LD5007 - Contemporary Issues in Computing and Digital Technologies

You will learn through a model that combines access to industry-leading technical and academic knowledge base, online support and engagement with your module tutors. This learning model is designed to enable you to rapidly develop new skills and knowledge of contemporary issues in computing and digital technologies.

As such a mixture of lectures and seminar sessions will be delivered and supported by on-line learning materials and activities. Lectures will be used to introduce the key contemporary topics in Computing and Digital Technologies and using a research led approach. These lectures will be followed by seminar based activities in which you will be given introduced to case studies of how various computing and digital technologies have successfully implemented by businesses or case studies of underlying social, ethical and legal issues in relation to the use of such technologies. You will also be given problem scenarios and asked to design solutions and gain feedback from tutors as well as peers. Thus, you will very much use ‘learn by doing’ approach in this module.

An initial workshop will introduce you to the module, assessment and core topics. Subsequent to this you will be guided through a range of subject specific topics delivered over the period of the module. Key messages from these sessions will also be available by online learning materials including video/podcast to support your learning outside of the classroom.

In order to develop your capacity and confidence as an effective learner, you will engage in directed learning. This will be supported by tutor-guided activities reflected in a learning plan, including prompted reading, activities to undertake and questions to address. However, you will also extend to advanced independent study which entails reading beyond the learning materials/reading list provided, and reflecting on its potential relevance for your own development.

The virtual learning environment will be used to encourage individual and group contributions to debate on key topics and issues. Materials and discussion group work will be available on the e-learning portal to support and engage you. To support and embed the learning, provide the opportunity for reflection, and encourage effective communication, you will engage in discussion forums via the University’s e-Learning platform. This will include posing and answering topic specific questions posed by the tutor and peer group and providing peer group formative feedback. You will also be encouraged to use email and discussion board tool to clarify issues.

For those of your studying in part time mode your work experience will form a significant element of your learning. This will include weekly directed activities outlined in the module learning plan. These activities will enable reflection on learning from taught sessions and subsequent application through research into practice. Your tutors will use these activities as a key element of discussion during the taught sessions and feedback review meetings.

A range of approaches are adopted to accelerate your learning in this module.

During the first week of this module, you will receive information about the module and Teaching & Learning Plan. The teaching and learning plan (TLP) sets out
• Learning outcomes and overall module and programme aims
• Teaching, learning and assessment strategy
• Teaching schedule
• Directed reading references (text and journals) and core texts for the module
• References to data sources and details of lab activities

Further supporting your learning journey, the first session of this module will discuss the rational and learning objectives of this module and how it contributes to your overall programme goals. The formative and summative assessment strategy will be outlined as will a refresher on key academic skills, expectations of lab work and resources critical to your success as a learner on this module. This session will also be available as a video/podcast for further reinforcement.
During this module, your module tutor, a specialist in Computing and Digital Technologies , will provide academic support including:
• Delivering lectures and seminars
• Providing guidance in relation to assignments
• Development of key resources including lab activities, made available through the VLE
• Assessing assignments and assessing or reviewing any other agreed summative or formative outputs as appropriate

E-Reading Lists
The module will also have an e-reading list which directs learners to specific reading for each session. This includes direct access to repositories, journal articles and other academic sources. You will also be provided with access to a significant set academic research sources via the Northumbria University library portal.

You will also have opportunities to receive formative feedback from your tutor in response to opinions you express and issues you raise during workshop sessions and face-to-face or online tutorials. These formative feedback sessions are formally scheduled at key points throughout the module.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Analyse and review academic and practitioner literature relating to a contemporary topic in computing and digital technologies.

Intellectual / Professional Skills & Abilities:
2. Demonstrate ability to research and analyse contemporary issues in computing and digital technologies.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
3. Demonstrate awareness of the ethical issues involved in the use of computing and digital technologies.

This module uses a subject-based assessment approach, encouraging or directly enabling you to bring your career context or learning experience into the module.

Formative Assessment
Formative assessment of your skills, knowledge and understanding in contemporary issues in computing and digital technologies, as demonstrated in your submitted assignments, is a key component of the assessment strategy. It forms an integral part of the formal scheduled teaching programme utilising lectures and workshops to enable you to use ‘learn by doing’ approach. To foster engagement with your tutors and peers, asynchronous discussion board on the VLE will be used. Formative assessment feedback on your seminar activities will additionally enable you to undertake self-reflection and to include newly-acquired knowledge and practical skills to refine your tutor-guided and self-directed independent learning and enhance your performance during final summative assessment.

Summative Assessment
There is one individual assessment in this module which will assess all module learning outcomes and is weighted at 100%.

Develop a literature review (3000 words) submitted in the form an academic paper on a contemporary topic in computing and digital technologies as agreed with your tutor.

You will be provided with written, electronic, feedback on your work which you can use to improve your future assessments in this subject area.

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As a computing and digital technology student, it is imperative for you to maintain an up to date knowledge and understanding of contemporary research and technological developments relating to this ever evolving discipline. The syllabus for this module will be shaped by current scholarly and practitioner research and technological developments relevant to computing and digital technologies. This module particularly provides you opportunities to learn about developments in Computing and Digital Technologies both theoretical and technological as you prepare for your experiential learning semester where you will be working with a range of employers who are facing contemporary organisational challenges.

Indeed, the module will help you recognise, explore and develop knowledge and skills in areas of contemporary significance as they affect the wider computing and digital technologies discipline. Potential topics covered (with a focus on their relevance towards your experiential learning) could include, for example:

• Technological developments, research and issues related with contemporary technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, AI, Cloud and Immersive Technologies
• Cyber Security
• Decision Intelligence, Data Fabric and Big Data
• Contemporary social, ethical and sustainability issues

As such you will develop knowledge and understanding of contemporary issues in computing and digital technologies to prepare you for roles such as Project Manager, Product Manager, UX Researcher, Research Analyst, Business Consultant, and similar roles.