ENGGEN 101G : Software, Data and Intelligent Automation

Engineering

2021 Semester One (1213) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Introduces concepts of intelligent automation, robotic process automation, analytics and artificial intelligence/machine learning. Includes consideration of data privacy and sovereignty, and the ethics of AI. Students will engage in critical analysis of potential intelligent automation applications and solutions, and will build their own software robot through practical laboratory work.

Course Overview

This course is an introduction to the concepts of data and software automation. For data, we will be exploring where data comes from, how we can collect it and use it, and what are some of the ethical, moral and legal issues around using data. In software automation, we'll be exploring how automation has changed our societies and look at some of the basic principles around automating a task. As part of the course, you'll learn how to build automation solutions. We will be using a state of the art tool, that will is freely available for you to use in future.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: University

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Explain what intelligent automation is, how it works and how it can be utilised in an organisation (Capability 1 and 3)
  2. Analyse how data can be used when solving problems, including the legal and ethical issues of accessing and collecting the data (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  3. Discuss different worldviews of software, its ownership and how it can be used (Capability 1 and 6)
  4. Build an automation solution to solve a problem and explain how the solution works (Capability 1, 3 and 5)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Practical Project 25% Individual Coursework
Essay 25% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 50% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Practical Project
Essay
Final Exam

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, a 3 hour lab in weeks 2 to 6, a 2 hour tutorial in weeks 7 to 11, 2 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 3 to 4 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including labs and /tutorials to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials and labs will not be available as recordings.
The course will include live online events including tutorials.
Attendance on campus is required for the exam.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

There are no prescribed textbook or coursebook for this course. There will be online readings and videos assigned on Canvas. All course material will be available for you in Canvas, including lecture notes, laboratory work and links to readings and videos. There is also an online discussion forum (Piazza) where you can discuss course topics and seek assistance from staff and other students. The software package you will use in the course (UiPath) is available to students free of charge.

Health & Safety

For the labs, you can use either university computers or your own computers. You will need to follow the health and safety rules around computer equipment.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

The course will teach an RPA tool called UiPath. The educational version of the tool can be downloaded from https://www.uipath.com/landing/academic-studio-download. 

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 12/12/2020 01:58 p.m.