the pathway in year 1 at level 4 – they now complete 2 options at level 5 in year 2. In addition to successfully complete the pathway they must pass their Employer Consultancy Project (double module) in a subject area relevant to the pathway.
FDCFC210 Advanced Operating Systems FDCFC211 Data Structures and Algorithms
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13. A curriculum map relating learning outcomes to modules See Curriculum Map page 35 and 36 14. Information about assessment regulations
Module grades are awarded on the standard Middlesex University scale of 1–20, with Grade 1 being the highest (see table below). Foundation degree final awards will be classified as Pass, Merit or Distinction. A full explanation of the University’s grading scale, and information about how the University’s formal assessment regulations work, including details of how final award classifications are determined, can be found in the University Regulations (www.mdx.ac.uk/regulations/) To pass a module, all components, both coursework and examination, must be passed individually with a minimum grade of 16. Failure in one of the components will result in the failure of the module. For additional information on assessment and how learning outcomes are assessed please refer to the individual module narratives for this programme.
15. Placement opportunities, requirements and support In keeping with the focus on employability skills, there are two phases of work experience during the programme. In year 1 students take part in a short 2 week work shadowing. This placement relates to the Computing Essentials module. During this module students learn about the legal context of computing in a modern organisation. The work shadowing assignment requires students to track the impact of the legal requirements on the given organisation. In year two students undertake a much more significant internship. Full-time students are required to undertake an internship for two days per week for a period of no less than 12 weeks. Most students will commence their placement during November and complete it in April. Students are supported by the Barnet and Southgate College Work Placement co-ordinator to find a placement in the pathway of their choice. Because of the length of the placement, students normally are interviewed by the employer – and thus develop further skills. From September to November, as part of the Employer Consultancy Project, students are briefed in project management skills. A representative from the College visits each employer before the placement commences. A person within each organisation is nominated as a project supervisor and each student is allocated a project supervisor from the lecturing staff. The lecturer will visit the placement at least twice during the period of the placement – to provide the support, and identify any issues and hopefully resolve them before they become magnified. The College has been undertaking internships for other Foundation Degrees for a number of years and the Work Placement Unit is well placed to find appropriate placements.
16. Future careers (if applicable) The Foundation Degree in Computing – as with all foundation degrees – is designed to ensure that the curriculum and the learning outcomes – has been constructed to ensure that it is equally relevant in providing transferable skills, subject knowledge, academic skills and employability skills that are as relevant to the workplace as to further academic study. This is reinforced by the important emphasis on the 2-week work shadowing and the Employer Consultancy Project described above. In addition, the curriculum is made relevant to the real world by ensuring assessments are based on input from employers as guest speakers, case studies based on real-life examples and visits to exhibitions and premises to ensure students a fully up-to-date with current practice. Research prior to embarking on the development of the programme made it clear that IT and Computing will be one of the growth areas in the economy in the next 5 years. If students do not wish to move directly into employment when they complete their Foundation Degree they may choose to progress to Middlesex University to complete a full degree programme. Students achieving 5-8 points in all their modules in year 2 of the programme may progress to the third year of the BSc Computer Science, BSc Information Technology, BSc Business Information Technology, BSc IT and Business Information Systems Students completing one of the specialist pathways and achieving 5-8 points in all their year 2 modules, may progress to a specialist degree as follows: Foundation Degree in Computing (Forensic Computing) – year 2 of the BSc Forensic Computing Foundation Degree in Computing (Mobile Technology) – year 2 of the BSc Network Foundation Degree in Computing (Web Development) year 2 of the BSc Web Development.
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Foundation Degree Computing 17. Particular support for learning (if applicable) If Barnet and Southgate College has one ethos, it is to ensure a supportive environment for our students. We are used to catering for the non-traditional students who may not necessarily have enjoyed the formal academic education. The lecturing staff at the College is available to students in set sessions each week, but also on a more informal basis. Student progress is tracked closely to ensure that any student who may be struggling – for a variety of reasons – is identified early – and appropriate support put in place. Students who identify special learning support are encouraged to seek an assessment from their local authority and the support is put in place according to the assessment received. The College has a team of specialists in Additional Learning Support who have an excellent understanding of special learning needs. In addition, the School of Computing is able to provide workshops to support students who may have problems with specific aspects of the programme.
18. Relevant QAA subject benchmark group(s)
We have ensured that the developed programme complies with the QAA benchmark for computing degrees. Our programme includes: Study of the nature of computation; Ways to exploit computation; Practical limitations; Application to a variety of situations. Specifically it explores: Algorithmic thinking; Recognition of relationships between concepts; Understanding the power of abstraction; Understand opportunities of automation. It develops the skills as set out in the benchmark under the following headings: Abilities and skills, subject related cognitive abilities, subject related practical abilities and these are specified in the module narratives.
20. Other information Barnet and Southgate College has successfully run a range of HE programmes over more than 15 years. The School of Business & Computing runs a successful Foundation Degree in Business which also offers a part time programme. The School has run an HND in Computing for more than 10 years. Recruitment has varied, but in 2009 it was 20 students in year 1. Now we running this programme since 2010 and all students graduated joined Middlesex to complete BSc. Degree. We believe the programme with an introduction to more specialist areas and careers in computing will broaden the appeal of the programme. Please note programme specifications provide a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve if s/he takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information about the programme can be found in the student programme handbook and the University Regulations.
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Programme Handbook 2013/14
Curriculum map for Foundation Degree Computing This section shows the highest level at which programme outcomes are to be achieved by all graduates, and maps programme learning outcomes against the modules in which they are assessed. Programme learning outcomes Knowledge and understanding A1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the complete
A2
software life cycle, from requirements elicitation to development and evaluation. Design an evaluation framework for, and employ testing strategies to, a software system.
Practical skills C1 Communicate effectively (in writing, verbally and through graphical
notations). C2
A3
Demonstrate knowledge of underlying theory relevant to computer systems and networks, and to software system design, such as algorithms, data models (including databases) and software component frameworks.
C3
A4
Understand the role of software systems developers in society and the distinction between their professional and ethical responsibilities. Critically evaluate technical and human features of software systems. Formulate and test hypotheses; collect and analyse qualitative and quantitative data to form evidentially supported conclusions in a computing context.
C4
A5 A6
C5 C6
Learn independently in a variety of situations with a spirit of critical enquiry, effectively planning and managing resources and time for the purposes of continuing professional development. Be effective at information-retrieval from a range of sources (including electronic sources such as the Internet, CD-ROM and electronic catalogues), including scholarly reviews and research materials, and be able to cite and reference information sources appropriately for different audiences. Understand and apply appropriate mathematical methods for problem solving to the given computing context. Give technical presentations to different audiences, supported by effective use of presentation media and technology. Have a broad range of general information and communications technology skills.
Cognitive skills B1 Apply analytical skills to create requirements specifications B2
B3
B4
using recognized methods. Deploy appropriate tools to develop models of information system data and processes as a result of analysis and design activities, and to manage all aspects of a software project. Apply sound programming principles to the construction and maintenance of software artefacts using appropriate programming paradigms and languages. Design, build and deploy databases to meet application requirements.
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Foundation Degree Computing Module Title
Module Code by Level
Programme outcomes A1
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A2
A3
A4
A5
A6
Introduction to programming
FDC11
Computing Essentials
FDC12
Introduction to Databases
FDC13
Introduction to Computer Networks
FDC14
Computer Systems
FDC15
Web Development Pathway – Web Development
FDCWD16
Mobile Technology Pathway – Intro to Mobile Technology
B2
B1
B3
B4
C2
C3
C4
C5
C6
FDCMT17
Forensic Computing Pathway – Introduction to Forensic Computing
FDCFC18
Software Development Using OOP
FDC21
Object Orientated Analysis
FDC22
Human Computer Interaction
FDC23
Advanced Databases
FDC24
Employer Consultancy Project – Double Module
FDC25
Web Development Pathway – Interactive Multimedia
FDCWD26
Web Development Pathway – Advanced Web Technologies
C1
FDCWD27
Mobile Technology Pathway – Advanced Network Design
FDCMT28
Mobile Technology Pathway – Advanced Mobile Technology
FDCMT29
Forensic Computing Pathway – Advanced Operating Systems
FDCFC210
Forensic Computing Pathway –Data Structures and Algorithms
FDCFC211
Programme Handbook 2013/14
MODULE NARRATIVES Introduction to Programming Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDC11 Introduction to Programming 4 15 Nirupa Patel None 150 hours 45 hours
Aims To ensure students understand of the general principles and concepts of programming. To students the opportunity to develop the ability to design, analyse, implement, test and document computer programs as solutions to problems. To ensure students explore the object oriented nature of the language. Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student will be able to: Knowledge 1. Describe a range of programming languages 2. Understand the software development process 3. Understand and modify programs Skills 4. Apply design principles and use appropriate problem solving techniques to implement applications in a popular programming language 5. Test programs methodically to eliminate the errors Syllabus Overview of range and types of programming languages Study of Java programming language and its development environment; Data types, data storage, and memory concept; Program design and development using methods; Standard iteration and selection process; Use of relational, logical and arithmetic operators; Introduction to arrays; Introduction to Basic object oriented elements including class and objects; Software engineering principles covering design, coding and testing of programs.
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy A variety of teaching and learning activities will be adopted;
Lecturers will ensure a good coverage of the subject matter, particularly of critical concepts and theories. Tutorials, practical classes and workshops will enable students to examine and explore approaches and thinking underpinning implementation of strategy. Seminars will be used to promote greater/deeper understanding of the subject matter and to provide opportunity to take ownership of and responsibility for learning. These methods are supplemented by self-learning aids such as Computer Aided Learning packages, which can be used in unsupervised laboratory sessions. Considerable emphasis is placed on supervised practical sessions using the College's computing facilities.
