MIS500 Foundations of Information Systems

	ASSESSMENT 3 BRIEF
Subject Code and Title	MIS500 Foundations of Information Systems
Assessment	Reflective Report
Individual/Group	Individual
Length	1500 words (+/- 10%
Learning Outcomes	The Subject Learning Outcomes demonstrated by successful
	completion of the task below include:
	d) Effectively communicate and demonstrate understanding of
	the importance of ethical and professional standards in own
	career and professional future.
Submission	By 11:59 PM AEST Friday of Module 6.1 (Week 11)
	Intensive class: by 11:59 PM AEST Friday of Module 6 (Week 6)
Weighting	35%
Total Marks	35 marks

Task Summary:

This assessment task requires you to reflect on your experiences in MIS500 this trimester by following a four-step process to gain insights into the work you have done and how it relates to your own career and life more broadly. In doing so, you will need to produce a weekly journal to record your learning and then as the trimester comes to a close reflect on these experiences and submit a final reflection of 1500 words (+/- 10%) that will include the weekly journal as an appendices.

Context:

This is an individual assignment that tracks your growth as a student of Information Systems over the trimester. It is scaffolded around your weekly learning activities. Completing the activities and seeking input from your peers and the learning facilitator is essential for you to achieve a positive result in this subject. Before you start this assessment, be sure that you have completed the learning activities in all of the modules. This reflective report gives you the opportunity to communicate your understanding of how information systems relate to your career and future.

Task Instructions:

1. During Module 1 – 5, you were ask to produce a weekly journal to record your learnings each week. Based on these weekly journals, please write a 1500 word reflective report about your experience.
2. You are required to follow the four steps of Kolb’s learning cycle when writing the reflective report.

You will keep a learning journal throughout the trimester. Each week as you complete the learning activities you record your experience in spreadsheet or word document.

A suggested format for the learning journal is as follows:

Date	Learning Activity	Impact (what it means to	Evidence (attach record of activity).
		you)	This might be a set of slides, word
			document or pictures of work you
			have completed in class

For each day in your learning journey, write the date and then the learning activity you engaged in. Detail what impact the learning had on you and then include any evidence you might like to keep for use later on. This journal should be appended to this assessment when you submit it.

(source: Kolb DA 1984, Experiential Learning experience as a source of learning and development, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.)

Step 1

Concrete experience – Keep a learning journal

The first step is to keep a learning journal for the trimester (Modules 1.1 through to 5.2 as described above. You should have already completed this step by now.

Step 2

Reflective observation – Summarise what happened

You should now be able to comment on your experiences this trimester. This exercise is not a list of what you have done but rather an observation of what you have learned – were there any themes that arose from your journal? The point of a learning journal is to start a discussion on what the key concepts and skills you have learned and acquired during the course of this subject. This is because we often don’t stop to think and reflect on what we have learned

Step 3

Abstract conceptualization – Analyse what this means

The next step is to analyse what you have found. Reflective practice is a process of thinking about new experiences with a view of learning. It is a form of personal response to new experiences, situations, events or information. What new knowledge have you gained in response to this exercise? And what does this information mean? You are expected to reflect at a deep level here. This means that it is not just about explaining what you have done in this subject rather it requires you to think about your personal beliefs, your background and the way you perceive the world around you. Did you learn anything in this subject that challenged you or change the way you thought about information systems or business?

Step 4

MIS500_Assessment 3_Brief_Module 6.1 Page 3 of 7

Active experimentation – New action

The final step is to discuss what you plan to do with this new knowledge. These new insights may lead to a change of thinking or behaviour. In what ways? Set yourself some specific goals for your future studies or career.

1. You are required to write this assessment in a report format using the following headings:
2. Introduction
3. Reflective Observation
4. Abstract conceptualization
5. Active experimentation
6. Conclusion
7. Appendix of learning journal (with evidence)

Please note that simply describing what you have done each week will not be sufficient to pass this assessment. You are expected to go ‘deeper’ and analyse what this subject meant to you and your future.

Referencing:

Formal citation of sources is not required. However, specific reference to your own experiences must be made. It is essential that you use appropriate APA style for citing and referencing research if you do make reference other work. Please see more information on referencing here http://library.laureate.net.au/research_skills/referencing

Please refer to the marking rubric to ensure you address all the assessment criteria.

Submission Instructions:

Please submit ONE MSWord document (.doc or .docx) via the Assessment 3 section found in the main navigation menu of the subject’s Blackboard site. The Learning Facilitator will provide feedback via the Grade Centre in the LMS portal. Feedback can be viewed in My Grades.

Academic Integrity Declaration:

I declare that except where I have referenced, the work I am submitting for this assessment task is my own work. I have read and am aware of Torrens University Australia Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure viewable online at http://www.torrens.edu.au/policies-and-forms

I am aware that I need to keep a copy of all submitted material and their drafts, and I will do so accordingly.

