Assessment
There are two areas of assessment in the course:
- Contributions to weekly discussion forums: approximately one quarter of the assessment total.
- Two assignments: one mid course and one at the end of the course, approximately three quarters of the assessment total.
The weighting of the assessment items and criteria are set by the particular educational institution offering the course. Shown here are those for the Australian National University (ANU, 2011).
Contributions to the 12 weekly discussion forums,
Percentage: 24%
Details: Following tasks are required of you every week:
- Read the course notes for this week and the additional readings.
- Submit answers to each of the discussion questions in the Discussion Forum for that week.
Specific requirements: The questions each week are on topics to be covered in the two assignments. You will receive a mark and suggestions to help improve your work each week. All assessment is to be submitted on time, apart from special consideration for illness or other causes. For the first two weeks of the course you are required to use formal Harvard (author-date) style for referencing. This is so the tutor can check you know how to reference for the assignments. After two weeks you can use simple hypertext links. You can obtain assistance with referencing and writing from the ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre.
| Numerical Mark | Standard |
|---|---|
| 2 | Greater than expectation: Work of good quality, displaying an understanding of the subject matter and a grasp of relevant skills that is above average: all questions answered and at least one reply to another student's posting on each topic. |
| 1 | At expectation: Work of satisfactory quality, which displays an adequate understanding of most of the subject matter and a sufficient grasp of relevant skills: most questions were answered, and at least one reply to another student's posting on each topic. |
| 0 | Limited contribution: Work which is incomplete or displays an inadequate understanding of the subject matter or an inadequate grasp of relevant skills. Few or no postings to the forums, or postings with content which not acceptable. In particular material which is not correctly referenced, or cited. |
Due date: Answers by the end of Wednesday and discussion by the end of Sunday, each week.
Mid-semester assignment
Percentage: 38%
Details: Evaluate the sustainability of IT services, devices and day-to-day operations of an organisation, including the carbon footprint and e-waste: Write a report on the carbon footprint and materials use of the ICT operations of your organisation (or an organisation you are familiar with).
Specific requirements: Maximum 2,000 words. Use Harvard (author-date) style for referencing. Standard ANU Grading and Marking is used. All assessment is to be submitted on time, apart from special consideration for illness or other causes.
Due date: End of week 6.
End of semester assignment
Percentage: 38%
Details: Prepare a sustainability strategy for IT in an organisation, covering both energy and materials use: Write a report identify ways to reduce the carbon footprint and materials use of your organisation (or an organisation you are familiar with) through ICT. This could be by changes to polices for procurement of ICT, changes to the ICT operations (such as turning up the thermostat in the computer room), or revising business processes. Describe the current way of functioning and the problems associated with it. Propose a "to be" process that is based on established standards, or proposed developments. How will you tailor the processes to suit your organisation? What are the challenges the organisation will face? How will you measure the success of the proposals? The target audience of the report is the organisation's ICT management committee.
Specific requirements: Maximum 2,000 words. Use Harvard (author-date) style for referencing. Standard ANU Grading and Marking is used. All assessment is to be submitted on time, apart from special consideration for illness or other causes.
Due date: End of week 12.
Next: Glossary.
About the book: ICT Sustainability: Assessment and Strategies for a Low Carbon Future
ICT Sustainability is about how to assess, and reduce, the carbon footprint and materials used with computers and telecommunications. These are the notes for an award winning course on strategies for reducing the environmental impact of computers and how to use the Internet to make business more energy efficient.
Title: ICT Sustainability: Assessment and Strategies for a Low Carbon Future
Copyright © Tom Worthington, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4478-1454-2. (Paperback and PDF published by Lulu)
ISBN: 978-1-4478-6164-5. (ePub eBook published by LuLu and available via Apple iTunes)
ISBN: 978-0-9806201-9-1. (Kindle eBook published by Tomw Communications Pty, Limited)
These notes are used for the courses:
-
Green Technology Strategies: offered in the Computer Professional Education Program, Australian Computer Society (first run as "Green ICT Strategies" in February 2009),
-
Green Information Technology Strategies (COMP7310), in the Graduate Studies Select program, Australian National University (first run July 2009), and
- Green ICT Strategies (ACS25): offered in the Postgraduate Program of Open Universities Australia from 2010,
A North American version of the course by Brian Stewart, Athabasca University (Canada) is also available: Green ICT Strategies (COMP 635).
The notes were first published in 2009 ("Green ICT") and updated 2010 ("Green Technology Strategies"). Students can download or print their own copy of the e-book from the course learning management system, which is likely to be more up to date.
The web version of ICT Sustainability: Assessment and Strategies for a Low Carbon Future by Tom Worthington is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Australia License.