Module ICE-3009:
Civic Computing Intervention
Module Facts
Run by School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
20.000 Credits or 10.000 ECTS Credits
Semester 1
Organiser: Prof Jonathan Roberts
Overall aims and purpose
The application of computers are widespread. Coding is used to develop and control systems in all walks of life. There is much benefit to society through computers, artificial intelligence, smart computing, devices, internet of things, and so on. Computer programming can work for good, and developers can create appropriate, useful, and positive systems. Developing from programming, technologies and other modules within the computing curriculum, the aims of this module are:
- To understand the role of, issues with, and opportunities for the application of technology solutions to benefit and have positive impact in city and society.
- To analyse a particular situation, and apply knowledge to solve this challenge, and create an appropriate technological intervention, to construct, market/advertise and deliver an appropriate intervention.
- To deliver a creative intervention for society; understanding and considering requirements, design ideas, implementation, and delivery of a system, technological solution, or instillation.
- To evaluate and reflect on the intervention.
Course content
Indicative content includes:
- Research skills and requirements gathering for a creative computing intervention. Understanding the civic environment, role of industry and academia in the city and society. Models of requirements gathering and comprehension of the need; differences between show-and-tell and show-and-do. Civics, social environment issues.
- Ethical, professional and social implications of creative interventions. Empathy with challenges in city and society. Understanding the 6 virtues (wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence). Profit vs. non-profit interventions. Types of intervention. Positive and negative impact.
- Creative communication. Effective communication, perception and communication design skills (advertising, branding and sales).
- Design of an effective technological intervention. - Making, measuring and delivering impact. Implications for future policy and research. Good deeds,
- Implementation of the intervention (including asset creation, planning, delivering and crafting it).
- Strategies for validation, evaluation and reflection of intervention.
Assessment Criteria
good
Equivalent to the range 60%-69%. Is able to analyse a task or problem to decide which aspects of theory and knowledge to apply. Solutions are of a workable quality, demonstrating understanding of underlying principles. Major themes can be linked appropriately but may not be able to extend this to individual aspects. Outputs are readily understood, with an appropriate structure but may lack sophistication.
excellent
Equivalent to the range 70%+. Assemble critically evaluated, relevent areas of knowledge and theory to constuct professional-level solutions to tasks and questions presented. Is able to cross-link themes and aspects to draw considered conclusions. Presents outputs in a cohesive, accurate, and efficient manner.
threshold
Equivalent to 40%. Uses key areas of theory or knowledge to meet the Learning Outcomes of the module. Is able to formulate an appropriate solution to accurately solve tasks and questions. Can identify individual aspects, but lacks an awareness of links between them and the wider contexts. Outputs can be understood, but lack structure and/or coherence.
Learning outcomes
-
Identify, explore and interpret a real-world problem, and its context, that could be solved by a creative technological intervention.
-
Reflect upon, critically evaluate and appraise, and defend the decisions made, for the chosen and implemented intervention.
-
Compare and contrast alternative solutions to the identified problem, and sketch and illustrate and design, different possible interventions, and subdivide the solutions into individual steps and prepare and present the particular design solution.
-
Construct a suitable computing intervention, and run/deliver the designed solution.
Assessment Methods
Type | Name | Description | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
Technical design, demonstrating careful research and plan of intervention | 40.00 | ||
Delivery and demonstration of chosen intervention | 40.00 | ||
Critical reflection and quantitive evaluation | 20.00 |
Teaching and Learning Strategy
Hours | ||
---|---|---|
Lecture | Lectures over theory, processes and methods. |
11 |
Practical classes and workshops | Practical classes, discussion. Both student led and guided. |
22 |
Individual Project | Self study, consideration of alternatives, design, planning, creation and implementation of intervention, reflection and writeup. |
167 |
Transferable skills
- Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
- Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
- Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
- Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
- Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
- Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
- Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
- Safety-Consciousness - Having an awareness of your immediate environment, and confidence in adhering to health and safety regulations
- Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
- Management - Able to utilise, coordinate and control resources (human, physical and/or financial)
- Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
- Leadership - Able to lead and manage, develop action plans and objectives, offer guidance and direction to others, and cope with the related pressures such authority can result in
Subject specific skills
- Apply an understanding and appreciation of continuous improvement techniques
- Solve problems logically and systematically;
- Assess and choose optimal methods and approaches for the specification, design, implementation and evaluation of engineering solutions.
- Systematically review factors affecting the implementation of a project, including safety and sustainability;
- Plan, budget, organise and manage people and resources;
- Agree objectives and work plans with individuals;
- Appreciate the importance of designing products with due regard to good laboratory practice, health and safety considerations and ethical issues.
- Access and synthesize information and literature sources;
- Use both verbal and written communication skills to different target audiences;
- Communicate proposals persuasively and respond positively to feedback;
- Analyse and display data using appropriate methods and mathematical techniques;
- Demonstrate familiarity with relevant subject specific and general computer software packages.
- Demonstrate an awareness of the need to work safely and comply within relevant legislative and regulatory frameworks;
- Have an appreciation of moral, ethical, financial and environmental issues that may need to be considered when practicing as an engineer. 
- Knowledge and understanding of facts, concepts, principles & theories
- Analyse if/how a system meets current and future requirements
- Deploy theory in design, implementation and evaluation of systems
- Recognise legal, social, ethical & professional issues
- Recognise risk/safety for safe operation of computing equipment
- Development of general transferable skills
- Deploy systems to meet business goals
- System Design
Resources
Talis Reading list
http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/ice-3009.htmlReading list
- Paper: Positive Psychology Progress Empirical Validation of Interventions, tidsskrift for norsk psykologforening 2005 • 42 • 874–884
- The Leaders guide to impact. Mandy Fling, Elisabet Hearn, FT publishing.
- Nudge, nudge, think, think. Experimenting with Ways to Change Civic Behaviour. Peter John et al. 2011. Bloomsbury Academic
Courses including this module
Compulsory in courses:
- GW49: BSC Creative Technologies year 3 (BSC/CT)