This unit enables students to apply information management and systems theories to a practical context, and provides exposure to current practice. Fieldwork is a major component of the subject and, as such, contributes to the objective of meeting course recognition requirements of the Australian Library and Information Association and the Australian Society of Archivists and other relevant professional bodies as appropriate. The students also undertake a series of intensive discussions around contemporary issues related to professional practice.

From Semester 2 2012 this unit will only be offered in on campus mode. The mode of offering from Semester 2 2012 will be on campus only. Only a handful of students have opted to take this unit in off campus mode in recent years and their results have not been very good. They are enrolled in degrees which are offered almost entirely in on campus mode and are unused to studying in off campus mode. It is very resource intensive to offer this unit in this mode to such a small number of students. It is not clear why this unit was ever offered as an OCL unit - perhaps because the equivalent 5th year unit is offered in OCL mode (FIT5104), but it is part of a postgraduate program which offers many units in this mode and attracts significant numbers of mature age students who mostly handle the mode very well. We are currently moving to remove the OCL option from all third year units in similar circumstances.

Change of assessment from Examination (50%) to Professional Practice Research Project (50%) as per 2011 Examiner's Report and formal and informal feedback from students as to the inappropriateness of an exam for assessing the level of achievement of the unit's learning objectives. Change to be implemented from Semester 2, 2012. Also updated to be in line with FIT5104 with the in-semester assessment as Fieldwork placement report: 30%; Presentation: 20%.

Above change was made on 18 April 2012, but the replacement of:Presentation (25%); Participation in Seminar and Discussion Forum (25%) with: Presentation (20%) and Report on Fieldwork Placement (30%) was a mistake. This was a reversion to an earlier iteration of assessment statement. The change made on 23 June 2012 is not a major change - it is a correction of this mistake.

14/05/14 - Admin update: minor change to learning outcomes (as approved by ADE).

07/12/2017 - Unit disestablished at FEC 5/17 Item 7.3.

This is an elective unit in the Information Management major within the Bachelor of Information Technology and Systems (BITS). It is co-taught with FIT5104 - Professional Practice. It introduces the student to the practical environment in which the theory of information management and systems is applied, and helps prepare students for entry into the professional workplace. It links the theoretical concepts of information management, knowledge management and systems to professional practice in the workplace. Students will gain an awareness of the literature of their specialisation and an understanding of professional issues relating to that field, including the role of professional associations. The unit introduces the student to the world of work and career opportunities in the information market. Through the fieldwork placement, which is the major component of the unit, students gain a good understanding of the role of information agencies and the environment in which they operate. One further aim of this unit is to make students aware of the key issues in information management and information systems currently identified by practitioners, managers, researchers, organisations, and academics, as being of professional concern.

Its completion is a requirement for accreditation by ALIA (Australian Library and Information Association). Together with other units relating to electronic recordkeeping and archiving, it will be put forward for accreditation by the Australian Society of Archivists (ASA) and Records Management Association of Australia (RMAA). This unit should be taken in the latter part of a student's course, after they have passed the core units of their professional track (i.e. those units that form the basis of professional recognition with the relevant professional association).

At the completion of this unit students should be able to:

029900

This unit prepares students for the professional workplace, through a professional placement in a library, archives, registry or other information agency; and a lecture/seminar series on professional issues within the information industry. The placement enables students to link theory with professional practice, and develops understanding of the role of information agencies within their environment. Lectures/seminars draw on current professional literature and key players in the field to explore a range of topical issues within the profession, the role of professional ethics and professional associations, and career opportunities within the industry.

On-campus

Presentation re Professional Placement: 25%; Participation in Seminar and Discussion Forum: 25%; Supervised professional placement and host supervisor's report (PGO grade); Professional Practice Research Project: 50%

6

Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:

(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:

(b.) Additional requirements (all students):

FIT

FIT3122 or FIT3123 or equivalent.

Only available to students enrolled in the Bachelor of Information Systems, or the IM major of the Bachelor of Information Technology and Systems.

Basic IT and communication competencies, tools for information seeking, storage, packaging and delivery