Assessment Scheme This module will be assessed through 1 individual assignment to develop small programming applications and a 2 hour time constrained assignment consisting of unseen questions. Assessment Weighting Individual programming assignment 70% (outcomes 2, 4 and 5) Time constrained assignment 30% (outcomes 1 and 3) Learning Materials Essential Text Deitel, H. And Deitel,P. (2007) "Java How to Program”, 7th Edition Prentice Hall ISBN-10: 0132222205 Additional Text Bell, D. And Parr, M. (2010), “Java for Students” Pearson International” 6th Edition, PRENTICEHALL Mar 2010 ISBN-13: 9780273731221
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Programme Handbook 2013/14
Computing Essentials Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDC12 Computing Essentials 4 15 Sheri Darby None 150 hours 45 hours
Aims This module is designed to enable learners to adapt to the Higher Education Learning Environment by the development of a more independent, reflective and self-managed approach to study, learning and time management. It is intended to give the students a understanding of their current level of skills and a realistic view of their own development needs. Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student will be able to: Knowledge 1. Analyse their current level of skills and match them to the needs of the course and the computing industry workplace 2. Understanding of appropriate research methods, literature reviews and verification of validity of sources 3. Compile and maintain a reflective continuing personal development journal: recording workshops undertaken, skills gained and future requirements 4. Demonstrate knowledge of legal, social, professional and ethical issues in computing. 5. An understanding of typical IT infrastructures within complex organisations Skills 6. Reflect intelligently on their approach to information finding; and critically review sources cited as references. 7. Present written reports on a variety of issues relevant to computing – legal, social, professional, future developments. 8. Act as an effective team member, recognising the need for teamwork within IT and the roles within a team. Syllabus 1. A full skills audit covering communications, numeracy, IT employability and HE skills 2. Managing studies: (Time Management, Preparing for Exams, Revision Planning) 3. Managing Information (Research Methods, Critical Thinking, Note Making, Getting the best out of seminars, Academic Reading, Referencing and avoiding plagiarism). 4. Writing and Presenting (Academic Writing, Essay Writing, Report writing, Academic Posters, Oral Presentation, Editing and reviewing). 5. Legal, Social, professionalism issues in computing (legal issues relevant to misuse and abuse of IS, social and cultural issues relevant to design, development and implementation of IS, professional issues relevant of code of conduct and professionalism) 6. Introduction to ITIL framework 7. An introduction to producing a continuing personal development record so that training undertaken and skills gained can be recorded, reflected upon and applied
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategies Learning and Teaching A suitable range of teaching and learning activities will be used including lectures, workshops, research tasks and the use of case studies. There will be a series of workshops designed to assist students in developing the required skills for HE and employment Assessment The module will be assessed by coursework comprising an individual report based on group work, and group research report and presentation. To complete this module successfully, students will be required to demonstrate they have completed their Personal Development Log for during the first semester. Assessment Weighting Assignment 1: Individual Report 50% (outcomes 2, 5 and 6) Assignment 2: Group Report and Presentation 30% (4,7 and 8) Personal Development Log (1, 3)completed and up to date for September to end January which demonstrates an ability to reflect upon their achievement and development needs 20% Learning Materials Essential Texts 1. Burns, T and Sinfield, S (2008) “Essential Study Skills: the complete Guide to success @ university”, 2/E London;Sage Additional Texts 2. Cottrell, S. (2008) “The Study Skills Handbook”. 3/E. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Ltd 3. Buzan, T, (2007), “The Buzan Study Skills Handbook: The Shortcut to Success in Your Studies with Mind Mapping, Speed Reading and Winning Memory Techniques”, BBC Active Software and Online Resources Mind mapping software
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Programme Handbook 2013/14
Introduction to Databases Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDC13 Introduction to databases 4 15 Sheri Darby None 150 hours 45 hours
Aims To ensure students are able to identify the use of databases within organisations and stress the underlying link between the database design and its successful performance To provide students with the opportunity of exploring data base design using both entity relationship diagrams and normalisation techniques. To allow students to successfully identify user requirements in order to design an appropriate database system. To introduce students to database management software and enable them to gain experience in creating and manipulating databases. To explain the role of SQL in data manipulation and querying. Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student should be able to: Knowledge 1. Describe the Systems Development Life Cycle 2. Understand the role of databases in meeting the need for information management in business organisations 3. Understand data modelling techniques. Skills 4. Use Data Flow Diagrams in the analysis and modelling of systems 5. Apply the techniques of entity-relationship diagramming and normalisation to build database models 6. Use Access to create a relational database Syllabus Systems Development Life Cycle Systems Analysis Data Flow Diagrams to analyse and model systems Database concepts. Relational Data Models Data integrity Relational algebra Normalisation Mapping between ER models and normalisation Using a DBMS to implement and test a relational database.
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Foundation Degree Computing
Queries using SQL
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy A suitable range of teaching and learning activities will be used including lectures, workshops and case study analysis. Lectures will be used to explain concepts and to demonstrate their relevance to database design. Workshops will be used to enable students to build on the theory delivered in the lecture and gain practical experience. Assessment Scheme There will be two assessments – an analysis report based on a case study, and a database implementation of the case study. Assessment Weighting Assignment 1: Analysis report – 40% (learning outcomes 1, 2 and 3) Assignment 2: Design and implementation of database – 60% (learning outcomes 4, 5 and 6) Learning Materials Essential Reading McFadden, F. R., Hoffer, J. A. & Prescott, M. B. (2005) Modern Database Management (7th Ed.) Pearson
van der Lans, R. (2007), Database Systems: A Practical Approach to Design, Implementation & Management. 4th ed. Addison-Wesley
Connolly, T, and Begg, C. (2005), Database Systems: A Practical Approach to Design, Implementation, and Management, 4th ed., Addison Wesley
Additional Reading
Date, C.J., (2004) An Introduction to Database Systems, 8th ed., Addison Wesley, Wokingham, England.
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Programme Handbook 2013/14
Introduction to Computer Networks Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDC14 Introduction to Computer Networks 4 15 Andrew Parfitt None 150 hours 45 hours
Aims To ensure students can identify components of a Local Area Network (LAN) to include routers and switches. To enable students to be able to set up basic functions in a network operating system To ensure students have an insight into methods for LAN to WAN (Wide Area Network) connection using TCP/IP. To enable students to construct functioning networks with the implementation of suitable protocols. To ensure students are able to test and troubleshoot LANs with basic device configuration Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student should be able to: Knowledge 1. Explain the principles of different network topologies. 2. Describe the construction and uses of the OSI 7 layer model. Skills 3. 4. 5. 6.
Design an effective client network Construct and troubleshoot a simple switched network Set up a basic IP addressing scheme and test communications Configure user accounts on a network operating system and test.
Syllabus Building a network Install network operating system IP addressing Device configuration Troubleshooting Wide Area Network connection Note: This module will cover sections of CISCO CCNA 640-822 (ICND1). Students may be made aware of any additional requirements to enable them the opportunity to take these qualifications externally. Elements of the Wireless Networks unit are an example.
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy Laboratory work will feature strongly to ensure students are comfortable with network devices and layout in as realistic a situation as possible. Numbers of networks may be assembled and torn down to emphasise particular principles but the use of (excellent) simulation packages will enable easy and individual access to configuration techniques. Network models can be set up for students to analyse, modify and troubleshoot. Lectures will be most appropriate for the underlying theory such as; IP addressing WAN connection Protocols including 5 and 7 layer models. Assessment Scheme Two assignments consisting of a report and written accounts of practical exercises undertaken. Assessment Weighting Practical accounts – 50% (learning outcomes, 4, 5 and 6) Report – 50% (learning outcomes 1, 2 and 3) Learning Materials Essential Texts Tanenbaum, A S (2003), “Computer Networks”, (4th Ed), Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-066102-3 Cisco Course Materials Additional Texts Lowe, D (2007), Networking for Dummies”, (8th Ed), John Wiley & Sons; ISBN-10: 0470056207 Hardware & Software Network Laboratory Routers, switches Consumables such as UTP cable Network Simulation Package(s)
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Programme Handbook 2013/14
Computer Systems Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDC15 Computer Systems 4 15 Magdi Tawafig None 150 hours 45 hours
Aims: This module is intended to provide students with a foundation in computer systems and related topics. It concentrates on the areas of: number systems, hardware and operating systems Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student will be able to: Knowledge 1. Describe and understand the hardware and structure of a modern computer. 2. Describe and understand the core features and functions of an operating system Skills 3. Compare and contrast different ways that different operating systems provide features to users. 4. Build a complete PC system meeting given user requirements.
