ENG8011 Assessment of Future Specialist Technology

Contents

• Staffing
• Rationale
• Synopsis
• Objectives
• Topics
• Texts
• Student workload
• Assessment details
• Important assessment information
• Assessment notes
• Other requirements
• Production date
• PDF version

STAFFING

RATIONALE

The uptake and application of technological advances is often surprising, differing widely from the expectations and intentions of the inventor. An attempt is made to extrapolate from current information to gain insight into future technological resources, markets, products and consumer expectations.

SYNOPSIS

An overview is made of products and markets: Food and subsistence, travel, entertainment and spectator sport, health and healing, participation sport, conflict, functions of government, information and enforcement. Changes that shape our surroundings are traced back to their original invention - eg. the invention of the lift underpinned the possibility of the high rise building. Routes to innovation are considered, including product convergence, cross fertilisation - as with the effect of computing power on biotechnology, inventing by analogy - as with the 'spin' transistor. The nature of product stagnation is reviewed - as with the vacuum cleaner - and means whereby novelty can be introduced (eg. Dyson). Fashion in innovation is observed - the tendency for leapfrogging sequences of advances in a narrow field. Advantageous deficiency is mentioned - the deliberate introduction of defects to induce sales of replacements.

OBJECTIVES

The course objectives define the student learning outcomes for a course. The assessment item(s) that may be used to assess student achievement of an objective are shown in parenthesis. On completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. review the evolution of a number of present technologies; (Assignment 1)
2. express an 'informed guess' of future developments; (Assignment 1 and Assignment 2)
3. incorporate predicted futures in development decisions; (Assignment 2)
4. weight up the risk and reward of committing resources to innovation in particular product streams. (Assignment 3)

TOPICS

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

(Students must have Internet access.)

html/pdf files available over web.

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students' responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   To satisfactorily complete an assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks or a grade of at least C-. Students do not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to be awarded a passing grade in this course. Refer to Statement 4 below for the requirements to receive a passing grade in this course. Furthermore, at least 20% of the total marks for the course is allocated to explicit assessment of good communication skills.
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   If students submit assignments after the due date without extenuating circumstances then a penalty of 5% of the assigned mark may apply for each working day late up to a maximum of ten working days at which time a mark of zero can be recorded for that assignment.
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   To be assured of receiving a passing grade in a course a student must obtain at least 50% of the total weighted marks for the course.
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks (or grades) obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
6. Examination information:
   There is no examination in this course.
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   Not applicable.
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

1. Students will require access to e-mail and internet access to USQConnect for this course.

This version produced 27 May 2008.