FIT4146 Emergent technologies and interfaces - Semester 2, 2013

This unit will focus on research into the latest developments in the field of information technology, including innovative technology developments involving human computer interaction, information visualisation of complex data and emerging interface techniques. Students will learn valuable research and communication skills as they investigate and share with their peers the impact of emergent technologies and interfaces on society. The content presented in the lectures will focus on grand challenges in the field of information technology and on emerging trends. Students will apply their theoretical understanding to a practical project negotiated with the lecturer using a learning contract.

Mode of Delivery

Contact Hours

2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hrs tutorials/wk

Workload requirements

Students will be expected to spend a total of 12 hours per week during semester on this unit as follows:

• Lectures: 2 hours per week
• Tutorials/Lab Sessions: 2 hours per week per tutorial
• and up to an additional 8 hours in some weeks for completing lab and project work, private study and revision.

Unit Relationships

Prohibitions

FIT3146

Prerequisites

24 points of level 4 or 9 FIT units

Chief Examiner

Campus Lecturer

Academic Overview

Learning Outcomes

• the diversity of theoretical and conceptual frameworks which contribute to the current developments in the field of information technology, including human computer interaction, information visualisation and interface design;
• the grand challenges in the field of information technology and the emerging trends, including the range of applications to which emerging information technologies, information visualisation techniques and innovative interfaces can be applied, for example ubiquitous computing, geospatial information visualisation and mobile devices interfaces.

• critically evaluate the impact of rapid changes in information technology on society and to appreciate the pervasive and expanding range of applications and fields on which information technology is impacting.

• locate and critically evaluate information on current research in the field, for example using electronic library databases, and to synthesise the information they have gathered into a logical and coherent argument;
• communicate results of their investigation to their peers effectively through written and/or oral presentations while correctly acknowledging and referencing source material;
• apply their theoretical understanding to a practical project negotiated with the lecturer using a learning contract.

• work as a member of a team to present the finding of their research to their peers.

Unit Schedule

*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your learning system.

Assessment Summary

In-semester assessment: 100%

Teaching Approach

• Research activities
  Students are required to research a topic of interest aligned with the specified research themes and share the results of this research with their peers.
• Problem-based learning
  Students are encouraged to take responsibility for organising and directing their learning with support from their supervisors.

Assessment Requirements

Assessment Policy

Faculty Policy - Unit Assessment Hurdles (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/staff/edgov/policies/assessment-examinations/unit-assessment-hurdles.html)

Academic Integrity - Please see the Demystifying Citing and Referencing tutorial at http://lib.monash.edu/tutorials/citing/

Assessment Tasks

Participation

• Assessment task 1

  Title:

  1. Literature Survey - (3500 words individual) (40%)

  Description:

  Conduct a detailed survey of the current literature relating to research into the latest developments in the field of Information Technology, including developments in Information Visualization, New Interfaces and Interactions, Social Computing, Gaming and Augmented Reality, Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing. The survey should discuss the potential impact of emergent technologies and interfaces on society in general and the field of information technology in particular. (Based on a template for a conference paper – strict page guidelines. Topic nominations by week 1)

  1. Literature Survey Draft (20%) wk 6  – Draft a literature survey detailing the latest research addressing an important issue resulting from an emerging technology or interface. The literature survey should compare and contrast key research results and suggest areas for further research. Include copies of the key source literature (5 to 10 sources) on which the survey is based (2500 words).
  2. Peer Review (10%) wk 9 – Provide a detailed peer review of 2 assigned draft papers suggesting ways in which the papers could be improved (500 words).
  3. Author Revisions (10%) wk 12 – Based on the feedback from lecturers and your peers complete the literature survey to a standard suitable for publication and provide a written response to reviews (Colour coded changes to the original + 500 words description and justification of changes).

  Students enrolled in FIT4146 will be expected to demonstrate a deeper engagement and level of critical analysis of the literature than students enrolled in FIT3146. This includes not only analysis of a greater amount of literature, but also more critical evaluation of the literature and greater construction of argument. The marking criteria listed below will be applied to reflect this distinction.
  
  (Students who wish to participate in a group learning contract for Assessment Task 3 should select related Literature Survey topics).

  Weighting:

  40%

  Criteria for assessment:

  Part a. Literature Survey Draft (20%) wk 6

  • Literature Review Conventions and Written Expression* (5)
  • Structure and Quality of Argument* (7)
  • Research Sources, Relevance and Use of Quotes* (5)
  • Document Presentation and Formatting of References (3)

  Part b. Peer Review (10%) wk 9

  • Constructive Feedback on Written Expression and Content (5)
  • Constructive Feedback on Structure, Formatting and Referencing (5)

  Part c. Author Revisions (10%) wk 12

  • Improvements to Written Expression and Content (3)
  • Improvements to Structure, Formatting and Referencing (3)
  • Justification of Changes Made* (4)

  Note, items marked with a * above have a greater expectation for students enrolled in FIT4146. This criteria will be made clear in class and on the unit website. 