Syllabus Introduction to Computer Architecture Number systems and data representation: CPU: Memory types - static and dynamic: Processor types: Busses: Disk Drives - Floppy, Hard, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, Removable Media: I/O techniques - Serial / Parallel: Peripherals - Mice, Keyboards, Printers, Modems Key principles of an operating system, why it is there and currently what it is for. How each of the key elements of an operating system is provided by different operating systems. Different types of operating system, embedded, multi-tasking, multi user, distributed, networked Virtual machines
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategies Learning and Teaching The material will be presented through a combination of lectures, tutorials/practical sessions and directed self-study as appropriate for each topic. Weekly lectures will be used to introduce the students to the relevant material, concepts and terminology. Practical and tutorials sessions will alternate weekly, the practical sessions will be used to enable the students to have hands on experience of a range of computer equipment, whilst the tutorials sessions will enable the students to do a variety of assessed and non-assessed coursework to reinforce their learning. Assessment The module will be assessed by a group practical report and an individual report. Assessment Weighting Practical Report (50%) (learning outcomes 1 and 4) Individual Report (50%) (learning outcomes 2 and 3) Learning Materials Essential Texts Stallings, W. (2009), “Operating Systems, Internals and Design Principles”, 6/E, Prentice Hall, ISBN-10: 0136006329 Additional Texts Stallings, W. (2010), “Computer Organization and Architecture: Designing for Performance”, 8/E, Pearson, ISBN-10: 0136073735 Tanenbaum, A. (2009), “Structured Computer Organization”, 5/E. Pearson Education
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Programme Handbook 2013/14
Web Development Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDCWD16 Web Development 4 15 Floyd Anderson None 150 hours 45 hours
Aims The aim of this module is to enable students to develop skills needed for the design, development and maintenance of an interactive web site. It will also enable students to progress on to the Advance Web Technologies module where they would use their practical experiences to develop realistic and complex web applications. Learning Outcomes This module will call for the student to demonstrate: Knowledge 1. Demonstrate knowledge of current web development principles 2. Demonstrate an understanding of the use of client side scripting and mark-up languages 3. Appreciate accessibility issues related to web site design and implementation Skills On completion of this module, the successful student should be able to: 4. Design and create a web site using client side scripting 5. Evaluate and improve the effectiveness of a web site based on feedback from others. Syllabus Introduction to the Internet Basic HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript Web Standards Web Graphics Creating Interactive Websites HCI / Web Development / Basic Accessibility and Business Issues The future of the web
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy Learning and Teaching Practical sessions Lectures Tutorials Complementary activities: practical work and directed unsupervised learning. This would provide students with a mix of activities so as to enhance the learning experience by combining theory and analysis. Student presentations will encourage research into theoretical issues. Assessment Scheme Two assignments, design of a web site to meet user requirements, plus practical implementation and review. Assessment Weighting Design Report – 40% (learning outcomes 2 and 3) Practical Implementation and Review – 60% (learning outcomes 1, 4 and 5) Learning Materials Essential Reading Niederst, J. (2006), “Web Development in a Nutshell” ,(3rd Ed): O'Reilly Media; ISBN-10: 0596001967 Additional Reading Deitel & Deitel (2010), “Internet & World Wide Web How to Program”, 5/e, Prentice Hall, ISBN-10: 0131752421 Online Resources http://www.w3.org/
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Programme Handbook 2013/14
Introduction to Mobile Technology Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDCMT17 Introduction to Mobile Technology 4 15 Andrew Parfitt None 150 hours 45 hours
Aims To ensure students are able to describe the cellular nature of mobile Networks To ensure students are able to understand what wireless communication at the physical layer. To ensure students are able to understand the transport layer over mobile networks. To enable students to describe different encoding systems. To ensure students are aware of issues of security and privacy To ensure students are aware of ad hoc networks 802.11 Learning Outcomes Knowledge On completion of this module, the successful student should be able to: 1. Explain the mobile communication infrastructure, operating systems, and standards available for mobile devices and security and fraud. 2. Discuss and analyse using appropriate tools (Wi-Spy DBX, Chanalyzer, Directional Antenna and insider) the constraints and benefits within a variety of usage environments for mobile devices. Skills 3. Analyse, design and build appropriate systems models and solutions for mobile computer networks. 4. Critically discuss the advantages and limitations of a number of mobile computer devices in terms of functionality, efficiency, software platform, security and the human computer interface Syllabus Second generation communications and infrastructure GPRS Current and Near Future Cellular Technologies Personal Area Networks (PAN) Show awareness of different operating systems and security in current use. Mobile device design considerations Usage of mobile devices in a business and personal context Implications for business and society of current and future developments
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy Learning and Teaching Characteristics and behaviour of RF waves can be illustrated with equipment such as oscilloscope and spectrum analyser. Practical examples within licence-free ranges can be arranged with simple and inexpensive devices or functional systems such as 802.11 and Bluetooth. Visits to mobile base stations and switching centres can be arranged to view the interface to communications infrastructures and network management. Practical sessions can be used to investigate current products and developments and ‘Engineering data’ can be extracted from mobile devices Lectures will be used to explain and demonstrate concepts. Assessment Scheme This will comprise one individual assignment report and a group assignment to design, build an appropriate mobile system Assessment Weighting Individual Report (40%) (learning outcomes 1 and 4) Group assignment (60%) (learning outcomes 2 and 3) Learning Materials Essential Reading Schiller J., (2004) “Mobile Communications”,2/E , Addison Wesley, ISBN-10: 0321123816 Additional Reading Chlamtac, I , etal (2000), “Wireless and Mobile Network Architectures”, John Wiley & Sons, 2000, ISBN: 0471394920 Dornan A., (2000) From Cellular Systems to WAP & M-Commerce, Prentice Hall, , ISBN 0130317160 Software & Online resources http://www.stanford.edu/class/cs444n/#Overview http://users.ece.gatech.edu/yucel/4813a.html http://www.cellsoft.de/telecom/gsm.htm http://www.3g4g.co.uk/4G/faq.html Suitable Simulation Environment Mobile Devices
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Programme Handbook 2013/14
Introduction to Forensic Computing Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDCFC18 Introduction to Forensic Computing 4 15 Magdi Tawafig None 150 hours 45 hours
Aims: This module is intended to introduce students to the main aspects and concepts of forensic computing considering the topic, tools and techniques in relation to individual and networked computer systems. Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student will be able to: Knowledge 1. Describe the fundamental forensic computing concepts and components in relation to a typical computer system. 2. Demonstrate an understanding of the tools and techniques used within forensic computing. Skills 3. Use appropriate tools (Sleuthkit, Autopsy or FTK) to display stored data such as log files, content of files and cache files. 4. Present, evaluate and interpret forensically significant data. Syllabus An overview and introduction to forensic concepts and tools Computer systems architecture and infrastructure Operating Systems File Handling Systems File attributes and their forensic significance Data hiding Stages of an e-Investigation Digital storage analysis Evidence reporting
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategies Learning and Teaching The material will be presented through a combination of lectures, tutorials/practical sessions and directed self-study as appropriate for each topic. Weekly lectures will be used to introduce the students to the relevant material, concepts and terminology. Practical and tutorials sessions will alternate weekly, the practical sessions will be used to enable the students to have hands on experience of a range of tools and techniques used within forensic computing, whilst the tutorials sessions will enable the students to do a variety of assessed and non-assessed coursework to reinforce their learning. Assessment The module will be assessed by one practical report , and a written report. The report will be scenario based. The student will be required to evaluate the use of Forensic Computing tools and techniques within a given legal framework/case/scenario and produce a written report identifying their recommendations and observations. Assessment Weighting Practical Report (40%) (learning outcomes 2 and 3) Written Report (60%) (learning outcomes 1 and 4) Learning Materials Essential Texts Nelson B, A. Phillips, et. al, “Guide to Computer Forensics and Investigations”, 4/E Delmar Learning, ISBN-10: 1435498836
Sammes T, B. Jenkinson, (2007, “Forensic Computing: A Practitioners Guide”, 2/E, Springer-Verlag, ISBN-13: ISBN: 978-1-84628-397-0
Additional Texts Good Practice Guide for Computer Based Evidence, Version 4, Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Software and Online Resources http://www.ioce.org/ Sleuthkit(TSK) and Autopsy software: http://www.sleuthkit.org/ FTK software: http://accessdata.com/products/computer-forensics/ftk Other Forensic tool sets e.g. DriveSpy, NetAnalysis
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Programme Handbook 2013/14
Software Development Using Object Oriented Programming Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDC21 Software Development Using OOP 5 15 Nirupa Patel Introduction to Programming 150 hours 45 hours
Aims To develop the students skills in an object-oriented programming environment To introduce the students to the fundamental principles for building through abstraction and composition. To further develop the students skills in program design, implementation, testing and documenting. Learning Outcomes Knowledge On completion of this module, the successful student will be able to: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts of Object Orientated programming 2. Demonstrate an understanding of design an object oriented system using appropriate design methodology Skills 3. Apply object-oriented principles to produce a program design from a specification and implement the design using object-oriented language 4. Design to test software methodically to eliminate the errors 5. Produce documentation using UML and other documentation tools Syllabus OOP principles – abstraction, polymorphism and dynamic binding. Program design considerations in object-oriented programming - cohesion, coupling, refactoring. Applying object-oriented techniques for improving program structure - sub typing, inheritance hierarchies and polymorphism. Guidelines for good programming style. Handling runtime errors – Handling exceptions, error reporting and recovery from errors. Guidelines for supporting of object-oriented program testing. Program environments: Effective use of the compiler, debugger, interpreter. Class libraries and library documentation
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy A variety of teaching and learning activities will be adopted;
Lecturers will ensure a good coverage of the subject matter, particularly of critical concepts and theories. Tutorials, practical classes and workshops will enable students to examine and explore approaches and thinking underpinning implementation of strategy. Seminars will be used to promote greater/deeper understanding of the subject matter and to provide opportunity to take ownership of and responsibility for learning. These methods are supplemented by self-learning aids such as Computer Aided Learning packages, which can be used in unsupervised laboratory sessions. Considerable emphasis is placed on supervised practical sessions using the College's computing facilities.
Assessment Scheme This module will be assessed through 2 assignments: 1. Assignment to develop small programming applications (learning outcomes 3, 4 and 5) 2. A 2 hour time constrained assignment, consisting of unseen questions (learning outcomes 1 and 2) Assessment Weighting Each assignment will be equally weighted at 50% of the total for the module Essential Text Deitel, H. And Deitel,P. (2007) "Java How to Program”, 7th Edition Prentice Hall ISBN-10: 0132222205 Additional Text Bell, D. And Parr, M. (2010), “Java for Students” Pearson International” 6th Edition, PRENTICEHALL Mar 2010 ISBN-13: 9780273731221
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Programme Handbook 2013/14
Object-Oriented Analysis Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDC22 Objected-Oriented Analysis 5 15 Magdi Tawafig None 150 hours 45 hours
Aims: The aim of this module is to ensure that the students are aware of the complexity of everyday business processes require the application of disciplined development methods for the software applications which are needed to support them. This module aims to introduce them to the object-oriented (OO) principles and its role in system development. It goes through object-oriented system analysis, modelling and design using UML. Throughout the module the students apply UML modelling to substantial case studies to create analysis model and design specification of a system supported by appropriate CASE tools Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student will be able to: Knowledge 1. Explain and examine the principal techniques of object oriented methods 2. Explain a method of producing a system using an object-oriented approach. Skills 3. Compare and contrast object oriented methods with conventional methods, and explain problems of integrating them 4. Analyse and design in an object oriented environment using the UML (unified modelling language) Syllabus Review of conventional system life cycle and traditional methodology Object orientated principles and the use of UML. Structured method for development that is use-case driven, iterative and incremental. Principles of Class development such as allocation of operations to classes, documenting pre and post conditions for class operations. Application of a UML methodology to a business problem e.g. Use cases, Class diagrams, State diagrams, Object sequence diagrams. Use of suitable CASE tool (ArgUML, Visual Paradigm for UML)
