Fundamentals of Information Technology

• Credit value: 15 credits at Level 4
• Module convenor and tutor: Jerry Smallwood
• Assessment: portfolios (40% and 60%)

This module helps familiarise you with a range of fundamental concepts and issues in the world of IT. It provides a platform for professional development through an exploration of codes of conduct, and legislation governing the use of computing equipment. The module also teaches you to work safely, through the teaching of health and safety issues in IT. The latter part of the module explores different types of IT systems, looking at development, implementation and testing. It concludes with an exploration of computer systems and future trends in computing.

Indicative module syllabus

• Roles, Responsibilities and Professional Issues in IT
• Health and Safety, Social, Ethical and Legal Issues in IT
• IT Security and Risk
• IT Systems
• Systems Analysis and Design
• Mobile and Cloud Computing
• The Future of IT

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• describe core roles and responsibilities in IT
• work to professional standards
• work to legal ethical and social constraints, and extant codes of conduct
• work without harm to yourself or others, following health and safety standards and guidelines
• work in a way that maintains system integrity and security and minimises risk
• describe IT systems, their uses and component parts
• describe the processes through which IT solutions are designed and developed
• describe the processes through which IT solutions are implemented and tested
• understand the fundamentals of mobile and cloud computing
• describe future trends in IT.