Foundation Degree
in
Information Technology
Induction
January 2013
Programme Teams
FDIT
Programme Director
Jenny Pedler
jenny@dcs.bbk.ac.uk
020 7079 0720
Administrators
Liza Chan (Year 1)
020 7631 6729
Dolores King (Years 2&3)
020 7631 6724
Email: fdadmin@dcs.bbk.ac.uk
FDWT
Programme Director
Gordon McIntyre
gordon@dcs.bbk.ac.uk
020 7631 6851
Administrators
Liza Chan (Year 1)
020 7631 6729
Dolores King (Years 2&3)
020 7631 6724
Email: fdadmin@dcs.bbk.ac.uk
The College
• Birkbeck is a world renowned teaching
and research University
• It is part of the University of London
• It specialises in part-time education for
mostly mature students
• Birkbeck website: http://www.bbk.ac.uk
Important Places in Birkbeck
• MyBirkbeck Office
– Ground Floor, Malet St.
– http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/
• Library
– Ground Floor, Malet St.
– http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/
The Department of Computer
Science and Information Systems
• The FdIT and FdWT are taught in
Department of Computer Science and
Information Systems, which is part of the
School of Business, Economics and
Informatics.
– Head of Department: Mark Levene
– Head of School: Phillip Powell
– Department website: www.dcs.bbk.ac.uk
Important Places in DCSIS
• Programme Office (for administrative issues;
fees, enrolment, etc.)
– Room 263 Malet Street
• Systems Group Office (for departmental IT
issues; login, network, VPN, etc.)
– Room 262 Malet Street
• DCSIS PC Labs
– Malet St. 403, 404, 405, 407
Your Year 1 Study
Spring
•
Fundamentals of IT (Including PDP)
– From Tuesday 15th January
• Problem Solving for Programming
– From Wednesday 16th January
Summer
•
Introduction to Web Authoring using XHTML and CSS
– From Thursday 25th April
•
Introduction to Database Technology
– From Wednesday 1st May
Teaching Venues
• DCSIS PC Labs
– 403, 404, 405, 407 Malet Street
• ITS PC Labs
– (e.g. MAL413)
• Birkbeck Classrooms
– (e.g. MAL414, B30)
• External Classrooms
– (e.g. SOAS, UCL, Westminster Kingsway
College, LSE)
A Typical Year 1 Module
• 8 or 9 sessions and one self-study week
over 9 weeks
• 6-9pm (arrive on time).
• Two coursework assignments (TMA and
FMA) or one coursework and one test.
• Tutor + Demonstrator (If class > 30)
• 75% attendance requirement
Assessment
• Fundamentals of IT (FI), Introduction to Web Authoring (IN)
and Introduction to Database Technology (DT)
– 100% coursework (TMA 25%, FMA 75%)
• Problem Solving for Programming (PfP)
– 40% coursework
– 60% in class test (session 9)
Assessment
•
•
•
•
•
Overall PASS MARK = 40%.
If you fail a module with mark between 30-39%, you will be
permitted to be reassessed at next deadline.
If your mark is less than 30%, then you have to retake the
module.
You are able to submit coursework up to the late submission
deadline, but all late submissions will be capped at 40%
DEFERRALS:
• You can apply to DEFER assessment, but you have to be
able to provide documentary evidence of the mitigating
circumstances that prevent or prevented you completing
the assessment at the specified time.
Study Skills
• As well as building websites and writing
computer programs, all students will need to
write reports and essays, and take exams on
the FDIT and FdWT.
