Designing an Undergraduate Course on ICT Sustainability: Part 3 - Learning Objectives

In Part 2 I decided to teach the undergraduates in a separate course, making it easier to have different learning objectives and assessment from graduates. But what should the learning objectives be for a course in ICT Sustainability?

The postgraduate course has two leaning outcomes:

1. Evaluate the sustainability of IT services, devices and day-to-day operations of an organisation, including the carbon footprint and e-waste,
   
2. Prepare a sustainability strategy for IT in an organisation, covering both energy and materials use.

These correspond to two of the four SFIA sustainability skills:

• "The evaluation of the sustainability of operational or planned IT services, devices and day-to-day operations such as travel. ..." From Sustainability assessment Skill SUAS (SFIA Foundation, 2015). Emphasis added.
• "The preparation of a sustainability strategy for IT, taking into account any established corporate strategy, to be used as a basis for policies and planning, and covering both consumption and sources of supply of energy and materials. ..." From Sustainability strategy, Skill SUST (SFIA Foundation, 2015). Emphasis added.

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) for AQF Level 7 – Bachelor Degree requires:

Skills
Graduates at this level will have well-developed cognitive, technical and communication skills to select and apply methods and technologies to:

• analyse and evaluate information to complete a range of activities 
• analyse, generate and transmit solutions to unpredictable and sometimes complex problems 
• transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to others

Application of knowledge and skills
Graduates at this level will apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, well-developed judgement and responsibility:

• in contexts that require self-directed work and learning 

• within broad parameters to provide specialist advice and functions

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) for AQF Level 7 – Bachelor Degree requires:

Skills

Graduates at this level will have expert, specialised cognitive and technical skills in a body of knowledge or practice to independently: analyse critically, reflect on and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories research and apply established theories to a body of knowledge or practice interpret and transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences

Application of knowledge and skills

Graduates at this level will apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgement, adaptability and responsibility as a practitioner or learner

The difference is that at level 7 cognitive skills are to be "well-developed" and at Level 9 "expert". At level 7 the student will "analyse and evaluate" information, at level 9  "critically, reflect on and synthesise complex information". to complete a range of activities.

1. Evaluate the sustainability of IT services, devices and day-to-day operations of an organisation, including the carbon footprint and e-waste,
   
2. Prepare a sustainability strategy for IT in an organisation, covering both energy and materials use.

References

SFIA Foundation. (2015). SFIA 6: The complete reference guide. Retrieved from https://files.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/admin/fairs/apptrack/download.cgi?SID=b3duZXI9NTA3MDAwMCZvd25lcnR5cGU9ZmFpciZkb2NfdHlwZT12YWMmZG9jX2lkPTQ3ODk0OSZ2ZXJpZnk9ZTUxZTg1ZWE4OWU2MzE2ZmU1NjUyMTc3ZGIzYzVhZTkmcmVxc2lnPTE0NTk4NDI0ODUtMDIwZTVjMzMxMWUyMWI1NWU2ZDhjODc4N2ZkN2NlMGIwOTAwZDRmYw==