This Course Guide has been taken from the most recent presentation of the course. It would be useful for reference purposes but please note that there may be updates for the following presentation.
IT S123
Introduction to Internet Services and Applications
This course is an introduction to one of the most important new technologies of recent history — the Internet. It not only shows you how to participate in this Internet world called 'cyberspace,' but also enables you to develop the skills necessary to use the Internet more effectively and efficiently.
IT S123 Introduction to Internet Services and Applications is a ten-credit, foundation-level course in the BComp/BComp(Hons) in Internet Technology and BSc/BSc(Hons) in Computing and Networking programmes. No prerequisites are required.
Your starting point for the course is this Course Guide.It explainsto you what the course consists of — the study material, learning opportunities and support services. The guide also describes what you need to do in order to pass the course.
The rest of this introductory section explains IT S123's mode of delivery; lists its aims and learning outcomes; and provides an overview of the course's organization. The following major sections set out the course outline, course materials, learning support, course assessment and course timetable.
Mode of delivery
IT S123 will be delivered in a blended mode that focuses on self-learning using both printed materials and online resources, with complementary face-to-face tutorials and laboratory sessions featuring structured problem-solving exercises, case studies as well as work simulations. It emphasizes student-centred learning supplemented by online interactive processes.
The mode of delivery and thus the learning process require your active participation.
The Internet has dramatically changed the way we live, study, work and play. Web browsing, email, search engines, social networking, instant messaging, file-sharing and Web conferencing are just some of the Internet services and applications that can significantly enhance our productivity and increase our personal satisfaction. On top of this, there has been an increasing trend towards mobile services and applications accessed over the Internet, especially in highly developed urban centres such as Hong Kong.
At the same time, the Internet can be quite overwhelming due to the scale and variety of services that are available. To some, it may feel like a threatening place due to the privacy and security dangers that lurk in its shadows.
This course will help you navigate through the services and applications that are available on the Internet, whether you are sitting at your desk or on the go. It will help you choose those services which will be most helpful to you and show you how to take full advantage of them, but always with your personal privacy and data security in mind.
Aims
IT S123 is a foundation-level course universally relevant to all HKMU programmes. No experience with the Internet is assumed. It aims to:
Course learning outcomes
Upon the completion of IT S123, you should be able to:
This section describes what materials are needed, how the assignments and marking are arranged, and includes a table that sets out the elements of the course for your easy reference.
Materials
This course includes this Course Guide and nine study units. A small number of supplementary readings, case studies or articles may be assigned from relevant journals, textbooks, or other online sources.
Study units
Unit 1 explores the basic operations as well as the advanced features of a Web browser.
Unit 2 describes how to use email client software and webmail services.
Unit 3 demonstrates different search tools and techniques for searching the Web.
Unit 4 explores various online information resources and e-commerce sites.
Unit 5 discusses enhanced forms of online communication and collaboration services.
Unit 6 explores the functions and facilities available on social networking sites.
Unit 7 analyses common online threats and introducescountermeasures for protecting one's data and computer system from these threats.
Advanced topics such as services for creating user-generated content and the trend of mobile Internet services and applications will be covered in Units 8 and 9 respectively.
The materials have been written based on the assumption that you will want to gain as much practical experience as possible while studying, and therefore many sections emphasize practical work wherever this serves the objectives.
Set textbook
There is one compulsory textbook required for IT S123:
Evans, J and Hooper, R (2018) New Perspectives on the Internet: Comprehensive, 10th edn, Course Technology, Cengage Learning.
Online and multimedia materials
OLE
IT S123 has a course page on HKMU's OLE (Online Learning Environment) containing online course materials and URLs from the study units for reference and further readings.
Other online resources
You will be encouraged to explore and read other online resources from the Internet that are commonly available at popular websites such as Wikipedia, HowStuffWorks and YouTube.
Supplementary media
IT S123 introduces various free software tools and online services as an alternative to commercial software packages. You will be required to download or access them online, and learn to use them as instructed.
Equipment needed (IT resources)
Hardware:
Software:
Internet access:
Presentation Schedule
The Presentation Schedule is available on the Online Learning Environment (OLE). It gives the dates for completing assignments, attending tutorials, day schools, and so on.
Assessment
IT S123 includes two assessment components: continuous assessment and a final examination. Each is worth 50% of the entire course mark.
