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Module

CSC8415 : Strategic Case Studies

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Tejal Shah
  • Lecturer: Dr John Mace, Dr Varun Ojha
  • Owning School: Computing
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 2 Credit Value: 10
Semester 3 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

In this module students will work in groups to tackle case studies on ethical, legal, and social issues within a digital context. This module is designed to challenge students’ ability to handle unexpected situations while working on similar cases in the workplace. Students will learn about negotiating with internal and external stakeholders within an organization, writing professional reports, and delivering presentations directed at influential members in an organisation. The case studies considered in this module will touch on a broad range of skills, knowledge, and behaviours for digital and technology solutions specialists, informed by the current trends in industry and research. Groups will aim to include students from mixed technical and organisational backgrounds, to expose students to different perspectives on their approach.

Outline Of Syllabus

The module will cover:
- Critiquing Case Studies
- Self-reflection and the ability of critical thinking and logical analysis from the case studies.
- Ability to discuss the fundamental principles.
- And implications of Ethical, Legal and Social issues.
- Writing Business Reports.
- Applying persuasive writing skills with considering expects and benefits to different stakeholders.
- Applying negotiation skills.
- Demonstrating presentation skills.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture42:008:00PIP sessions dedicated to the Case Studies and practising communication skills
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion123:0023:00Off campus, apprentices will prepare their assessments; presentations/report
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion115:0015:00Group work on assessment completions
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion137:0037:00Individual report / reflection that will form part of the group report.
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading18:008:00A flipped classroom approach, students will undertake research/activity individually as asynchronous
Guided Independent StudySkills practice881:0088:00Apply skills and knowledge in workplace
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesDrop-in/surgery131:0013:00A synchronous online session for scenario briefing and Q&A
Guided Independent StudyStudent-led group activity42:008:00Directed group work by apprentices without staff present e.g. group report
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This module will give students an opportunity to think beyond their technical focus by collaborating with other specialists to solve case studies. Students will need to research, apply their negotiation and persuasion skills, and produce a business plan, report, and presentation. Typically learners transfer their learnings into their own work place through sampling and preparation of cases that they might not already be exposed to in their workplace. They will need to reflect individually on the case as well as in a group, and present approaches while building on their own experiences, and consider how this process might translate into their workplace.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Report3A100Group report. 2000 words.
Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Description Semester When Set Comment
Report2MNon-graded report on social, legal, and ethical issues to help towards the final assessment component of Group Report (2000 words)
Oral Presentation2MNon-graded presentation on a selected case study. (20 minutes)
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The aim of this module is to help apprentices practice persuasion and negotiation with different levels of stakeholders and learn how to respond to unexpected situations in the workplace based on their area of expertise. To do this, they will work in mixed groups to discuss cases from different professional perspectives as well as work together to practice presenting their recommendations to stakeholders (colleagues in the module) for buy-in and feedback. These formative activities are safe spaces to try new approaches within the university, before transferring learning into the workplace.

Reading Lists

Timetable