Net 205 306621
Internet Commerce and Consumers
Offered to Open University Australia by
Department of Internet Studies
School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts (MCCA)
UNIT OUTLINE
Study Period 2 2010
CRICOS (Perth - 00301J) (Sydney - 02637B)
Net 205 Unit Outline
Essential Administrative Information
Unit Title
Internet Studies 205 – Internet Commerce and Consumers
Unit Description
To be an Internet user is, essentially, to be part of the
economics of the Internet, through innumerable
commercial transactions and by being part of audiences
sold for advertising. In this unit, you will come to
understand the dynamics of Internet commence,
including the 'free' services that are part of the attention
economy; you will also analyse the importance for the
Internet of an alternative economic form - the gift
economy. Ultimately, you will understand how the Internet
might, within capitalism, be associated with economic
rewards and risks; and how developments on the Internet
have altered business practices and approaches.
Unit Study Package Number
306621
Teaching Area
Department of Internet Studies
Credit Value
25.0
Mode(s) of study
External
Co-, Pre- and Anti-requisites
None
Additional requirements
If you are taking this unit as a required (core) unit in your
course of study, you may be terminated from your course
of study if you fail this unit twice
Core Unit status
If you are taking this unit as a required (core) unit in your
course of study, you may be terminated from your course
of study if you fail this unit twice
Result Type
Grade/ Mark
Unit Controller
Dr Elaine Tay
Contact Details
E-mail: e.tay@exchange.curtin.edu.au
Skype: egstay
Office Days: Mondays and Thursdays
Unit Website
A link to the unit in Blackboard is available via Oasis:
http://oasis.curtin.edu.au
Faculty Website
http://www.humanities.curtin.edu.au
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Student Feedback
For Semester 1 and Semester 2 eVALUate is open for
student feedback in weeks 12-17.
For other study periods see
http://evaluate.curtin.edu.au/info/dates.cfm
We welcome your feedback as one way to keep improving this unit. Later this semester, you will be
encouraged to give unit feedback through eVALUate, Curtin’s online student feedback system (see
http://evaluate.curtin.edu.au).
Student Rights and Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of every student to be aware of all relevant legislation and
policies and procedures relating to their rights and responsibilities as a student. These
include:
 the Student Charter
 the University’s Guiding Ethical Principles
 the University’s policy and statements on plagiarism and academic integrity
 copyright principles and responsibilities
 the University’s policies on appropriate use of software and computer facilities
Information is available through the University's “Student Rights and Responsibilities” web page:
http://students.curtin.edu.au/rights/
Introduction
To be an Internet user is, essentially, to be part of the economics of the Internet, through
innumerable commercial transactions and by being part of audiences sold for advertising. In this
unit, you will come to understand the dynamics of Internet commence, including the ‘free’ services
that are part of the attention economy; you will also analyse the importance for the Internet of an
alternative economic form – the gift economy. Ultimately, you will understand how the Internet
might, within capitalism, be associated with economic rewards and risks; and how developments on
the Internet have altered business practices and approaches
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate understanding of the principles and practices which sustain Internet
commerce
2. Analyse specific commercial events and occurrences to explain the nature of Internet
economics
3. Demonstrate understanding of the way in which capitalism dominates the social and
technological workings of the Internet in global society
4. Assess critically the culture and practices of ‘free’ online labour, goods and services
associated with Internet
Syllabus
The topics will be available via the unit website (Study Area). In this unit, you are expected to be
active in your own learning and organize your learning according to what is required by your
assignments. Some of this is done in collaboration with your tutor and lecturer, although much
guidance will be available at the website.
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How This Unit Works
This unit is designed principally to be studied via the Internet. Interaction between students and
between students and their instructors is via the online forums and other online tools available via
Blackboard. Hence, where mention is made of tutorials and lectures, these will be done via
Blackboard, usually via the discussion forums, unless otherwise specified.
