C&ENVENG 3221 - Research Project Part A: Methodologies & Management

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2015

The course introduces the project management tools and processes used to successfully execute and deliver engineering projects. These tools and processes will be applied to the development of a consolidated research plan for execution and control in the Research Project Part B and Part C courses over the next two semesters. The research plan will be based on recognised research methodologies and be prepared by small groups under the guidance of a supervising academic who is active within specified field of research. The course will cover topics including: Project management tools and processes (project plans, work breakdown structures, resource allocation, risk assessment, quality control, document control, project controls); research methodologies; literature review gap analysis; together with targeted research skill development related to laboratory testing, field work and/or computational analysis. In additional the course will develop skills in the areas of verbal communication, written communication, critical analysis and teamwork.

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Course Details

Course Code	C&ENVENG 3221
Course	Research Project Part A: Methodologies & Management
Coordinating Unit	School of Civil, Environmental & Mining Eng
Term	Semester 2
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	4 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	N
Assessment	Assignments (10%), Presentation (10%), Literature Review (20%), Research Plan (20%), Exam (40%)

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Ms Bernie Foley

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

A weekly timetable will be available to students through MyUni.

Course Learning Outcomes

access, systematically search, assess, analyse, evaluate and reference relevant published works
identify and critically appraise current engineering developments, advanced technologies and emerging issues in a selected research area
identify and select appropriate research methodologies
explain standard project management approaches, particularly the role each PMBOK Knowledge Area and how they can be used to execute a project
identify and plan for project risks using defined risk assessment processes
develop a project management plan articulating how a given project is to be executed, including breaking down the project into manageable tasks
describe the role of quality management systems, tools and processes within a culture of continual improvement
demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively and professionally with others in the engineering profession and the community – written, oral and listening skills
explain the fundamentals of team dynamics and demonstrate effective team membership
critique, review and differentiate the work of peers in an objective and constructive manner.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised.	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner.	1, 2, 3, 4
An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems.	2, 3, 8
Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication.	8, 9, 10
A proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies.	2, 3
A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life.	7, 8, 10
A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community.	8, 9, 10
An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities.	2

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Textbook

There is no recommended text for this course. Where necessary extracts from relevant texts will be made available through MyUni.

Lecture slides/notes

Lecture slides will be made available on MyUni. The timing of their availability will be subject to the lecture content, the technical nature of the content and format of the lecture. Lectures that are technical in nature or have a heavy content may be available prior to the lecture. Lectures that are predominately participative or dependent upon student input prior to the lecture may only be available after the lecture. It should be noted that the PowerPoint slides are not considered a complete replicate of the lecture, additional information not present in the slides is often given during lectures. Technical aspects of the material covered in the course are available in the recommended text. There are no printed course notes available for this course.

MyMedia will be used to record lectures. However, they are not intended to be a substitute for lectures.

Recommended Resources

There are a number of resources that are relevant to this course. Where applicable, they will be referenced in the course material for further reading. They include:

Daellenbach HG. Systems and Decision Making - A Management Science Approach. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 1994

Dandy G.C., Walker D.J., Daniell, T.M. and Warner R.F. (2008) Planning and Design of Engineering Systems. Second Edition. Taylor and Francis, Abingdon, UK, ISBN 978-0-415-40552-2. This text is available online through the Barr Smith Library.

Dowling, David Graeme & Carew, Anna & Hadgraft, R. G 2013, Engineering your future : an Australasian guide, 2nd ed, John Wiley
& Sons Australia, Milton, Qld.

Project Management Institute. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Fourth Edition, ANSI/PMI 99-001-2008, Project Management Institute, 2008.

Online Learning

MyUni will be used for the course. Course information, lecture slides, assignments and additional resources will all be available on MyUni.

MyUni Announcements
The announcement section will be used to notify students of important information, with critical announcements (changes to deadlines etc) also emailed to students. It is assumed and expected that students take note of these announcements.

Discussion Board
The discussion board will be used and forums will be set up for assignments. The discussion board will also be used as a consultation
channel for contact with the lecturer. Questions for the lecturer of a general nature relating to the course or assignment requirements should be posted on MyUni. This allows the responses to be viewed by other students with similar questions and ensures that all students are given the same information.

Learning & Teaching Modes

This course consists of a set of integrated learning activities designed to provide you with the opportunity to achieve the course learning objectives in a supportive and relevant context. The course has been designed for active participation by students. Activities within this course are detailed in this course outline and include lectures, guest lectures, in-class quizzes, a literature review, short talks and a project plan.

The majority of these activities are designed to be participative and directed at peer oriented or problem based learning. An allocated research project is central to all activities within the course. It is undertaken in groups, under the supervision of an academic supervisor. This course will set the scene for continuation of research over the subsequent two semesters.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements. Note that University guidelines suggest that the average (full-time) student should spend 48 hours per week to achieve a Credit. Consequently, the total workload for this course is 12 hours per week (144 hours in total) for an average student to achieve a Credit.

Activity	Contact Hours	Private Study Hours	Total
Lectures	20	10	30
Active Participation (5%)	NA	12	12
MS Project Assessment Task (5%)	1	7	8
Literature Review Assessment Task (30%)	NA	40	40
Project Plan Assessment Task (25%)	NA	27	27
Short Talks (15%)	5	10	15
In-class quizzes (20%)	2	10	12
TOTAL			144

Learning Activities Summary

No information currently available.

Small Group Discovery Experience

The research project conducted as part of this course is structured as a Small Group Discovery Experience.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Weighting	Individual/Group	Due	Feedback	Learning Outcome
Active Participation	5%	Individual	Throughout semester	NA	1,7,8,9,10
MS Project	5%	Individual	Fri, Wk 5	Week 7	1,4,6,8
Literature Review	30%	Group	Fri, Wk 9	Week 12	1,2,3,8,9
Project Plan	25%	Group	Fri, Wk 13	End of exams	3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Short Talk	15%	Individual	Wks 9-12	Wks 10-13	8,10
In-class quizzes	20%	Individual	Wks 8 and 13	1 week after	1,2,4,5,7,9,10

Assessment Detail

Full details of each assessment task will be provided through MyUni.

Submission

All submissions for the course will be electronic, through MyUni.

The deadline for all submissions will be 5 pm on the nominated day. A penalty of 10% per 24 hours will apply for late submissions.

Students eligible for special consideration (e.g. elite athletes) are requested to advise the course coordinator as early as possible where alternate arrangements will be required.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator