BIT371 Capstone Experience 1

Technical Skills (or Technical Competency)

Every degree in any institution should aim to build specific technical knowledge and skills in students. For example, you complete systems analysis, design and implementation as well as project management. These are areas often specific to the information technology area and are often called technical competencies.

Learning Outcomes:

• work individually and collaboratively to define and propose solutions to solve complex business problems within a problem solving framework and apply problem solving strategies

• use appropriate project management tools and techniques to manage a complex business problem;
  
  
• critically evaluate your own technical and generic skills in relation to those required by your chosen profession or employer

• communicate a project implementation/strategic plan using oral and written skills in on a complex business issue

• explain and critically analyse the social, cultural, political, economic and legal dimensions of the business environment

Professional Ready Skills .

In addition, all institutions have what are called Graduate Attributes. The final two Capstone Experience subjects aim to make you professionally ready, that is, to re-inforce the following four (4) graduate attributes:

The academic skills and attributes necessary to undertake research, comprehend and evaluate new information, concepts and evidence from a range of sources

• the ability to review, consolidate, extend and apply the knowledge and techniques learnt, including in a professional context

• communication and problem-solving skills

• a foundation for self-directed and lifelong learning

• the interpersonal and teamwork skills appropriate to employment and/or further study

Instructions

You are to write a reflective piece of approximately 800 - 1000 words. Specifically, you are to cover the two broad areas in the subject:

Technical Skills

Professional Ready Skills

Firstly, make sure to read through and understand the specific subject outcomes and graduate attribute from a completed degree as outlined above before you write your self reflection. Remember, the aim of this assessment if for you to reflect on these outcomes and attributes and to outline what you have done.

Finally, you are then to outline what you would do differently and how you could improve next semester in each of these two broad areas. This may also include suggestions for changes to the content and/or teaching of this current subject.

 In summary, your self reflection should have three (3) sub headings:

Technical Skills,

Professional Ready Skills (Graduate Attributes) and Suggested Improvements to Content/Teaching The structure of your submission Using the following headings complete the following Technical Competency

Instructions

Reflect back on your knowledge (competency) of the technical area you are studying including your understanding of project management [which is also a technical competency]. How would you assess your skills and understanding of the technical competencies at the beginning of the subject and at the end of the subject? You should outline how you believe you have progressed.

Your response should provide reasoned and convincing evidences. Specifically you should outline examples and experiences in the subject/group that have impacted on your knowledge of IT and project management. In other words I am expecting you to demonstrate how it is that you have progressed in these competency not just that you believe you have progressed.

Professional Learning

Instructions

Reflect back on the core Graduate Attributes. If in any doubt read them again in the Subject Guide on the web site. How would you assess your professional skills at the beginning of the subject and at the end of the subject? Have they changed? You should outline how you believe you have changed or progressed.

You should examine issues such as leadership, working in groups, your written and verbal skills, attendance, listening skills and so on.

Your response should provide reasoned and convincing evidences. Specifically you should outline examples and experiences in the subject that have improved your professionally ready skills. In other words I am expecting you to demonstrate how it is that you have progressed not just that you believe you have progressed.

Improvement

Instructions

Reflect on the learning that has taken place and how this has been done in the subject. Ask yourself, “If I could start over again this semester, what would I do differently”. Thinking about this, how do you think your learning could have been improved in the subject? In what ways could you have done things differently? How could things have been done differently in the subject that could have improved your learning? What is, say, one thing you liked in the subject and one thing you disliked in the subject? If you could change