Resit Coursework Assignment Brief Semester: C16 Module Code: PM102 Module Title: Introduction to Computing Programme Business Management Business Management (Travel & Tourism) Management with Human Resource Management Business Management and Information Technology Human Resource Management with Information Systems BSc Accounting and Finance Oil and Gas Management Level: Level 4 Awarding Body: Plymouth University Module Leader Ann Healey Format: Essay Presentation: No Any special Students should use the essay structure outlined on Page requirements: 3. Word Limit: Between 1350-1650 words. Deadline date for Tuesday 9th August at 2pm via Turnitin. submission: Hard copy submissions will not be accepted. Learning outcomes • Collect, analyse, present and comment upon business to be examined in data. this assessment • Identify the relationship between computer hardware and software. • Describe the most common types of software programmes and explain how they may be used to enhance management functions. Percentage of This assignment is worth 100% of the total marks for the marks awarded for module module: Assignment Task Your assignment consists of one task (worth 100% of the total marks for the assignment). Assignment Task: Essay "Actor Network Theory grants the ability to act to both human and non-human actants" Discuss this statement by following the tasks below. Select TWO computing news stories of your choice, published anytime between 01/05/2016 and 30/08/2016. Analyse these using Actor Network Theory. Your analysis should be written as an essay, and include the following points: • Describe why Actor Network Theory is a relevant theory for studying computing. • Name and categorise the actants in your stories. Describe how they are "acting" upon other actants in the assemblage. Include the connection between the hardware and software actants, as well as other categories of actants. • Discuss how the actions of the software actants can enhance management functions within the computing news stories. • How can you link your analysis to some of the larger issues/questions raised due to the constant use of computing within modern society. Discuss some of advantages/disadvantages of contemporary computing. To achieve this, compare and contrast the viewpoints of a range of theorists and critics explored throughout the module. • Conclude by summarising how your answers relate to the statement "Actor Network Theory grants the ability to act to both human and non-human actants". • Add an appendix which includes definitions of at least four computing terms or concepts used in your assignment. One of these terms MUST be software. Deliverables You will submit a single word processed document to Turnitin, of between 1350-1650 words. Your content will follow the structure outlined on page 3. Task 1 is worth 100% of the total marks for the module. The marking criteria is outlined on pages below. Suggested essay structure Cover Page Assignment title, module code, student name, student number and submission date. Table of Contents A list of headings and page numbers. Introduction How will you introduce your essay? You may start with a quote that will entice your reader to read further. If you start with a quote, you will need an in-text citation. You may start with a sentence or two about computing (since this is a computing module) Lead your reader into the essay. Tell your reader the aim of this assignment and how you intend to go about discussing or proving this aim. What else will you be telling your reader. No definitions here. Just describe in very general terms what you will be doing. Main Body Define Actor Network Theory What type of theory is it? Who developed it? What does the term actant mean? Why is Actor Network Theory a suitable theory to study computing? Here you will need to include in-text citations with your references properly laid out in your references section. The format you must follow is Harvard Referencing format. Apply Actor Network Theory to Computing Story 1 Don't retell your story. State your story in one or two sentences with in-text citation. Include the news story in your references section using correct Harvard Referencing format. If your reader needs to read your story, he/she can look here. You must apply Actor Network Theory to your story now. To do this identify your actants, and categorise their scale, i.e. digital, software, hardware, human, cultural, structural and describe and analyse how some of these actants are acting on each other (the push/pull of actants - when an actant 'acts' on another actant, how does this change/modify the behaviour of the actant being 'acted upon') How does this affect the network of actants? Are the actants both human and non-human? State how management (the coordinated efforts of humans/technology in order to achieve goals efficiently) has been enhanced in the story by the software. This could be management of self or management of an uprising or management of the business etc. Apply Actor Network Theory to Computing Story 2 Don't retell your story. State your story in one sentence with in text citation. Include the news story in your references section using correct Harvard Referencing format. If your reader needs to read your story, he/she can look here. You must apply Actor Network Theory to your story now. To do this identify your actants, and categorise their scale, i.e. digital, software, hardware, human, cultural, structural and describe and analyse how some of these actants are acting on each other (the push/pull of actants - when an actant 'acts' on another actant, how does this change/modify the behaviour of the actant being 'acted upon') How does this affect the network of actants? Are the actants both human and non-human? State how management (the coordinated efforts of humans/technology in order to achieve goals efficiently) has been enhanced in the story by the software. This could be management of self or management of an uprising or management of the business etc. Contemporary Debate What are the theorists saying about computing in general? Choose one linking sentence so that you can move your reader away from the two computing stories in order to focus on the larger areas. For example, you may use a sentence that starts with 'In both (or one) of the computing stories, it could be argued that the human is being encouraged to upload more data online. The massive amounts of data uploaded is referred to as Big Data. Morozov (2013) warns about the dangers of allowing big business and governments access to this data….. etc. Note that I would start to write about privacy issues and algorithmic regulation. After being pessimistic about technology, I would want to show some optimism and contrast these views with the views of the techno-optimists. Also note that I would use key terms in my writing, like cognitive surplus, big data, algorithmic regulation etc. The key terms from this module can be found on GSM Learn > Introduction To Computing >Key Terms and Definitions > Key Terms! Limitations of Knowledge Do we really know the long term effect of computing? Is ANT a perfect theory? What problems did you