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Postgraduate Programme-Wide Practical Commercial Contexts

Objective:

‘To equip students with an understanding of new business opportunities presented by the internet and how to approach the tasks associated with researching and setting up a high-tech business or social enterprise venture.’

Key points

  • E-Commerce and Innovation module developed as part of a Computer Science postgraduate programme wide review and update carried out in 2011.
  • Accredited by the Chartered Institute for IT, module content is aligned with a range of professional codes and practices as well as introducing students to industry standard software solutions utilised in the E-Commerce sector.
  • Module focussed on developing practical skills and understanding, both strategic and operational.
  • First year of module roll out saw a number of tangible practical outcomes stemming from the module in the form of potential and actual start-ups.

Introduction:

As part of a 2011 programme wide redevelopment of Computer Science and Informatics postgraduate courses, Natasha Edwards developed the 20 credit Masters level module E-Commerce and Innovation. Seeking to address a need for contemporary approaches to both the how and why of e-commerce and business strategy from the perspective of Computer Science, the module is delivered as core learning to all students taking Computer Science postgraduate courses, thus comprising a cohort of between 40 and 50 learners each year.

Part of the broader Cardiff School of Computer Science and Informatics postgraduate programme accredited by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, the learning content and outcomes provided by the E-Commerce and Innovation module are aligned with the codes of good practice and conduct incorporating professional standards and behaviours expected of BCS members: as such students successfully completing the course gain membership to the BCS, a key professional body. The BCS prides itself in tailoring its certifications portfolio and professional development services to the needs of industry and employers, the E-commerce and Innovation module reflects this and is a key means of reaching these standards for postgraduate students of computing at Cardiff University.

Module content and delivery also reflects the recently published QAA subject benchmark statements for Master’s degrees in computing. The document highlights the importance of postgraduate students developing key subject specific skills including entrepreneurial orientation in order to successfully implement technically sound endeavours, including awareness of company start-up and resource management within industry or research. More broadly the document advocates the need for students to further develop a range of technical and transferable skills as well as knowledge of contemporary software solutions through postgraduate courses. E-Commerce and Innovation directly addresses the requirements put forward by the QAA.

Activity:

Aiming to equip students with an understanding of new business opportunities presented by the internet and how to approach the tasks associated with researching and setting up a high-tech business or social enterprise venture, module delivery takes a practical approach to knowledge and skills development.

Delivered over both Autumn and Spring semesters, students attend a series of day long sessions which involve lecture, tutorial and workshop formats. Although presented in a holistic manner in that it places practical and technical skills within the broader context of business strategy, module content is delivered in two halves;

  • The first semester takes a broad approach to general business and enterprise strategy, highlighting the benefits gained from the application of entrepreneurial qualities and skills. The setting of business strategies and objectives are presented as the foundation from which successful E-Commerce projects can be developed.
  • The second semester focusses on the types of practical and technical skills used to implement operational solutions required to meet the types of set business goals highlighted in the first semester. Delivered as a series of computer lab based practical sessions, learners develop their practical computing skills according to recognised industry standards and engage with a number of widely used E-Commerce platforms.

As such the module presents a balance of knowledge and skills which enable understanding of the what, why and how of E-Commerce implementation. In addition to core learning content learners are expected to undertake independent research and take advantage of relevant enterprise activities offered by Cardiff University such as I-Solve, an interdisciplinary commercial feasibility study programme open to Cardiff University postgraduates, SPARK an enterprise ideas and business start-up competition and Ignite an inter-institutional enterprise challenge open to students across South East Wales.

E-Commerce and Innovation is assessed via two pieces of equally weighted coursework, each submitted at the end of the relevant semester.

  • The first piece of coursework reflects the business strategy oriented content delivered in the Autumn semester, students are required to develop a Business plan for a company or social enterprise which considers broad business objectives.
  • The second piece of coursework reflects the more practically oriented content of the Spring semester and requires students to consider and develop an operational business strategy document for implementing an innovative E-Commerce solution for a company.

Impact:

In its first year the module received a positive student response and was deemed a success.

Student feedback highlighted the experiential nature of the learning approaches used as confidence building and useful in terms of being a resource from which to evidence skills and experience in future employment situations. There were also a number of tangible practical outcomes resulting from the first year of module roll out in the form of a number of possible student start-ups stemming from ideas inspired as a result of the module as well as one definitive e-learning oriented commercial project which is being taken forward and was directly developed as a result of the ideas and skills gained via E-Commerce and Innovation.

Learner outcome:

The examples of curriculum development for enterprise related outcomes were originally outlined by Neil Coles at the International Enterprise Educators Conference under the heading 'From Archaeology to Zoology; an A-Z of enterprise in the curriculum'. For his work in contextualising enterprise for any subject, Neil won the 2013 National Enterprise Educator Award.

Resources:

  • For more detailed information regarding the delivery of the types of activity included within this case example, see ‘How To Guides.’

References:

Author / Attribution

This guide was produced by Natasha Edwards (with thanks to Neil Coles) (Cardiff School of Computer Science and Informatics, Cardiff University). If you would like to contact the author, please use this email address:- enterprise@cardiff.ac.uk.