  Due date:

  Part a. Literature Survey Draft (20%) Friday 3pm week 6 , Part b. Peer Review (10%) Friday 3pm week 9, Part c. Author Revisions (10%) Friday 3pm week 12

• Assessment task 2

  Title:

  2. Presentation and Feedback (20%)

  Description:

  Based on the progress in the Literature Survey Draft and Learning Contract, participation in a student presentation (slides/presentation materials submitted week 6) (15%) of approximately 20 minutes plus 5 minutes question time, addressing an important issue raised by an emerging technology or interface, consisting of one of the following:

  1. Seminar – In depth discussion of a specific issue
  2. Demonstration – Practical demonstration of a specific aspect of current research
  3. Debate – Formal debate on the merits of a proposition relating to an emerging technology

  Students will be required to provide feedback (5%) via Peer Evaluation sheets on the presentations delivered by their peers.
  
  All students are expected to attend and contribute to the question time of the presentations delivered by their peers.
  
  Assessment of seminar presentations will be based partly on lecturer assessment and partly on Peer Evaluation sheets completed by all students.
  
  Each week in the seminars you will be given a Peer Evaluation sheet for the presentations, which must be completed and handed back at the end of the presentation session.
  
  These will be used to help determine the grades for the groups that are presenting.
  
  Marks will be awarded for completing Peer Evaluation sheets as follows:
  
  Complete 80 to 100% of Peer Evaluation sheets = 5 marks
  
  Complete 70 to 79% of Peer Evaluation sheets = 4 marks
  
  Complete 60 to 69% of Peer Evaluation sheets = 3 marks
  
  Complete 50 to 59% of Peer Evaluation sheets = 2 marks
  
  Complete less than 50% of Peer Evaluation sheets = 0 marks

  Weighting:

  20%

  Criteria for assessment:

  Presentation Delivery and Teamwork (5)

  Content, Research and Relating the Topic to Research Theme (5)

  Presentation materials, Notes, Props and/or Graphics (5)

  Peer Evaluation sheets (5)

  Due date:

  Presentations and Peer Evaluations in Class Weeks 7 to 11

• Assessment task 3

  Title:

  3. Application of Research Project (40%)

  Description:

  A learning contract will be developed for each student, or in some cases for a group of students, to allow them to demonstrate the application of their research to a practical domain in the field of Information Technology. The negotiated demonstration must be closely tied to the theoretical perspectives identified in the Literature Survey Draft assessment task.  Applications of research could consist of:

  • A demonstration application – for example the visualization of some data or the creation of an interface element
  • A detailed application design document
  • Detailed screen layouts for new interaction techniques
  • A theoretical framework
  • A detailed evaluation or critique of an existing system, interface or technology
  • Creation of a data collection instrument designed to investigate an issue further – for example a survey design

  Assessment of this task will be based on a set of agreed criteria specified in the learning contract.
  
  Generally assessment criteria will involve:

  • Demonstration of an emerging technology or interface
  • Linking theory to practice in the field of Information Technology
  • Technical ability and/or design skills and/or evaluation skills
  • Meeting the objectives set and on schedule

  Learning contracts will normally be finalized by the end of week 4.
  
  Students enrolled in FIT4146 will be expected to conduct a more ambitious project that demonstrates a deeper engagement with the research theory in the area than students enrolled in FIT3146. The agreed Learning Contract will address this expectation and the marking criteria listed will be applied to reflect this distinction.

  Weighting:

  40%

  Criteria for assessment:

  Demonstration of an emerging technology or interface (10)

  Linking theory to practice in the field of Information Technology* (10)

  Technical ability and/or design skills and/or evaluation skills (10)

  Placing the research project into the context of related research* (10)

  Note, items marked with a * above have a greater expectation for students enrolled in FIT4146. The final criteria above is specifcally targeted at FIT4146 students, whereby the research project must be more strongly linked to the literature review and also research in the broader context of the theme chosen. This criteria will be made clear in class and on the unit website.

  Due date:

  Friday 3pm Week 14

Learning resources

Feedback to you

• Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
• Graded assignments with comments
• Other: Peer assessment of presentations.

Extensions and penalties

Returning assignments

Assignment submission

Online submission

If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the learning system for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.

Other Information

Policies

Graduate Attributes Policy

Student services

Monash University Library

Disability Liaison Unit

Your feedback to Us

Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit

This unit was offered for the first time in 2012. Detailed feedback was provided in unit evaluations. Positive comments related to:

• Being able to choose areas of interest
• Flexibility of assessment items
• Focus on new and emerging technologies

Comments of concern were also raised, and are being addressed in this offering of the unit. They included:

• Lack of examples - this can now be addressed properly given there are excellent examples that can be used from the previous offering.
• Confusion around number of assessment item deliverables - this has been streamlined this offering to reduce the number and highlight more clearly the deliverables expected and how they relate to each other.
• Relationship between assessment items - although this was explained in the first offering, the links between all assessment items will be made more explicit