• To do this satisfactorily, some students will
need to improve their study skills:
– Academic English
• Reading
• Writing
• Presentation skills
Study Skills
• The Personal Development Planning part of
Fundamentals of IT provides basic help with
study skills
• Further help is available through the College:
– One-to-one sessions
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/facilities/support
– College Workshops
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/studyskills/course_timeta
ble
– Reading materials
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/subguides/studyskills
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/subguides/studyskills/studyskillsw
eb
School of BEI Study Skills Area
In Moodle
http://moodle.bbk.ac.uk/course/view.php?id
=3905
Richard Carabine -BEI Learning Co-ordinator
Links to many study skills resources
Personal Tutors
• Each student is allocated their own
personal tutor for the duration of their
studies at Birkbeck
• The role of the personal tutor is to
provide ‘first stop’ help with academic,
administrative and pastoral matters
relating to your time at Birkbeck
Personal Tutors
• Personal tutors can provide:
– Guidance and information about higher
education processes, procedures and
expectations
– Academic feedback and development
– Personal welfare support
– Referral to further information and support
Personal Tutors
• You will meet your personal tutor at the
end of this session
• He will explain his role in more detail
• Please make use of this valuable resource
Computer Accounts
• As a Birkbeck DCSIS student, you will have two
computer accounts
– One for the College (ITS)
– One for DCSIS
• The College account is used for logging onto College
PCs and accessing applications like MyBirkbeck and
Moodle
• The DCSIS account is used for logging onto
Department PCs (403, 404, 405, 407) and accessing
Department services like the Intranet or VPN
Computer Accounts
• College account
• DCSIS account
– College PCs
– DCSIS PCs
• Library
• Workstation
rooms
– MyBirkbeck
– Moodle
• (403, 404, 405, 407)
– Intranet
– VPN
19
Login Details
• College account
– Username and
password on
welcome letter
• DCSIS account
– Username on
welcome letter
– Initial password of:
Andr3wB00th
– Change to new
password at first
login
(ctrl+alt+delete,
change password).
Login Details
• DCSIS Account
– DCSIS accounts must have the following
format:
• At least 10 character long
• At least one upper and lower case and at least
one numeric in the first 6 characters
Paint1Blue 
paintoneblue ×
Login Details
• Make sure you remember usernames and
passwords. You will need them every time
you study in the PC labs.
• If you have a problem logging into the DCSIS
network, contact Systems Group:
– sg@dcs.bbk.ac.uk
• If you have a problem logging into the
College network, contact ITS:
– its-helpdesk@bbk.ac.uk
Your DCSIS account
• You are allocated 500mb of memory on your
department I:\ drive
• Use this allocation for saving your files for your
modules
• You can access your I:\ drive from home using a
Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection (see
Department Intranet for details)
The DCSIS Labs
• Malet 403, 404, 405, 407
– Brand new state of the art equipment
(Respect it!)
– PCs running Windows 7.
– A variety of productivity (e.g. Office) and
specialist software
– Free printing (for reasonable use)
– Wireless network for laptops
http://vili.dcs.bbk.ac.uk/intranet/induction.pdf
College Workstation
Rooms
• MALET 109, 411, 412, 413, 422, 433, 536
• 413 is available 24 hours
• Availability at:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/its/timetables/
• MS Office, Internet and other
productivity software
Computer Lab Etiquette
•
•
•
•
No eating
No drinking
Quiet at all times
Use machines only for acceptable
purposes
• No mobile phones
• Leave quietly when requested by a tutor
Accessing Learning Materials


Birkbeck uses a Virtual Learning Environment – Moodle – for
teaching and learning
You will use Moodle to:







access learning materials
submit assignments
communicate on course specific topics
discuss course related topics
view announcements and important dates
access your grades and get tutor feedback on assignments
You can access Moodle from any location via:
http://moodle.bbk.ac.uk/
Accessing Learning Materials
• Open Web Browser (e.g. Firefox) and
enter URL of VLE:
http://moodle.bbk.ac.uk/
• Login using your College username and
password (The ones on the letter).
Accessing Learning Materials
Accessing Learning Materials
• Once logged in, if you click ‘my home’,
you will be able to see a list of the
modules you are registered for.
• Each module will contain learning
materials, assignments, dropboxes,
calendars, discussion boards, etc.
• https://bloomsbury.mediacore.tv/media/
01-introduction-to-moodle
Accessing Learning Materials
• MyBirkbeck is a one-stop shop that allows
you to:
– Enrol and pay
– Check your timetable
– Amend personal details (e.g. Email address!)
– Check grades
– Find information about services and facilities
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/
1. Select My Birkbeck Profile
2. Log-in using your ITS
Username and Password
3. Check your details, including
your email address
Birkbeck Library
• Birkbeck Library has an extensive
collection of subject related materials:
– Books
– Journals
– E-resources
• http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/
• Main building, Torrington Square
• 020 7631 6063
Birkbeck Library
• Items can be borrowed for:
– 3 weeks
– 1 week
• Some copies are reference only
• Students can take out up to 10 items at a
time
Checklist
1.
2.
3.
4.
I have enrolled
I can login to the DCSIS network
I can login to Moodle and MyBirkbeck
I know where, and at what time, my
first classes are