Assessment Rubric:

Fail

Pass

Credit

Distinction

High Distinction

Assessment

(Yet to achieve

(Functional)

(Proficient)

(Advanced)

(Exceptional)

Attributes

minimum standard)

50-64%

65-74%

75-84%

85-100%

0-49%

Demonstrated

No clear understanding of

Has not clearly demonstrated

Demonstrated

Demonstrated

Demonstrated

understanding of the

Kolb’s learning cycle.

an understanding of Kolb’s

understanding of Kolb’s

understanding of Kolb’s

understanding of Kolb’s

learning

learning cycle. The four

learning cycle. The four

learning cycle. The four

learning cycle. The four

stages are not articulated and

stages are clearly

stages are clearly

stages are clearly

cycle/reflection

appropriate to the discussion.

articulated and somewhat

articulated and appropriate

articulated to a high level

model

add to the discussion.

to the discussion.

and appropriate to the

Percentage for this

discussion.

criterion = 10%

Reflection and

The learning journey

The learning journey has a

The learning journey

The learning journey has

The learning journey is

analysis of own

has been cursorily put

passable level of detail;

shows an average level

a good level of depth and

chronicled to an

experiences

together and needs

more work is needed to

of depth; there may not

the student has shown a

appropriate depth and

demonstrating

significant work in

demonstrate how the

be any vulnerability or

hint of vulnerability as

the student has shown

independent thinking

demonstrating how the

subject has changed the

detail in how they have

well as good detail in

vulnerability as well as

and expressing

subject has developed

student as a result of

changed as a result of

how they have grown as

significant detail in

meaningful insights.

the student.

undergoing it.

undergoing the subject

a person and as a

growing as a person as a

professional.

professional.

Percentage for this

An inadequate, unclear,

criterion = 25%

unfocussed or overview

Reflection and analysis of

which does not include

own experiences is

Reflection and analysis of

analysis or personalization or

personalized, and to a

own experiences is

express meaningful insights

certain extent

consistently personalized,

demonstrates independent

demonstrates independent

thinking and expresses

thinking and expresses

insights

meaningful insights

Evidence of changed

The learning journey

The scope of the report

The scope of the learning

The learning journey has

The learning journey

thinking and/or goal

has been cursorily put

needs significant

journey may need to be

a scope that is good and

narrative has been

MIS500_Assessment 3_Brief_Module 6.1

Page 5 of 7

 

 

Fail

Pass

Credit

Distinction

High Distinction

Assessment

(Yet to achieve

(Functional)

(Proficient)

(Advanced)

(Exceptional)

Attributes

minimum standard)

50-64%

65-74%

75-84%

85-100%

0-49%

setting due to new

together and needs

adjustment and the

adjusted or the account

includes a very good

scoped well and includes

understanding of

significant work in

student needs further

provided may need more

account of how the

a complete account of

behaviour

scoping and recounting

work in demonstrating

imagination as to how

student changed as a

how the student

how the student has

how they have changed as

the subject developed

person and as a

changed, both as a

Percentage for this

developed.

a result of undergoing the

the student.

professional.

person and a

criterion = 20%

subject.

professional.

Goal setting was not

Goals were set for the

Based on this reflection

attempted.

Little attempt was made to

future

measureable goals were

Based on this reflection

set goals based on the

set for the future.

measureable goals were

knowledge attained from

set for the future.

reflection.

Journal appendix

It may be obvious that

The student can be seen to

The assessment includes

The assessment includes

The assessment includes

the student has not

have made an attempt to

a good number of

a very good number and

numerous references to

Percentage for this

completed self-directed

refer to work they have

references to previous

frequency of references

the learning journal and

criterion = 30%

study or completed the

done in their study of the

work completed in the

to previously completed

learning activities

learning activities.

subject to illustrate their

subject to illustrate their

work, to illustrate their

throughout.

Significant more work is

journey

journey.

journey.

needed to demonstrate

the work the student

Module 1.1 – 5.2 present

did in the subject.

Module 1.1 – 5.2

Module 1.1 – 5.2 present

Module 1.1 – 5.2 present

and well documented.

documented with some

(although some may be

and well documented.

Evidence is robust and

missing. Evidence is not

missing) and well

Evidence is robust and

well presented.

Little or no evidence is

well presented.

documented. Evidence is

well presented.

presented.

robust and well

presented with some

gaps.

 

Fail

Pass

Credit

Distinction

High Distinction

Assessment

(Yet to achieve

(Functional)

(Proficient)

(Advanced)

(Exceptional)

Attributes

minimum standard)

50-64%

65-74%

75-84%

85-100%

0-49%

Effective

Presents information.

Communicates in a

Communicates in a

Communicates

Communicates

Communication

readable manner that

coherent and readable

coherently and concisely

eloquently. Expresses

(Written)

Specialised language

largely adheres to the

manner that adheres to

in a manner that adheres

meaning coherently,

and terminology is

given format.

the given format.

to the given format.

concisely and creatively

rarely or inaccurately

within the given format.

employed.

Generally employs

Accurately employs

Accurately employs a

specialised language &

specialised language and

wide range of specialised

Discerningly selects and

Meaning is repeatedly

terminology with accuracy.

terminology.

language and

precisely employs a wide

obscured by errors in

terminology.

range of specialised

Percentage for this

the communication of

Meaning is sometimes

Meaning is easy to

language and

criterion = 15%

ideas, including errors

difficult to follow.

follow.

Engages audience

terminology.

in structure, sequence,

Information, arguments

Information, arguments

interest.

spelling, grammar,

and evidence are

and evidence are

Information, arguments

Engages and sustains

punctuation and/or the

structured and sequenced

structured and

and evidence are

audience’s interest.

acknowledgment of

in a way that is not always

sequenced in a way that

structured and

Information, arguments

sources.

clear and logical.

is clear and logical.

sequenced in a way that

and evidence are

is, clear and persuasive.

insightful, persuasive and

Some errors are evident in

Occasional minor errors

expertly presented.

spelling, grammar and/or

present in spelling,

Spelling, grammar and

punctuation.

grammar and/or

punctuation are free

Spelling, grammar and

punctuation.

from errors.

punctuation are free

from errors.