encounter with it? Conclusion What did you learn? Did you prove the assignment task. Summarise your findings. No new knowledge here. Link your conclusions or recommendations back to your title. References Citations are listed in alphabetical order by the author's surname (last name). Appendix Include four definitions of key terms from this module. One of these MUST be software. The other three can be any three terms of your choice. Further notes on the appendix for your guide: In your essay, you may have referred to an image or chart. Let's say that in the main body, you have written something like "Appendix A shows that there are many actants connected in order to achieve the aims of the assemblage. This essay will focus on just a few of those actants" Now in your Appendix section, you include the image that you have drawn. Give it the title, for example, "Appendix A: A mind map showing how the actants are connected in the assemblage" If you did not create the image/chart yourself, you will need to put a citation under the image/chart and include the original source in your references section. N.B. For good academic practice, please ensure that the same font of the same size and colour is used throughout your essay, and that your document has the same line spacing throughout. 5 marks 15 marks 10 marks 5 marks 10 marks 5 marks 20 marks 5 marks 5 marks 10 marks 10 marks UK% Expected characteristics of your work (complements generic marking criteria marks on following page) 70%+ Critical grasp of actor network theory and some additional concepts from the module. Work includes contemporary debates, issues and discussions. Links are successfully discussed between the news stories and the computing assemblage. Accurate Harvard referencing. Overall, your work shows a critical understanding of how contemporary computing fits into the knowledge economy. 69-60% Accurate use of actor network theory and some additional concepts from the module, with some critical thinking. Adequate links between the news stories and the computing assemblage. Uses viewpoints from theorists/critics to illustrate arguments. Accurate Harvard referencing. Overall, your work shows a good understanding of how contemporary computing fits into the knowledge economy. 59-50% Basic grasp of actor network theory, e.g. actant, assemblage, connections but some minor errors. Some thought has been given to the relevance of the stories have selected to the themes of the module. You have used a small number of extra theorists and concepts delivered on the module. Harvard referencing attempted but incomplete. Overall, your work shows an adequate understanding of some of the themes of the module, and how contemporary computing fits into the technical, social and business world. 49-40% Your work identifies some actants, and how they act, but in a superficial or descriptive way. Little or no consideration has been given to the relevance of how the actants are acting. Work is poorly Harvard referenced. Overall, your work reflects a poor understanding of the themes of the module, and of how contemporary computing fits into the technical, social and business world. 39-0% 2 computing-based stories have been described in your own words rather than analysed using a theory delivered on the module. Actor network theory has not been applied as a framework for analysis, or has been applied with much confusion or errors. Work is not Harvard referenced. Overall, your work does not show an understanding of how contemporary computing fits into the technical, social and business world. Generic Criteria for Assessment at Level 4 Marks: 0-25 (Fail) 26-39 (Fail) 40-49 (3rd) 50-59 (2.2) 60-69 (2.1) 70-85 (1st) 86-100 (1st) Categories Major gaps in Gaps in knowledge Threshold level. Sound, routine Good, consistent Detailed knowledge Highly detailed Knowledge & knowledge and and superficial Broadly accurate knowledge and knowledge and and understanding of knowledge and Understanding of understanding. understanding. knowledge and understanding of understanding of the the main concepts/ understanding of Subject Significant Some inaccuracies. understanding of the material, main material, main theories at this level. material, concepts and inaccuracies. the material. Some concepts and key concepts and key Beginning to show theories at this level. elements missing theories. theories at this level. awareness of the Awareness of the and flaws evident. Some flaws may be limitations of the ambiguities and evident. knowledge base. limitations of knowledge. Cognitive/ Brief and For the most part Threshold level. Issues identified Good analytical Very good analysis Logical, articulate Intellectual Skills irrelevant. descriptive. Views/ Some awareness within given areas. ability. throughout. analysis a consistent Descriptive. findings sometimes of issues. Sense of An emerging Acknowledgement of Perceptive and feature. Persuasive (e.g. analysis and Only personal illogical or argument emerging awareness of views of others. persuasive points points made synthesis; logic views offered. contradictory. though not different stances Arguments generally made within given throughout the work and argument; Unsubstantiated Generalisations/ completely and ability to use logical, coherently area. Explicit within a highly analytical reflec- generalisations. statements made coherent. Some evidence to support expressed, well acknowledgement of articuate, balanced tion; organisation Little or no at- with scant evidence a coherent organised and other stances. argument. Judiciously and communica- tempt to draw evidence. to support views, argument. supported. Arguments well- selected evidence, tion of ideas and conclusions. Conclusions lack but not Broadly valid Sound conclusions. articulated, and drawn from relevant evidence) relevance and/or always consistent. conclusions. logically developed research. validity. Some relevant with a range of Convincing conclusions. conclusions evidence. Strong conclusions. Use of No evidence of Evidence of little Threshold level. Knowledge of Knowledge of the Critical engagement Exceptionally wide Research- reading. Views reading appropriate Some evidence of literature beyond field of literature with appropriate range of relevant informed are unsupported for the level of reading, with super- core text(s). appropriately used to reading. Knowledge literature used critically Literature and non- study, and/or in- ficial linking to given Literature used support views. Re- of research-informed to inform argument, authoritative. discriminate use text(s). accurately but search-informed literature embedded balance discussion (including referenc- Academic of sources. Some academic descriptively. literature integrated in the work. and/or inform problem- ing, appropriate conventions Academic conventions Academic skills into the work. Good Consistently accurate solving. Consistently academic conven- largely ignored. conventions used evident and largely generally sound. use of academic use of academic accurate and assured tions and academic weakly. consistent, but with conventions. conventions. use of academic honesty) some weaknesses. conventions.