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategies Learning and Teaching The module will be taught by a combination of lectures, tutorials and workshops and directed self-study as appropriate for each topic. OO principles and the basics of the UML method will be presented through lectures. Tutorial/workshops sessions will enable students to apply the principles learned to the analysis of realistic scenarios using appropriate CASE tools. Assessment The module learning outcomes will be assessed through an individual assignment. and an exam. Assessment Weighting Exam 40% (learning outcomes 1 and 3) Assignment 60% (learning outcomes 2 and 4)
Learning Materials Essential Texts Bennet, S. and etal, (2005) “Object Oriented Systems and Design, using UML”, 3/E, Mcgraw Hill, ISBN 9780077110000 Additional Texts Macefiled and Westlake (2007), “Essential UML” , (online), http://www.essentialuml.info/ Maciaszek, L, (2007) “Requirements Analysis and System Design: Developing Information Systems with UML” 3rd ed. Addison Wesley; ISBN: 978-0-321-44036-5 Priesley, M. (2004) “Practical Object-Oriented Design with UML”, 2/E, McGraw-Hill; ISBN 007-709599-5 Software and Online Resources CASE Tool: Argouml – Open source CASE Tool: Visual Paradigm for UML
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Human Computer Interaction Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDC23 Human Computer Interaction 5 15 Maria Bell None 150 hours 45 hours
Aims: In this module the students will learn about key issues in the field of human-computer interaction. Students will be presented with approaches to designing and evaluating systems that emphasise usability. On successful completion of the module, you will be able to design and evaluate interfaces on the basis of relevant knowledge and appreciation of human capabilities. Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student will be able to: Knowledge 1. Discuss the fundamental issues associated with human-computer interaction 2. Appreciate a range of human disability and differences that impinge on interface design and use Skills 3. Carry out and document an analysis of a specified system using appropriate tools and techniques. 4. Develop an interactive interface prototype using an appropriate software tool. 5. Critically appraise an interactive system from an HCI perspective. Syllabus 1. Principles of HCI (GUI design, emphasising form design, navigability, GUI widgets, style, usability, data collection techniques, human factors, evaluation, UI design methods, hardware 2. Techniques - Task analysis 3. Evaluation tools and techniques 4. Web considerations and principles 5. Modelling Interaction 6. Designing for different target audiences using prototype tools (e.g. PPT, CS4, Flash, Director) 7. Accessibility
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategies Learning and Teaching The material will be presented through a combination of lectures, practical tutorials sessions and directed self-study as appropriate for each topic. Weekly lectures will be used to introduce the students to the relevant material, concepts and terminology. Tutorial and practical sessions will allow more in-depth focus on related issues and will allow individual feedback to be given on the prototype development. Assessment The module will be assessed by 2 assignments, one to produce a prototype to meet requirements and the other an evaluation report, critically appraising the design of their prototype. Students will carry out an analysis, use a development method to produce an interface prototype and then justify their design decisions based upon HCI theory. They will then use appropriate evaluation instruments to critically appraise their design. Assessment Weighting Prototype 60% (learning outcomes 2, 3 and 4) Report 40% (learning outcomes 1, and 5) Learning Materials Essential Texts Smith-Atakan, S, (2006) "Human-Computer Interaction", Cengage Learning EMEA, ISBN-10: 1-84480-454-2
Additional Texts Shneiderman B and etal, (2010), "Designing the User Interface, Strategies for Effective Human-Computer Interaction" 5/E, Addison-Wesley Olsen, D. (2010), “Building Interactive Systems: Principles for Human-Computer Interaction” Course Technology, ISBN-10: 1423902483 Software and Online Resources Adobe CS4 or CS5 (this will include Flash), Director, Microsoft Power Point http://wps.aw.com/aw_shneiderman_dtui_5/110/28381/7265752.cw/index.html
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Advanced Databases Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDC24 Advanced Databases 5 15 Sheri Darby Introduction to databases 150 hours 45 hours
Aims To enhance the students’ understanding of database systems acquired in the Introduction to Databases module, by enabling the student to gain considerable exposure to both the practical and theoretical issues relevant to modern database design. To ensure they fully understand systems analysis methods, and life cycles in order to facilitate database design. To ensure they are able to fully explain conceptual and logical data design. To enable students to develop a full understanding of SQL, designing, implementing, executing & testing complex queries. Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student should be able to: Knowledge 1. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the various key issues which affect database systems and their performance. 2. Describe the fundamental concepts and structures of a range of data models including relational, object oriented and object relational models Skills This module will call for the successful student to demonstrate: 3. Design and develop a relatively complex database for a given business scenario using a professional approach to the presentation of the system 4. Application of structured testing to ensure production of a robust user friendly database 5. Use of SQL to define and manipulate a relational database Syllabus Database development environment; 3 tier architecture Relational algebra SQL Database design issues Data integrity issues Testing fundamentals. ERDs & DFDs Data models (relational, object oriented)
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Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy Learning and Teaching A suitable range of teaching and learning activities will be used including lectures, workshops and case study analysis. Lectures will be used to explain concepts and to demonstrate their relevance to database design. Workshops will be used to enable students to build on the theory delivered in the lecture and gain practical experience. Assessment Scheme Assessment will consist of 2 assignments –a report and a practical implementation of a working database solution based on a case study. Assessment Weighting Report – 40% (learning outcomes 1, 2) Database solution – 60% (learning outcomes 3, 4 and 5) Learning Materials Essential Text Connolly, T, and Begg, C, (2005), “Database Systems: A Practical Approach to Design, Implementation, and Management”, 4th ed, Addison Wesley, ISBN 0-321-1025-5 Additional Texts Date, C.J., (2004) “An Introduction to Database Systems”, 4th ed. Addison Wesley, Wokingham, England.
Avison and Fitzgerald, (2003), “Information Systems Development: Methodologies, Techniques and Tools”, McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-709626-6 McFadden, F., Hoffer, J. & Prescott, M. (2005) “Modern Database Management”, 7th ed Pearson
van der Lans, R. (2007) “Database Systems: A Practical Approach to Design, Implementation & Management”, 4th ed. Addison-Wesley
Dunckley, L. (2003) “Multimedia Databases: An Object-Relational Approach”. Pearson, ISBN 0201-78899-3
Britton, C. And Doakem J (2006) “Software System Development A gentle introduction”, 4th ed., McGraw Hill ISBN-10: 0-07-711103-6
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Employer Consultancy Project Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: GLH: Contact:
FDC25 Employer Consultancy Project 5 30 Maria Bell 300 hours 45 hours
Aims  To capitalise on the knowledge and understanding acquired on the individual course pathway and enable students to integrate and inter-relate those concepts and skills to a specific topic/area of their choice with direct application to their current place or work or work placement.  To provide students with an opportunity to undertake a substantial piece of independent work in a workplace environment.  To develop project management skills. Learning Outcomes Knowledge At the end of this module, the successful student will be able to: 1. Plan a Management project, set objectives, collect data from a variety of resources apply
a variety of research techniques and problem solving tools and effectively present results, and recommendations for future practice. 2. Apply, evaluate and synthesise material introduced throughout the taught part of the course and from personal experiences to investigate issues and find solutions relating theory to practice. 3. Consider a real situation, undertake primary and secondary research, evaluate findings, synthesise results, and make recommendations for the implementation of change within the workplace. 4. Professionally write and orally present a management report. Skills This module will call for the successful student to demonstrate: 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
Cognitive skills and critical thinking Effective problem solving using quantitative and qualitative skills Effective communication both oral and written Numeracy and quantitative skills, data analysis and interpretation and extrapolation Effective Self-Management Effective performance within a team environment Interpersonal skills and effective listening, negotiating, persuasion and presentation Ability to conduct research into business and management issues
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Foundation Degree Computing Syllabus Identification of problems. Problem solving techniques. Project management. Research skills. Report writing. Presentation skills. Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy Initial briefing on project brief and presentation of project (initial 18 hour teaching block). Allocation of a project supervisor who will guide the choice of topic, assist with the proposal, research methodology and final structure of the project. The project supervisor will meet with the employer and ensure that ethical considerations and appropriate approvals have been taken into account. Employer confidentiality will be ensured. Assessment Scheme A Research Proposal detailing the Aim of the Research to be undertaken and the timeframe for the investigation A Report of 3,000 words, excluding appendices, demonstrating the student’s ability to:
Apply theory to a real workplace situation Identify, clarify, analyse and find solutions to a computing problem Locate primary and secondary source material Effectively relate research undertaken to a particular problem Make recommendations for the implementation of change Sustain a coherent argument in expressing a central idea Present a project in a professional manner both orally and in a written format
There will be three main assessment points and all points must be completed: A. A research proposal in appropriate format detailing the aims of the research and the timeframe (800 words +/- 10%) B. A final formal written report (to be submitted prior to the presentation to the College Tutor and workplace supervisor) (3000 words +/- 10%): C. A final oral presentation of the report to a panel of assessors including the college and workplace project supervisors and fellow students (10 minutes) Assessment Weighting A. Research Proposal – 20% weighting. B. Written Report – 60% weighting. C. Oral Presentation – 20% weighting. Essential Reading Saunders, Lewis, Thornhill (2006) Research Methods for Students (4th Edition) Pearson Education/Financial Times Prentice Hall Publishing Additional Reading Bell, J. (2005) Doing your Research Project, Open University Press Hafiz, Khan, Raeside, White (2007) Research Methods for Graduate Business and Social Science Students, SAGE publications Useful Websites www.umuc.edu/library www.owl.english.purdue.edu
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Interactive Multimedia Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDCWD26 Interactive Multimedia 5 15 Magdi Tawafig FDC WD16 150 hours 45 hours
Aims: This module aims to introduce the students to multimedia applications and at the tools required to support and develop them. It provides a technical framework and design guidelines for the development of practical interactive multimedia information systems. Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student will be able to: Knowledge 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts and domains of multimedia 2. Describe and compare common storage and compression techniques relevant to traditional and web based multimedia Skills 3. Construct an interactive web based multimedia application using suitable authoring and development tools. 4. Apply and evaluate multimedia systems using HCI principles 5. Manage and document a multimedia project
Syllabus Sound, image capture and editing and video editing Linking and embedding graphics, sound and video into applications. Planning, production and management of an interactive, scripted multimedia application Compression techniques for images, sound and video Networking issues Criteria for evaluating multimedia systems Design and development issues of traditional and web based multimedia applications Comparison of authoring tools
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategies Learning and Teaching The material will be presented through a combination of lectures, tutorials/practical sessions and directed self-study as appropriate for each topic. Weekly lectures will be used to introduce the students to the relevant material, concepts and terminology. Practical and tutorials sessions will alternate weekly, the practical sessions will be used to enable the students to have hands on experience of a range of multimedia tools whilst the tutorials sessions will enable the students to do a variety of assessed and non-assessed coursework to reinforce their learning. Assessment The module will be assessed by one exam and one assignment. The assignment will be scenario based. The student will be required to plan, design and implement a web-based multimedia application. Assessment Weighting Exam 30% (learning outcomes 1 and 2) Project 70% (learning outcomes 3, 4 and 5) Learning Materials Essential Texts Vaughan, T, “Multimedia: Making it work”, McGraw-Hill College, ISBN: 0072264519 Additional Texts Cunliffe, D. And Elliot, G, “Multimedia Computing”, Learning Matters Ltd ISBN: 1903337186 Software and Online Resources Online-Tutorial Adobe CS3 or 4, Director, Flash Photoshop
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Advanced Web Technologies Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDCWD27 Advanced Web Technologies 5 15 Magdi Tawafig FDC WD16 / FDC WD26 150 hours 45 hours
Aims: This module aims to enable the students to develop skills needed for the design, development and maintenance of web sites for a wide variety of applications (e.g. b2c, b2b, advertising, and education), and provide the students with practical experience of a wide range of web technologies in a realistic and complex application.
Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student will be able to: Knowledge 1. Demonstrate understanding of a range of client-server web technologies 2. Describe and critically discuss the technical issues surrounding web development and development.
Skills 3. Use client-side technologies for building web sites. 4. Use a range of server-side technologies for building multi-server, multi-tier web applications. 5. Select and employ appropriate technologies for the development of web applications .