You will be asked to demonstrate practical software skills as well as suitable application of theories learned to real-world situations during the assessments.
There are a number of rules and regulations concerning assessment given in the Student Handbook. You are strongly recommended to read this handbook, as it explains the general requirements for all assessment and the way grades are actually determined.
Assignments
The continuous assessment counts on the total of the four assignments.
During the course, your performance is continuously assessed by the assignments, which act as a benchmark to check your learning progress, and test your understanding of the course content and your ability to apply the knowledge gained to daily life.
Assignments generally contain problem-solving questions. You have to submit the assignments on time. Assignments will be marked by your tutor and returned together with feedback and comments, which will serve as a learning tool for you to clarify your understanding, strengths and weaknesses across the course topics, and as support for preparing the final examination.
The total marks of the four assignments will be counted as 50% of the final mark in calculating the grade for the course.
Final examination and grading
There is a three-hour examination at the end of the course, which will assess your understanding of all the units. You will not be allowed to take any of the course material into the examination room.
The final examination and ongoing continuous assessment both contribute 50% to your final grade for the course.
Course marking scheme
The assessment items are outlined in the following table.
| Assessment type | Units covered | Weighting |
| Assignments | ||
| Assignment 1 | Units 1, 2 and 3 | 12.5% |
| Assignment 2 | Units 4 and 5 | 12.5% |
| Assignment 3 | Units 6 and 7 | 12.5% |
| Assignment 4 | Units 8 and 9 | 12.5% |
| Examination (compulsory) | 50% | |
| Total | 100% |
| Unit | Title | Study time (weeks) | Assignment |
| 1 | Browsing the Web | 2 | |
| 2 | Communicating via email | 3 | |
| 3 | Searching the Web | 3 | Assignment 1 |
| 4 | Online information resources and e-commerce | 5 | |
| 5 | Beyond email: Online productivity and collaboration | 4 | Assignment 2 |
| 6 (A) | Social networking | 5 | |
| 6 (B) | Social networking: Online Facebook workshop | ||
| 7 | Protecting yourself online | 4 | Assignment 3 |
| 8 (A) | Creating and sharing content | 5 | |
| 8 (B) | Creating and sharing content: Online social media activities | ||
| 9 | Going mobile | 5 | Assignment 4 |
| Total | 36 |
Most of IT S123 is taught through the printed materials or the Internet, but these are not your only means of learning.
IT S123 offers three types of teaching and learning support to the students, namely tutor guidance, online support in the form of a discussion board on the OLE, and Course Coordinator consultation.
Tutors and tutorials
You should contact your tutor as the first line of support. There are a number of means by which you can contact him/her for help, which include telephone, email and other forms of online communication. You are welcome to use whatever channel is most convenient for you.
You should also attend the tutorial sessions for in-depth discussion with your tutor. There are a total of 13 tutorial sessions throughout the course, comprising 26 hours of contact time.
In addition, you are strongly recommended to post your problems and share your learning experiences with other students on the discussion board on the OLE.
Finally, you may contact the Course Coordinator for consultation. The Course Coordinator is responsible for preparing the presentation of the course, ensuring that it progresses smoothly, overseeing the work of the tutors, monitoring the standard of the assessment and grading students with the scriptmarkers at the end of the course.
Remember that you can always call on people at HKMU if you need advice or support.
You should now have a better understanding of this course — the learning materials, course organization, mode of learning, required textbook, equipment needed and the available support services.
You should also have a good idea of the time and effort you must put in, as well as the assessment you will go through in order to pass the course.
We wish you a pleasant and enjoyable learning experience as you embark on your studies for IT S123. The Internet and all its wonders await you!
Jenny Lim is currently teaching and developing tertiary level courses on e-commerce, information technology and information management in Hong Kong.
She was a program manager in a New York Web services firm, where she developed Web-enabled database applications for clients in the financial, professional services, and entertainment industries. She was also a project leader in the business solutions group of a leading e-commerce retailer, where she was involved in implementing Web-based procurement applications.
Prior to her Web industry experience, she was a systems analyst and programmer in the financial industry. She was also a senior technical staff member at a Big 4 consulting firm, where she participated in systems development, testing and integration projects on the mainframe, and mid-range and personal computer platforms.