The bulk of your learning will be through a group project. Depending on the assignment, you will
discuss key ideas and questions either within your groups or with the entire class. These
discussions contribute significantly to the quality of your learning and your assignment submission. I
advise that you will be making the best use of your fellow students and your tutor/coordinator if you
take the initiative to respond, raise questions, and generally engage in discussions, particularly as
the learning in this unit is much more directed by yourself.
The schedule of study for this unit is relatively loose, reflecting the emphases on
independent/group-directed study as well as upon a greater reliance on external resources you and
your group members find. There is still some set readings that will prove useful and necessary for
the successful completion of your work, and the scheduling of your reading and engagement with
these materials are determined by your group, your coordinator and your own needs. In short, as
more advanced students, you will need to set your pace of work in accordance to your judgement of
what you need to do in order to complete the unit successfully, and also with negotiation with your
peers.
Reading and Resources
The materials you require will be available on the website for this unit http://lms.curtin.edu.au.
The website contains all the basic questions, notes, readings and advice you need, organised into a
logical sequence. It also provides access to the electronic communications tools necessary for this
unit.
Assessment
The assessment in this unit is designed, first and foremost to assist you to learn and, then, to
reward you by giving you opportunities to demonstrate your learning. Assessment is tightly
connected with the syllabus outlined above. In return for your commitment to high-quality work and
timely presentation, we will make sure that feedback for each assignment is prompt, giving you
opportunity to improve for the next assignment.
There are three components to assessment in this unit (you should refer to the Blackboard website
for full details):
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Review of Collaborative Tool
Group Project
Essay
(20%)
(50%)
(30%)
due Monday Week 4
due Monday week 9*
due Monday week 13
*Note: Assignment 2 starts in the first week and is ongoing until the deadline. A draft to obtain
feedback is due on Monday week 7, 12 July.
You will pass the unit as long as you submit all pieces of work, make satisfactory efforts to attend
and participate, obtain a grade of 50% or more for all the assessment (i.e. you may fail any
individual piece of work as long as your final result is 50% or more). You are not permitted to
resubmit assignments once already submitted.
Assignment submission
All students must submit assignments electronically through Blackboard by the due date. Ensure
you include a cover sheet with your name, unit number, assignment number, due date and tutor.
Late Assignments
If you are unable to complete any assessable task by the due date, you should, as soon as
possible, apply for an extension from your unit controller or tutor. Extensions under 1.5 weeks are
usually determined by the tutor. Extensions over 1.5 weeks are at the discretion of the unit
controller and are normally granted only for reasons of serious and substantial impediment to a
student’s work, and only when a student provides documentary evidence in support.
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The grounds on which a student can apply for an extension are:
 Compassionate grounds (certified by a Curtin counsellor, minister of religion, or
medical practitioner)
 medical grounds (certified by a medical practitioner)
 psychological grounds (certified by a registered psychologist)
If you are unable to complete any or all work in this unit by Week 14, you must apply in writing via
the School Office for a complete deferment of assessment. More advice on deferred assessment is
available from the School Office and from http://students.curtin.edu.au/administration/forms.cfm.
Appeals
If you wish to appeal any grade in this unit, first contact the marker concerned, then the unit
controller, then the Head of School and, if still unsatisfied, lodge a formal appeal as per university
policy.
Academic Integrity
In university, you are encouraged to draw on other academic and critical writing to substantiate your
arguments and assignment work. You need to acknowledge your use of others’ work through
referencing your assignments using a bibliography and in-text citations. Our department uses APA
(details can be found on the library referencing website). You must reference all uses of published
work and other copyrighted materials (such as images), including not only direct quotes, but also
summaries or references to ideas. Academic integrity means avoiding any kind of work that does
not sufficiently acknowledge others’ work, is unduly derivative, or is plagiarised – that is, directly
copied from another work without due acknowledgement. The university policies on academic
integrity also refer to copying other students’ assignments, or submitting work that has previously
been submitted for another assignment. It is vital that you understand the policies on academic
integrity, as work that contravenes these policies attract substantial penalties, and can ultimately
result in failure of a unit.