Syllabus
Web clients and client side technologies: e.g. HTM:, XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, cookies. Web servers and server-side technologies: e.g. CGI (Perl), PHP, ASP.NET, sessions, database connectivity. Introduction to XML and Ajax Web site development tools e.g. Adobe creative suite, MS Expression Web Relational databases and 3 tier systems. Web site design issues: e.g. state preservation, navigation, access, content management. Web 2.0 Technologies
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategies Learning and Teaching This module is to be delivered via several complementary activities: lectures, tutorials, practical work and directed unsupervised learning. The rationale for this mix of activities is to give the students an interesting and varied learning experience combining theory and analysis backed up by practical development where appropriate. Assessment The module learning outcomes will be assessed through both an individual assignment and examination Assessment Weighting Individual assignment to design and implement a complex web application using a plurality of technologies – 70% (learning outcomes 3, 4 and 5)
Examination - 30% (learning outcome 1 and 2) Learning Materials Essential Texts Deitel & Deitel (2008), “Internet & World Wide Web How to Program”, 4/e, Prentice Hall, ISBN10: 0131752421 Additional Texts William & Lane (2004), “Web Database Applications with PHP, and MySQL”, 2/E, O'Reilly Media Duckett, J. (2005), “Accessible XHTML and CSS Web Sites (Problem-Design-Solution)”, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN: 0764583069 Hart, C. et al (2006), Beginning ASP.NET 2.0, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN-10: 0764588508 Evjen, B. (2006), Professional ASP.NET 2.0, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN-10: 0764576100 Negrino T, Smith D (2006), Javascript and Ajax for the Web (Visual QuickStart Guides), Peachpit Press, 6/E, ISBN-10: 0321430328 Hunter D, Rafter J, Fawcett J et al (2007), Beginning XML (Programmer to Programmer), John Wiley & Sons, 4th Edition, ISBN-10: 0470114878 Budd A, Moll C, Collison S (2006), CSS Mastery: Advanced Web Standards Solutions, APress,US, ISBN-10: 1590596145 Schmitt C (2008), Professional CSS: Cascading Style Sheets for Web Design, John Wiley & Sons, 2/E, ISBN-10: 047017708X Online Resources http://www.w3schools.com/
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Advanced Network Design Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDCMT28 Advanced Network Design 5 15 Andrew Parfitt None 150 hours 45 hours
Aims This module intends to provide the students with the skills and knowledge necessary to install, operate, and troubleshoot a small to medium-size office network, They should also learn to configure several switches and routers within the LAN. Students will be provided with detailed insight to WAN connection and current/future IP addressing. They will be able to implement network security using firewalls and ACLs and investigate associated aspects of a Network Operating System Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student should be able to: Knowledge 1. Use and explain the principles of link state, distance vector and hybrid routing protocols in suitable network models. 2. Describe when to use NAT or PAT on a medium-sized network 3. Describe and explain the roles of data packets at layers 2 and 3 Skills 4. Expand the switched network from a small LAN to a medium-sized LAN with multiple switches, supporting VLANs and spanning tree. 5. Configure network devices, implement redundancy in network models and troubleshoot 6. Configure and test CISCO routers with RIP, OSPF and EIGRP routing protocols Syllabus Medium sized network construction Medium sized network configuration Routing protocols Implementation of OSPF and EIRGP IP addressing, packets and routing Device configuration Network Security, Firewalls, Access Control Lists on routers and NOS servers Implementing network redundancy This module will cover significant sections of CISCO CCNA 640-816 (ICND2). Students would need to spend additional time using network simulation programs and on-line examination practise sites.
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Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy Laboratory work will work closely with theory lectures with emphasis on realistic situations. Analysis of the college situation along with commercial contacts will emphasise the need for careful network design and management. Assignments will be based on realistic tasks and requirements. Lectures will be most appropriate for the underlying theory such as:
IP addressing WAN connection Protocols including 5 and 7 layer models with emphasis on layers 2,3,4
Assessment Scheme The module learning outcomes will be assessed through coursework – one group practical report and an individual report. Assessment Weighting Practical Report – 50% (learning outcomes 3, 4 and 5) Individual Report – 50% (learning outcomes 1, 2 and 3) Learning Materials Network Laboratory Routers, switches Consumables such as UTP cable Network Simulation Package(s) Network Operating System such as Windows Essential Text Tanenbaum, A S (2003), “Computer Networks”, (4th Ed), Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-066102-3 Cisco Course Materials Additional Reading www.techexams.net Lowe, D (2007), Networking for Dummies”, (8th Ed), John Wiley & Sons; ISBN-10: 0470056207
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Advanced Mobile Technology Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDCMT29 Advanced Mobile Technology 5 15 Andrew Parfitt FDCMT17 150 hours 45 hours
Aims The aim of this module is to ensure that students are able to: To review technologies of mobile telecommunications To consider the mobile subscriber To consider mobile business collaboration To consider home and industry connected mobility To review marketed devices e.g. Apple iX, 4G WiMAX To consider ‘apps’ production e.g. Mobitop Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student should be able to: Knowledge 1. Describe how computer data is transferred between devices in a range of wireless / mobile environments. 2. Demonstrate knowledge of available positioning systems and show an understanding of the technologies and implications of their use within positioning systems. 3. An understanding of the trends in technology to provide solutions that will satisfy the needs of the market place Skills 4. Evaluate the different technologies across a range of scenarios, to discover the 'best' options 5. Critically discuss the relative merits of fundamental components and infrastructures of mobile computer systems. Including the evolution of protocols and standards for mobile computing. Syllabus Basic principles of communication architectures: PSTN, PSDN and Gateways Different types of mobile communications: Cellular Bluetooth, wireless LANS, Piconets, Scatternets, Ad-hoc networks TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), reviewing Standards and Leading Technologies, Evolution from 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G. Key Components for 3G (Mobile Computing) Products. Implications for business and society of current and future developments Signalling System 7 (SS7), Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy Learning and Teaching Practical sessions can be used to investigate current products and developments and ‘Engineering data’ can be extracted from mobile devices. Lectures will be used to explain and demonstrate concepts. Student presentations will encourage research into applications for real situations. Assessment Scheme Two assignments – one individual report and one group report Assessment Weighting Report – 40% (learning outcomes 1 and 2) Group Report – 60% (learning outcomes 3, 4 and 5) Learning Materials As above Essential Reading Jamalipour, A. (2003) “The Wireless Mobile Internet” John Wiley & Sons Schiller J. (2003) “Mobile Communications”, Addison Wesley, ISBN 0321123816 Additional Reading Dornan, A (2000), Essential Guide To Wireless Communications Applications, From Cellular Systems to WAP & M-Commerce, Prentice Hall, ISBN: 0130317160 Mittler, H (1998) Windows CE Programmers Guide, Microsoft Press, ISBN: 1572316438 Walke, B H (2001), Mobile Radio Networks, Networking, Protocols and Traffic Performance (2nd Edition), J Wiley and Son Ltd, ISBN 0471 - 499021 Other Resources Mobile development environments and associated hardware Mobile devices http://mashable.com/2008/01/02/20-mobile-internet-applications/ http://www.cisco.com/en/US/netsol/ns781/networking_solutions_solution_category.html#~vertica ls
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Advanced Operating Systems Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDCFC210 Advanced operating systems 5 15 Magdi Tawafig FDC FC18 150 hours 45 hours
Aims: This module aims to build the knowledge and skills needed to plan and manage an incident response involving modern operating systems – particularly in relation to the field of Forensic Computing. Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student will be able to: Knowledge 1. Explain and examine typical Window operating system e.g. Microsoft Windows, registry functions and security. 2. Explain and examine a typical linux operating system. Skills 3. Critically examine and analyse FAT & NTFS file systems 4. Analyse the problems associated with encryption and bit locking.
Syllabus
Microsoft operating systems, file system options, histories, registry and user accounts Linux, I-node, command line, use as an examination tool for Microsoft products. Security features such as I/O masks & sandboxes. Analysing a variety of file systems such as FAT & NTFS file systems, data recovery methods and Chaining. Bit locking, encryption and tamper resistant storage. Removable media. File formats, headers, checksums, HTML & e-mail files
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategies Learning and Teaching Theoretical material will be delivered during the weekly lecture. The focus will be problem led learning using practical tasks and case study scenarios delivered during Tutorials/Practical sessions. Students will build a portfolio of evidence that they have analysed a variety of operating systems and accomplished a range of data recovery tasks Assessment A set practical exercises and an academic poster. The practical exercises will involve the students in using forensic investigation software to examine file systems and other aspects of operating system behaviour and performance within a forensic context. Group assignment to produce an academic poster, detailing the results of an investigation into case study /scenario Assessment Weighting Practical Exercises 60% (learning outcomes 1-3) Academic poster 40%(learning outcome 4) Learning Materials Essential Texts Siever E. And etal (2009), “Linux in a Nutshell”, 6/E, O'Reilly Media, ISBN-10: 0-596-15448-8 Stallings, W (2009), “Operating Systems, Internals and Design Principles”, 6/E, Prentice Hall, ISBN-10: 0136006329 Additional Texts O' Gorman, J. (2004) “Operating Systems with Linux”, Palgrave Macmillan ISBN 0333947452 Tanenbaum, A. (2008), “Modern Operating Systems, Pearson, ISBN 978-0-138-13459-4
Software and Online Resources Data Recovery Software Forensic Tools set
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Data Structures and Algorithms Module Code: Module Title: Level: Credit Points: Module Leader: Pre-requisite: GLH: Contact:
FDCFC211 Data structures and algorithms 5 15 Magdi Tawafig FDC FC11 150 hours 45 hours
Aims: At the core of most computer applications is the storage and retrieval of information. The way that the stored data is structured has a strong impact on what can be retrieved, how quickly it can be retrieved and how much space it occupies. This module aims to develop the formal concepts of data structures, algorithms and their relationships to each other and to the concepts of object-oriented programming – particularly in relation to Forensic Computing. This should allow specifying and implementing a range of commonly used ADTs and corresponding algorithms in an object-oriented setting. Learning Outcomes On completion of this module, the successful student will be able to: Knowledge 1. Describe the structure and correct use of appropriate data structures and algorithms for a range of scenarios. 2. Demonstrate understanding of key abstract data types Skills 3. Undertake problem identification, formulation and solution using ADT components for storing and retrieving data. 4. Design, implement, and document (appropriately) efficient algorithms. 5. Justify the selection of the most appropriate data structure/algorithm for a given application.