Plagiarism Monitoring
Some (or all) assessments in this unit may be monitored for plagiarism using a program called
Turnitin which compares student’s assignments with a large database of published work and other
student assifnments (see http://turnitin.com). As part of this process, a copy of the student work is
retained by the turnitin database. Students who do not want assignments retained in the Turnitin
database, must lodge a special request prior to the submission date. For further advice see
http://academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au/studentsturnitin.html.
Unit Evaluation
This unit is always being developed and we are very keen to hear what you think of it, for
changes and improvements, and also so we know what works fine the way it is. In any case,
since students’ learning is assessed, it is only fair that teachers’ teaching be assessed as
well. You are more than welcome to contribute feedback to us in person, by mail or via the
anonymous questionnaires that will be distributed at the end of semester. If you are studying
by distance education, you are invited to send feedback to us directly.
Grading
The following statement indicates broadly the meaning of assignment grades for your final work:
00-49 (Fail) Such an assignment fails, in major respects, to achieve the minimum standard for
university assignments at the year level of the unit and has failed to address the main criteria
against which the assignment is being marked. Students who receive failing grades are either not
grasping the subject matter, or not making a suitable attempt at the assignment or both. Such work
is poor and even substantial revision would not enable it to achieve a distinction result. Students
should immediately discuss their academic progress with staff.
50-59 (Pass) An assignment graded as passing is broadly acceptable for university assignments at
the year level of the unit; such assignments meet, to some extent, the main criteria against which
the assignment is being marked, or meet a few criteria and not others. Students who receive
passing grades have a basic grasp of the subject matter and/or are making some effort at the
assignment. Such work would require substantial revision to enable it to achieve a distinction.
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Students who regularly receive pass grades normally successfully complete a three-year pass
degree but do not proceed with honours or postgraduate study.
60-69 (Credit) An assignment graded at this level is creditable and clearly acceptable work for
university assignments at the year level of the unit; such assignments meet the main criteria against
which the assignment is being marked, or meet some criteria very well and not others not so well.
Students completing such assignments are doing reasonably well at their studies, especially if their
work is consistently at the higher end of the percentage scale. Such assignments would, with
limited revision, be capable of achieving a distinction. A 65% average is one sign of the ability to
progress to more advanced study at honours level.
70-79 (Distinction) An assignment graded at this level is, on the whole, very good work for
university assignments at the year level of the unit; such assignments meet all of the main criteria
against which the assignment is being marked and, at the upper percentage range, may show
outstanding performance in some respects. A distinction assignment is one that, with substantial
additional work, would be suitable for public presentation. Students who receive such grades are
doing very well at their studies, noting that consistent results above 70% indicate superior
performance to the majority of students in a class.
80-89 (High Distinction) An assignment graded at this level is, in all but a few respects,
outstanding work for university assignments at the year level of the unit; such assignments exceed
in at least some respects, the expected level of work for students at this level. Such assignments
would, with minor additional work, would be suitable for public presentation. Only a few of all
students completing a particular assignment will obtain grades above 79%. Students who regularly
perform at this level are those who would be expected to proceed comfortably to completion of an
honours degree and thence to postgraduate research / creative degrees at masters and doctoral
level.
90-99 (High Distinction) An assignment graded at or above 90% is clearly superior to the vast
majority of work that is normally presented at this level of university study, over a number of years
and is already suitable for public presentation, excepting editorial amendment. Grades above 90%
are rarely awarded.
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Unit Study Calendar
Semester 2 2009
Week Date
Assessment
Date Due
1
31 May
2
7 June
3
14 June
4
21 June
Assignment 1 Due Monday
5
28 June
Continue work on Assignment 2 with your group
6
5 July
7
12 July
Assignment 2 Draft Due Monday
8
19 July
Continue work on Assignment 2
9
26 July
Assignment 2 Due Monday
9
2 August
COMMENCE MODULE 2
11
9 August
COMMENCE MODULE 1
Work towards Assignment 1 (Wiki) and 2 (team project)
Group and individual activities and tasks
21 June
Group and individual activities and tasks
12 July
26 July
Work towards Assignment 3 (Essay)
12
16 August
13
23 August
Assignment 3 Due Monday
23 Aug
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