Syllabus Common complex data structures and typical applications Arrays: tables (hashed), linked lists (single, double), tree (binary search trees, expression trees) Definition of abstract data types e.g. collection, structure examples of ADTs (stacks, queues) how different data structures can implement the same ADT (arrays and single linked lists) appropriate algorithms of data structure include ‘insert’, ‘delete’, ‘search’ and ‘sort’
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Foundation Degree Computing Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategies Learning and Teaching Lectures and tutorial each week that will comprise of a mix of delivered material (including formal presentations/lectures) and guided tutorial work and group activities. Guided independent learning will be given to include such activities as problem based learning where students will be set a specific task that requires a solution to be found by, for example, working through a tutorial book/guide or analysing a case study. Surgery opportunities will also be included within the tutorials such that students will be able and encouraged to discuss any aspect of the module irrespective of their expected progress. Other aspects of the tutorials will include opportunities for peer and self-assessment to provide formative feedback. Independent study will also involve directed reading in order to extend knowledge in areas of the indicative content. Assessment This comprises an exam during semester, laboratory exercises and, a programming application based on a scenario. The assessed laboratory work tests students' ability to identify problems and formulate solutions by building, testing and applying the fundamental data structures covered in the unit. Assessment Weighting Exam 20% (learning outcome 1) Lab exercises 30% (learning outcomes 2 and 3) Programming Application 50% (learning outcomes 4 and 5) Learning Materials Essential Texts
Lewis & etal, R. (2011), “Java
Structures”, 2
nd
Additional Texts
Foundations: Introduction to Program Design and Data
ed. Addison-Wesley. ISBN-10: 0132128810
th
Goodrich, M.T. & Tamassia, R. (2010), “Data Structures and Algorithms in Java”, 5 ed. Wiley Higher Education, John Wiley & Sons. Reges, S. & Stepp, M. (2007), “Building Java Programs”, Addison-Wesley. ISBN-10: 0321382838
Online Resources http://www.developer.com/java/article.php/763411/Data-Structures-in-Java-Part-1-GettingStarted.htm http://www.developer.com/java/article.php/763411/Data-Structures-in-Java-Part-2-GettingStarted.htm http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/
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APPENDICES A. e-Learning The College E-Learning Network gives you opportunities to learn online, anytime, anywhere. The College provides access to excellent learning resources such as ILearn, Mahara, e-books and other research resources. iLearn (http://ilearn.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk) iLearn is a virtual learning environment for Barnet College learners and staff. Part of this is The Frame, a combination of tutorial, careers and employability services, activities and events based around monthly themes – chosen by learners, for learners - with topics spaced at relevant times of the study year. Themes include, for example, study skills, well-being, personal safety and identity. The programme has main section which can be accessed using your login details to the college network. This page will include: lecture notes, to support your studies together with: discussion boards, forums, quizzes, past exam papers, module information, announcements and important information. More information on how to access and use iLearn will be provided during induction. Our Youthbytes digital display software provides on-screen information about all the different activities that are going on and links you into relevant websites and internal information on ILearn, including how to buy your NUS Xtra card. Mahara Mahara is a student‘s personal online learning space, where all the hard work that you do in college can be accessed at home or on campus. On Mahara you can write a personal introduction to yourself, list your skills/your goals, write blogs and build an e-portfolio. Mahara also enables lecturers to set assignments for you online. Mobile Learning As a student at Barnet College you are free to use your own laptop/mobile phone to connect to our Wireless network and support your learning. Wireless is freely available at both Grahame Park and Wood Street campuses. Some lecturers may allow you to use your phone to record notes and access the internet for class tasks. (Please note that in class, mobiles should only be used with lecturers' permission for learning purposes.) Mobile learning also supports learning on the move. If you are unable to attend class you should be able to access your work through ILearn and save your own work in Mahara, you can also request support through online tutorials. E-Safety As a college we are concerned that our students should be safe online. ILearn has support regarding keeping your online profiles private (The Frame and the LIC Induction) and you should speak to your tutor if you are worried about anything you have posted/viewed online. Remember that what is on the web stays on the web and can be very public, so make sure you represent yourself, your friends and your college is a positive light. Portable learning equipment The following are available for students and staff to borrow for this academic year. 1. FLIP Cameras – these can be used for video based assignments and will plug and play directly in a computer.. 2. Nintendo DSi‟s are available for students to borrow to improve numeracy and literacy skills with brain training games, or to learn a language with the ‗teach yourself‘ games. These may be borrowed to use around college.
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B. Bibliographic Referencing Why Do We Need To Reference? When submitting a piece of research you need to provide information on all the sources (both printed and electronic) that you have used during its compilation. Information about each individual source is known as a reference. The collective list of references is known as a bibliography. The bibliography appears at the end of your work. It serves the following purposes: 1. to show the research your work is based on 2. to enable others to easily identify books or articles you have referred to 3. to ensure you give credit to the authors of the sources you have consulted It is essential to be consistent and accurate when citing references as bibliographies are examined very carefully. It is good practice to make a bibliographic reference for each important source at the time of its use. This may save a time-consuming search after the fact when you may need to retrace sources in order to complete a bibliography – sometimes it can be impossible to track down an item if you don’t have vital information such as title, author, date and publisher. This is another reason why referencing is necessary. Researchers (and yourself) must be able to trace sources so vital information must be provided. In order to ensure this there are standardised forms of citing bibliographic references. Why Use The Harvard Reference System? There are several styles of commonly accepted reference systems including British Standard and Harvard. Most Universities recommends the Harvard system. Harvard developed in America and has become the most commonly used system – often being used as the standard style in academic texts. It is also the most simple and user friendly system to apply. There is a guide in iLearn (http://ilearn.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk) will give citation information and examples applied for the Harvard system. The guide also offers advice on giving references and/or quotations from the sources within your work and how to list references at the end of the text. You need to include references within your text for several reasons. Firstly, it shows you have read the texts and if used correctly can also demonstrate your understanding of them. Secondly, you can refer to your sources or use word for word quotations from them to support an argument or point of view you are making. It is important to do this in the correct form especially when using word for word quotations so that you give due credit to the original author. If you do not do this you may be accused of plagiarism. Listing references at the end of the text shows the reader at a glance which sources you have used directly i.e. referred to and quoted from in your text. It also ensures you give all the vital information about the source so that it can be identified and traced by a reader of your work. Listing references is not the same as a bibliography where you would include all important sources even if you have not referred directly to them i.e. your bibliography would include any books used for background reading or supplementary information.
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C. Quality Assurance Policy The College is committed to providing high quality services to all its customers, both internal and external. Its mission reads „Providing high-quality education and training for economic and social well-being‟ To support continuous improvement a systematic approach to managing quality is embedded within the College calendar. This approach relies upon appropriately informed target setting, regular monitoring and review activities that enable judgements to be made about progress towards the agreed targets, and the development of quality improvement plans to secure the achievement of these targets. This policy, together with a clear process of implementation, will be communicated to learners and staff during their induction, and to governors through the Curriculum, Quality and Standards meetings, and relevant stakeholders and external agencies through the web site. It will also be placed in the Quality Handbook on the MLE. Strategic Aim To achieve continuous improvement in quality and standards throughout the organisation Objectives 1. To ensure the continuous improvement of the quality of service that the College provides to all key stakeholders. 2. To ensure that new developments identified in the College‘s Strategic Plan are implemented, monitored and reviewed to the same high standards as existing provision. 3. To ensure that suitable mechanisms such as questionnaires, surveys and focus groups are in place to understand and respond to the needs of key stakeholders such as learners and employers 4. To ensure that the College continues to meet the quality targets set by relevant funding organisations, awarding bodies, and inspectorates (LSC, HEFCE, Ofsted, QAA, and other partner institutions). 5. To review all aspects of College activity to provide accurate and relevant information for self-assessment reports. 6. To produce quality improvement plans in the light of self-assessment activities to address areas for improvement and reinforce existing strengths. 7. To monitor the implementation of quality improvement plans, report progress and any resulting action taken to ensure continuous improvement, quality and value for money to the Senior Management Team and the Governing Body. 8. To ensure that all complaints are dealt with fairly and viewed as an opportunity for improving quality. 9. To audit procedures systematically, give feedback to staff on their performance and to address any noncompliance. 10. To ensure that the College adopts best business principles and gives value for money in all aspects of its work. 11. To ensure that the College continues to hold the appropriate quality marks (Investor in People, Training Quality Standard, Matrix, etc.) 12. To assist in the production of a structured continuous professional development plan to focus activity on priority areas Implementation The policy objectives are met by: Producing a Strategic Plan with monitored objectives
Producing an annual operational plan as a means of implementing the strategic objectives
Termly reviews of the operational plan to measure progress and inform the development of the next Strategic Plan
Setting annually agreed Service Standards and Quality Targets for Schools and Services
Conducting stakeholder surveys
Conducting annual Course Reviews and evaluations
Producing reports and action plans against the agreed standards and targets and monitoring them on a regular basis
Auditing standard procedures and documentation
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Producing an externally validated College Self-assessment Report that enables overall judgements to be made about the quality of College provision
Linking continuous professional development to priority areas identified through the self-assessment process and the Strategic plan
Developing induction programmes for new staff focussing on College values, processes and targets
Applying the principles embodied in Investors in People
Using priorities, targets, performance indicators, class size and other unit costings to review the curriculum offer
Using Benchmarking data from comparable institutions
Reporting to a comprehensive structure of committees and groups, including the Quality Assurance Committee.
Rigorously investigating all formal complaints.
Analysing complaints and reporting to SMT and the Curriculum Quality and Standards committee on a termly basis.
Adopting continuous improvement as a guiding principle. Surveys Focus Groups And Data Collection Stakeholder satisfaction is monitored by the following surveys: Learner Surveys: First Impressions Survey Induction Survey Midyear Survey End of year Survey 14-16 Schools Survey HE Survey including NSS ESOL Survey Learner Services Survey Staff surveys: Skills audit ILT Survey Staff survey Learning Centre user questionnaires Scholarest (catering) Survey Travel Survey Employer surveys External Verifier and External Examiner reports Internal and external audit reports Financial Management Control and Evaluation (FMCE) Focus groups Learners Poorly performing courses (e.g. targeted courses, poor in year KPIs) Response to a complaint Identifying good practice Staff Responding to a complaint Following up an audit (e.g. SAR, curriculum audit, observations) Following up a survey Identifying good practice Targets and Performance Indicators Managers agree a set of targets and service standards each year. Progress towards achieving the agreed targets and delivering the set service standards are reported to the appropriate Senior Manager on a regular basis and collated annual data relating to performance is used to support self-assessment. Failure to meet targets is addressed by the production and implementation of an action plan agreed with, and monitored by, the appropriate Head or Senior Manager.
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The Quality Improvement Plan following the production of the Self-Assessment Report addresses key actions identified as areas for improvement. Monitoring The Quality Assurance process is monitored by: Regular reporting to the appropriate manager. Performance against targets and action plans are monitored and appropriate action taken at the earliest opportunity.
The externally validated Self-assessment Report is presented to the Corporation for approval.
Subject Sector Category and Service Area self-assessment reports and Quality Improvement Plans are presented initially to the Curriculum, Quality and Standards Committee and subsequently to the Corporation.
Self-assessment reports from individual Service Managers are presented to Senior Managers.
The analysis of complaints is presented SMT and to the Curriculum, Quality and Standards Committee
The analyses of surveys are presented to CMT, SMT and the Curriculum, Quality and Standards Committee
Academic performance, particularly that of underperforming courses, is regularly compared with benchmarking data using Proachieve
Continuous Improvement The procedures adopted indicate the quality of all aspects of College provision and a number of measures are in place to address any shortcomings. These measures include: Value for money review of all provision during the strategic planning process
Changes to the curriculum including course closure
Changes to entry requirements
Procedure changes
Mentoring and specific staff development
CPD programme informed by teaching observation, curriculum audit and appraisal as well as external drivers
Capability procedures
Disciplinary action
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES All Staff have a responsibility for assuring quality in the College. Director Of Quality Negotiate amendments to quality standards and present to SMT for approval
Review quality assurance procedures and recommend improvements.
Receive regular reports from Directors of Learning and monitor performance against agreed targets and plans to address shortfalls
Review the balance and quality of the curriculum offer and make recommendations to SMT for changes where appropriate.
Use performance and national benchmarking data in producing and implementing an action plan to correct deficiencies.
Monitor progress with action plans in the Schools through the Directors of Learning.
Organise audits of procedures an annual basis.
Appoint and train auditors, collate reports, present to SMT, and negotiate action plans where deficiencies have been identified.
Oversee the teaching and tutorial observation processes.
Oversee surveys and focus groups.
Receive self-assessment reports (both School and Service area) from individual Heads or managers.
Collate reports into the overall College Self-assessment report, present it to the Quality Assurance Committee, edit and amend as necessary then present the report to CQS and the Corporation for approval.
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Coordinate the validation of both Subject Sector self-assessment grading decisions and graded judgements within the College Self-assessment Report. Agree the customer satisfaction surveys to be used by cross-college managers. Monitor their use and evaluation.
Receive quality improvement plans and action plans, and updates on previous action plans.
Take the necessary action to address any shortcomings in individuals‘ accomplishment of quality assurance responsibilities.
Analyse responses from all evaluations, investigate unsatisfactory responses and advise on strategies for improvement. Present statistics to QAC, SMT, CQS and Governors as appropriate.
Identify staff development needs from internal reports and negotiate with Head of Continuous Professional Development to meet these needs.
Investigate other national quality standards available and make recommendations to SMT.
Prepare College for inspection, accreditation and audit as appropriate. Quality Manager Relentlessly manage the implementation of quality assurance systems across the College
Work with all teams ( including HE and off site) across the College to ensure the continuous improvement of standards and quality
Report positive and negative trends and developments against benchmarks (where applicable) including ethnicity and equal opportunities
Take a lead role in the preparation for external quality audits including inspections
Ensure staff are kept abreast with key developments in Quality
Conduct focus groups
Analyse and report on surveys and audits
Contribute to the production of papers relating to quality for the Corporation, and SMT
Liaise closely with the Professional Development Advisors to ensure staff training needs re quality are fully met
Carry out teaching observations.
Carry out tutorial observations.
Carry out curriculum audits
Heads Of Service Areas Each Head produces a set of ambitious quality standards setting out the key features of the service provided by that area. They are responsible for the quality in the area and are required to report positive and negative trends and developments against benchmarks (where applicable) including equal opportunities. These are reviewed annually and submitted to the Quality Assurance Committee.
From the standards, ambitious targets are identified and agreed with the appropriate Senior Manager. These targets are to be compared with previous year‘s achievement, external benchmarks, and an increase built in where appropriate.
Termly reports of progress towards the targets are reported to the line manager.
A self-assessment report is produced after consultation with all the staff in the area. Appropriate assessment is made regarding the achievement of the quality improvement plan from the previous year, performance against quality standards, trends, LSC and Ofsted criteria and national benchmarking data. Supporting evidence and statistics are to be made available.
A new quality improvement plan is to be agreed with Director of Quality after the self-assessment has been validated.
Data is collected at specified times, using the online survey mechanism /paper based questionnaires and focus groups, and the responses are analysed and an action plan produced to address any issues and set new targets.
A value for money exercise is conducted and included in the self-assessment report
The achievement of quality assurance responsibilities is discussed in individual performance reviews.
An area MLE site is maintained incorporating all relevant data.
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Heads of School Agree and review service standards for the School, performance indicators and targets.
Relentlessly monitor standards laid down for the delivery of courses within courses/ subjects including content, quality of delivery, assessment and verification, and learner satisfaction, ethnicity, equal opportunities, and value for money
Monitor performance in the course/subjects by measures including equal opportunities
Monitor attendance and punctuality in the course/subjects
Report data on learner performance on a regular basis to the Director of Learning.
Produce a self-assessment report after consultation with staff in the area. Appropriate assessment will to be made regarding the achievement of the quality improvement plan from the previous year, performance against quality standards, LSC and Ofsted criteria and national benchmarking data. Supporting evidence and statistics are to be made available.
Agree a new quality improvement plan with Director of Quality after the self-assessment has been validated.
Collect data at specified times throughout the year , using the online survey mechanism / paper based questionnaires and focus groups, analyse the responses and produce an action plan to address any issues and set new targets.
Report issues or under performance when it is identified to the line manager and the Director of Quality.
The achievement of quality assurance responsibilities will be discussed in individual performance reviews.
Edexcel Quality Nominee Ensure the accuracy of centre programme listings and monitor approvals ( including expiry dates) Monitor registrations against approved BTEC programmes Liaise with managers to coordinate the internal verification of BTEC programmes Ensure that teams are briefed about expectations regarding Edexcel quality assurance processes. This includes requirements for NSS and Centre Risk Assessment (CRA), and verification protocols. Liaise with the Risk Assessor to organise and monitor the Centre Risk Assessment. Ensure parity of provision across all BTEC programmes and all sites. Implement BTEC forums to disseminate good practice across programme teams relating to delivery and assessment Implement and maintain effective processes and records for BTEC programmes Brief teams about changes to BTEC programmes and processes Monitor NSS and the CRA report Curriculum Managers Ensure that all course/ subject leaders are adequately briefed, and are aware of their responsibilities, and that they produce schemes of work, carry out team meetings, reviews, ILPs, verification and evaluation processes on time.
Check Course Reviews and Performance Indicators, ILPs and action plans for which they are responsible to ensure that they address all the issues and that the targets are SMART.
Monitor individual course/ subject leaders and the implementation of action plans.
Monitor the completion of record of work books, student tracking and the quality of feedback
Monitor attendance and punctuality
Monitor the implementation of Every Child Matters
Report data on learner performance, retention, attendance, punctuality, ethnicity, equal opportunities etc. and on the completion of action plans at team meetings to the Head of School
Propose strategies and be responsible for improving performance and correcting deficiencies in the courses/subjects for which they are responsible to the Head of School.
Carry out teaching observations.
Carry out tutorial observations.
Carry out curriculum audits
Ensure that register audits are completed on time.
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Foundation Degree Computing Course /Subject Leaders Complete Performance Indicator checks using Proachieve each term.
Produce an annual Course/ Subject Review and agree an action plan with the line Manager.
Monitor standards laid down for the delivery of Courses in their School including content, quality of delivery, assessment and verification, ethnicity, equal opportunities, Every Child Matters, and learner satisfaction and maintain appropriate records for the School.
Hold course/ subject team meetings to review data from all sources.
Maintain a register of ‗learners at risk‘.
Collect data from learner surveys at the appropriate times.
Ensure that learners are transferred or withdrawn in line with College processes in a timely manner.
Review comments made by learners on surveys, investigate as necessary, and report to the appropriate Manager.
After induction, curriculum audits, focus groups, mid-year and end of year surveys produce an action plan to address any issues. The plans are to be submitted to the Manager and subsequently to the Director.
Implement action plans, and report on progress to the Quality Assurance Committee through the Head on a termly basis.
Organise internal and external examinations and entries and report on the outcomes from the examinations to the Head of School.
For Higher Education programmes, comply with the University procedures and produce the Annual Monitoring Report each year.
Quality Assurance Committee Membership: Director of Quality (Chair) Directors of Learning Director of planning and performance Head of Business Development / or their nominee Heads of School/ or their nominee 2 Heads of Service Areas Professional development advisor The Quality Assurance Committee will: Receive and act on the results of the surveys and focus groups and make recommendations to SMT
Monitor the audit process action plans.
Receive and act on a termly analysis of complaints.
Receive and act on a termly analysis of continuous professional development activities.
Receive and act on a half termly analysis of attendance and retention.
Receive and act on reports on the implementation of Quality Improvement plans
Receive and act on SARs from individual managers, evaluate and make recommendations to SMT
Review the College SAR and make recommendations to SMT
Review Quality Standards appropriate to College activities and make proposals on standards the College could adopt.
Review the currency of these standards annually
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D. Complaints Procedure If you are not satisfied with the service you receive at Barnet College and feel there is something that should be investigated please let us know as soon as possible. The Barnet College Complaints Procedure is for the use of students, parents or carers complaining on behalf of students under 18 years of age, staff, clients using our facilities, visitors, local residents, employers and members of the local community. We aim to respond within the timescales given at each step of this procedure, but in the case of very complex complaints or those being reviewed during academic vacations it may not always be possible. Step 1 If you are studying at the College and you have an issue connected with your course, we suggest that you speak to one of the following: · the person directly involved · your student representative · your lecturer · your personal tutor or course leader · a manager or the Head of the School in which you are studying. If you are not studying at the College, or if you are studying here but the issue is not connected with your course, we suggest that you speak to: · the person directly involved · a manager or the Head of the Department with responsibility for the service concerned Step 2 Most issues are resolved at Step 1. However, you may decide to make a formal complaint: Complaint forms are available at Reception and should be posted or handed in at Reception marked for the attention of the Quality Administrator. You can also write to the Quality Administrator or e-mail to Feedback@barnet.ac.uk. If you are a student at the College you may wish to seek the help of Student Services or your personal tutor when making your complaint. On receipt of a formal complaint the Quality Administrator will send an acknowledgment within three working days and arrange for an investigation to be carried out. Your complaint will normally be dealt with by the Head of the Department responsible for the course/service about which you are complaining. The main exception to this rule is where the Head of Department has already been involved at Step 1, or is the subject of your complaint; in this case another appropriate investigating officer will carry out the investigation. During this Step we may need to contact you for further information. You may bring a friend or relative with you to the meeting. You will normally receive a written response informing you of the outcome of the investigation within ten working days from the date of our acknowledgement. However, this may not be possible for complex complaints where witnesses may need to be interviewed or during half terms and summer break as many staff are away during these periods. Step 3 If you are not satisfied with the written response you have received at step 2 or have new evidence you wish to be considered, contact the Quality Administrator in writing, within seven working days from the date of our response at Step 2, and ask for your complaint to be progressed to Step 3 of the Complaints Procedure. The Quality Administrator will send an acknowledgment within three working days and arrange for the evidence to be reviewed by a panel of people who have no direct involvement with the service about which you have complained. This review will be carried out as soon as possible and you will be given the opportunity to meet with the Complaint Review Panel. You may bring a friend or relative to the meeting. Again, delays may occur during term breaks. You should normally receive a written response to your complaint from the Panel within ten working days from the date that the Panel meets. Step 4 If your complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction at Step 3 and you have new evidence to support your case you may ask to progress to Step 4 of the Complaints Procedure. To do this you
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Foundation Degree Computing should contact the Quality Administrator in writing, within five working days from the date of the response from the Complaint Review Panel. The Quality Administrator will send an acknowledgment within three working days and pass your complaint to the Principal. The Principal will review the complaint to ensure that the outcome has been reached in accordance with the processes involved in Steps 1 to 3 of this Procedure. You should normally receive a written response from the Principal confirming the outcome of the Step 4 review within ten working days from the date of our acknowledgement at this step. Step 5 We aim to deal with all complaints during the early steps of this procedure. However, if you have reached this point without a satisfactory outcome, you should contact the Quality Administrator who will advise you of the best agency outside the College to help you progress your complaint. You should do this within five working days from the completion of the Step 4 review.
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E. Health and Safety Policy 1. Barnet College recognises and accepts its responsibility as an employer for providing a safe and healthy place of work and working environment, with adequate welfare facilities for its employees, so far as reasonably practicable. Further, the College accepts its duty to ensure the safety of persons not being employees (e.g. students, visitors, contractors, etc.) who may be affected by the College‘s activities or who may resort to the College‘s premises. 2. the College will, so far as reasonably practicable, meet the duties and responsibilities placed upon it by ensuring the provision and maintenance of:
plant, equipment and systems of work that are safe; arrangements for ensuring safety in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances; sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure the safety of its employees and to enable employees to recognise hazards and contribute positively to their own safety and health at work; all places of work under its control in a condition that is safe, including adequate and safe means of access and egress; a working environment for its employees that is safe and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare at work; arrangements for ensuring that persons, not being employees, who may be affected by its activities or who may be on its premises are accorded the same level of safety as is accorded to its employees; arrangements for consultation on matters of health, safety and welfare, through the medium of the established safety Committee Structure and with the appointed safety representatives of the Trade Unions recognised by the College in accordance with the College‘s obligations under health and safety legislation.
3. The execution of the College‘s duty is vested with the Principal, who is responsible for establishing and monitoring the organisation and arrangements to comply with the College‘s Policy on Health and safety. 4. In turn, the Deputy Principal, Directors, Heads of Area and Managers are responsible to the Principal for compliance with the College Safety Policy, by the establishing and monitoring of the organisation and arrangements for safety within their individual areas of responsibility. 5. Safety and health are management responsibilities of prime importance. Consideration to the necessary safety and health measures must be made at all stages and levels of the College‘s activities, from initial planning through to execution or completion. All managers have a duty to comply with the College‘s policy, organisation and arrangements for safety. Everything reasonably practicable is to be done to prevent any foreseeable accident or dangerous occurrence and prevent personal injury in any activity conducted by, or on behalf of, the College. 6. All employees in the College‘s service have an individual duty to take reasonable care of the health and safety of themselves and of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions. In so doing, employees must co-operate in ensuring that the College‘s policy. Organisation and arrangements for safety, insofar as it affects them, is successful in all respects. 7. This ―General Statement‖ is to be brought to the notice of all employees through the medium, inter alia, of the Staff Handbook issued to all employees. 8. This ―General Statement‖ is to be read in conjunction with the Introduction in Part 1 of this Policy. The arrangements available with this Health and Safety Policy are available to those staff who are involved with a particular aspect of employment. The relevant Heads or other Line Managers are responsible for writing their own local documents regarding Safe Systems of Work, Codes of Practice and Standard Operating Procedures. If members of staff feel that they have not received relevant information, instruction, training and supervision they should consult their Line Manager as a matter of priority. Sources: Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 Management of Health and safety at Work Regulations 1999
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F. Equality Policy 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Barnet College is an equal opportunities employer and aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination in employment matters. The College seeks to ensure equality of opportunity in access to employment, training and promotion opportunities and in terms and conditions of service. The College actively promotes equality of opportunity and aims to employ a balanced workforce, which reflects the diversity of the student population and that of the Greater London area. 1.2 The College is committed to promoting equality, excellence and sustainability in education by eliminating discrimination on grounds of age, ethnicity, gender, marital status, disability, religion, sexual orientation and trade union membership. 2. LEGISLATION 2.1 The College recognises that certain groups are protected by legislation: i) The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 allows certain convictions to be spent. ii) The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 renders unlawful discrimination on grounds of sex or marital status. iii) The Race Relations Act 1976 renders unlawful discrimination on grounds of race. iv) The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 renders unlawful discrimination on grounds of disability. v) The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, renders unlawful discrimination, directly or indirectly, against any worker or applicant on the grounds of their sexual orientation. vi) The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate, directly or indirectly, against any worker or applicant on the grounds of religion or belief. 3. ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT 3.1 All recruitment and selection will be carried out in accordance with the College's Recruitment and Selection Code of Practice. 3.2 All permanent posts will be advertised both internally and externally and will have a job description and person specification. All elements of the person specification will be justifiable on objective grounds. Candidates will be interviewed by a panel of trained staff. 4. ACCESS TO STAFF DEVELOPMENT 4.1 There is a policy governing access to staff development, which is available to all staff. 5. DISABILITY 5.1 The College will make reasonable adjustments to enable the employment of staff with disabilities on equal terms and conditions with all other staff. In meeting this aim, the College will endeavour to provide all necessary aids and adaptations within reason in order to recruit and retain people with disabilities. 6. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT 6.1 It is the College's aim that terms and conditions of employment apply equitably across the workforce and do not indirectly discriminate against certain groups. The College will regularly review its terms and conditions of employment in order to ensure that this aim is met. 7. MONITORING AND EVALUATION 7.1 The effectiveness of this policy will be monitored regularly in terms of the staffing profile and analysis of the Recruitment and Selection process. Regular data will be provided to the SMT and the Equalities Committee. 8. RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLICY 8.1 The overall responsibility for Equal Opportunities within the College lies with the Principal. The Equal Opportunities Co-ordinator has specific responsibility for Equal Opportunities in the curriculum and the Assistant Principal, Human Resources has responsibility for Equal Opportunities in employment. 8.2 All managers have a responsibility to ensure that staff observe the Equal Opportunities Policy and to act on any reported breach. 8.3 All employees have a responsibility to ensure that their own behaviour is in line with the policy and to report any observed breaches of the policy. 9. DISCIPLINARY ACTION 9.1 Any incident of discrimination or harassment will be dealt with under the Disciplinary Procedure and may lead to dismissal for gross misconduct. 10. REVIEW OF POLICY 10.1 This policy will be reviewed annually. 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 ―Barnet College recognises and encourages the contribution which people from a range of backgrounds and experiences bring to the institution. The College is committed to the concept of social justice where all individuals have the opportunity to achieve their full potential‖
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1.2 Barnet College is an equal opportunities employer and aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination in employment matters. The College seeks to ensure equality of opportunity in access to employment, training and promotion opportunities and in terms and conditions of service. The College actively promotes equality of opportunity and aims to employ a balanced workforce, which reflects the diversity of the student population and that of the Greater London area. 1.3 In employment matters, there shall be no discrimination on the grounds of age, ethnicity, race, gender, marital status, disability, religion, sexual orientation, trade union membership or spent criminal convictions (certain posts are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act). 1.4 All recruitment and selection for employment will be carried out in accordance with the College's Recruitment and Selection Code of Practice. The College is aware of the need to ensure that the balance of the workforce is representative of all groups. 1.5 All permanent posts will be advertised (normally externally) and will have a job description and person specification. All elements of the person specification will be justifiable on objective grounds. Candidates will be interviewed by a panel of trained staff. 2. EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITIES 2.1 Barnet College recognises that people with disabilities, learning difficulties and mental health needs experience discrimination within society. We are committed to challenging this and aim to ensure fairness and equality of access. We are keen to make education and training available to all those who can benefit from this, and our aim is to ensure that all students can participate in all aspects of College life. Our staff work to enable everyone to take pleasure in their learning and achieve their potential. 2.2 The college will actively oppose stereotyped responses to disabled people and work to promote an inclusive and supportive environment in relation to education, training and employment in every area of College life. 2.3 The College will make reasonable adjustments to enable the employment of staff with disabilities on equal terms and conditions with all other staff. In meeting this aim, the College will endeavour to provide all necessary aids and adaptations etc. in order to recruit and retain people with disabilities. 3. ANTI-RACIST POLICY 3.1 Barnet College recognises and encourages the contributions which people from a range of backgrounds and experiences bring to the institution. The College is committed to the concept of social justice where all individuals have the opportunity to achieve their full potential‖ 3.2 Barnet College recognises that black and minority ethnic staff and students experience racial discrimination in society. The College is committed to challenging this and using the strength of its diversity to take positive action to eliminate institutional racism and its effects. Racial harassment will not be tolerated in any area of college life. We will use the strength of our diversity to enable us to fulfil our commitments below: • We are committed to producing an annual Race Equality Policy produced through consultation with staff including specific groups of black and minority ethnic staff, and with learners, as well as representatives from the diverse community that we serve. • We are committed to reviewing our publicity and admissions process with a view to extending the range of learner applications from black and ethnic minority groups at all course levels. • We will monitor recruitment, retention and achievement for each course area by ethnic group and agree strategies for improvement where appropriate. Black and ethnic minority staff and learners will be consulted on these strategies. • We will seek to increase the number of black and ethnic minority staff and develop targeted training programmes to ensure that black and ethnic minority staff have opportunities to progress within the college. The career progress of staff will be monitored by ethnic groups to inform this process. • We will monitor curriculum resources and disseminate best practice to ensure curriculum delivery addresses anti-racism, promotes equality of opportunity and promotes good race relations. • We will value, accredit and extend experiences and qualifications gained outside the UK to enable equality of opportunity in employment for our asylum seeking and refugee learner population and international learners. • We will continue to provide race equality training and development sessions to equip staff with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to fulfil their legislative responsibilities. • We will engage with partners to ensure their compliance with the Race Equality Policy. • We will work to secure the fullest participation of black and minority ethnic staff and learners in College life, including the College‘s planning and decision making. • The college will continue to celebrate cultural diversity and promote equality through a series of participative events which involve and engage all ethnic groups. • We will review and revise college policies to ensure they adhere to race equality legislation.
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