Ethical behaviour involves the capacity of thinking and acting in ways consistent with what society, the law, and institutional, organisational and professional bodies state their values are. All behaviour must therefore conform to these stated values.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students must ensure compliance with the codes, guidelines and policies to facilitate safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and/or the people with whom they engage. This ensures the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual well-being of the individual is not placed at risk.

Examples are:

• Complying with academic and non-academic misconduct policies and procedures such as CQUniversity’s Student Charter, Student Misconduct Policy and Student Behavioural Misconduct Procedures and Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
• Demonstrating honesty and integrity in academic and professional practice.

Behavioural stability involves the capacity of being able to personally function in a consistent and stable manner in a wide range of circumstances and environments with appropriate constructive behaviour.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students must have behavioural stability to work individually and in teams in changing and challenging environments.

• Students will be exposed to demanding and pressurised situations and will be required to have the necessary behavioural stability to respond objectively, consistently and professionally.

Examples are:

• Being reflective with personal behaviours appropriate for professional performance and being positive and receptive to processing constructive supervisor/lecturer feedback or criticism.
• Interacting with people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures in a calm and composed manner in difficult to deal with situations.

Legal compliance involves the capacity to understand Australian law, as well as layers of institution/organisation rules that apply to almost every context. People, therefore, need to function in a responsible manner within the law, as well as within the applicable rules to every situation in their daily interactions.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students will be working in an environment that is governed by legislative and regulatory requirements and standards, as these are essential prerequisites for risk to be minimised in professional placement.

• Students need to comply with professional regulations and Australian Law as they are responsible and accountable for their own judgements and practices.

Examples are:

• Complying with the policies and practices of the ICT business or organisation in which you may be placed or find employment.
• Complying with the requirements for student registration.

Communication skills include abilities in verbal, non-verbal, written, and computer-mediated communication. 

Verbal Communication:

Verbal communication involves the capacity of being able to effectively and appropriately communicate verbally, in English, in a wide variety of contexts.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students need well developed verbal skills for the timely, accurate and effective delivery of ICT instructions to perform projects and services efficiently.

• Students must be able to respond quickly, accurately and effectively as the speed of interaction may be critical for role performance under pressurised situations.

Examples are:

• Verbally communicating in the English language with accuracy, appropriateness and effectiveness.
• Actively participating in discussion activities related to the course.
• Using language that is appropriate to the context of the individual, group or workplace.
• Establishing rapport with clients in the delivery of ICT practice and responding appropriately to clients, supervisors and other professionals.

Non-verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication involves the capacity to recognise, interpret and respond to non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, eye contact and body gestures in a variety of contexts.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students must be effective non-verbal communicators, as these skills are fundamental to ICT and add more effectiveness to the delivery of their practice.
• Students need to have the ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues to assist with building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships.
• Students need to be able to consistently display appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, body movements and gestures while being mindful of personal space and time boundaries promotes trust and respect in others.
• ICT workers need to be able to observe, understand and use non-verbal cues as these are essential for meaningful interaction with clients and co-workers.

Examples are:

• Using appropriate facial expressions: eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries, a range of body movements and gestures.
• Presenting in front of a range of stakeholders including fellow students, academics, and industry representatives.
• Recognising and interpreting non-verbal cues of others and responding appropriately during activities related to the course, as well as in the ICT practice environment.

Written Communication

Written communication involves the capacity of being able to competently and appropriately communicate in writing, in a wide variety of contexts.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students need to be able to construct a range of written text to academic and professional standards in order to convey knowledge, understanding and skills from the relevant subject matter.
• Students need to be able to produce accurate written communication necessary for the provision of consistent and appropriate ICT practice, including e-mail, letter writing, record-keeping and client notes that also meet legal requirements.

Examples are:

• Having basic computer knowledge and skills to engage in the online learning environment which may include completing relevant online assessments and participating in online forums or responding to emails.

• Competently and appropriately producing written assessment work in a logical, coherent manner, and with correct grammar and punctuation to the required academic standards.
• Expressing complex and detailed information and knowledge into a logical and legible report, in a timely manner that meets professional standards and clearly communicates the intended message.
• Accurately conveying and documenting information in a written form that meets legal and ICT practice requirements.

Cognitive ability involves the capacity of thinking and processing knowledge to gain understanding and to function effectively in a wide variety of contexts. Cognition includes knowledge and cognitive skills, and literacy.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students must deliver effective ICT practice that is based on comprehensive knowledge that must be sourced, understood and applied appropriately.
• Students must competently and consistently demonstrate the knowledge and cognitive skills expected of ICT practitioners, as they are accountable and responsible for their practice.

Examples are:

• Conceptualising and using appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items.
• Applying theoretical knowledge, research evidence, policies and procedures in ICT practice.
• Constructing written text proficiently, in English, using appropriate vocabulary and conventions of speech, including being able to paraphrase, summarise and reference in accordance with appropriate academic conventions.
• Competently reading, writing and accurately interpreting information to convey language effectively in ICT projects and services.
• Producing accurate, concise and clear ICT documentation that meets professional and legal requirements.

Sensory abilities involve the ability to use the main sensory modalities - visual, auditory and tactile.

Visual Ability

Visual ability involves the ability to see, and visual acuity relates to sharpness or clearness of vision. In relation to inherent requirements, it refers to how sight might affect the competent delivery of a task or role.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students need the capacity to use sight to obtain, process, interpret and translate information.
• Students’ visual observations are fundamental for the effective delivery of ICT projects and services.

Examples are:

• Accurately using a computer in a wide variety of ICT contexts.
• Perceiving colours, tones, motion and depth.
• Perceiving fine detail on a computer screen.
• Discerning an object from its background.
• Creating visual designs and artworks.
• Creating 3D models in a computer.
• Creating video recordings, animations and motion graphics.

Auditory Ability

Auditory ability involves the capacity to hear. In relation to inherent requirements, it refers to how hearing might affect the competent delivery of a task or role.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students need sufficient auditory ability for the effective delivery of Digital Media projects and services that involve sounds such as video production and audio production.

Examples are:

• Creating and editing audio recordings.
• Creating and editing soundtracks that are synchronised with video, animation or motion graphics.

Tactile Ability

Tactile ability is defined as the ability to touch. In relation to inherent requirements, it refers to how touch might affect the competent delivery of a task or role.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students need sufficient tactile ability to interact with digital devices through physical interfaces such as a mouse, keyboard or touchscreen.
• Students need sufficient tactile ability to operate digital media production equipment such as video cameras, still cameras, microphones, lighting kits, background kits, and so on.
• Students need sufficient tactile ability to draw with a pencil or pen.

Examples are:

• Interacting with a computer through input devices such as a mouse or keyboard.
• Interacting with mobile devices through inputs such as buttons and a touchscreen.
• Operating digital media production equipment such as video cameras, still cameras, microphones, lighting kits, background kits, and so on.

Relational skills refer to the ability to ability to communicate, establish and manage relationships with others.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students need the capacity to relate positively and effectively to a wide variety of clients and ICT project stakeholders to enable constructive relationships.

Examples are:

• Rapidly building rapport with ICT project stakeholders and colleagues in the professional context.
• Maintaining positive working relationships when under stressful circumstances.

Reflective skills refer to individuals' ability to analyse their own experiences and improve the way they learn and work.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students need reflective skills to be able to reflect and give deep thought and consideration to particular issues, cases and situations.

Examples are:

• Engaging in personal reflection as a way of increasing self-awareness regarding how individuals interact and affect others.
• Reflect on contemporary situations and consider how relevant theories and concepts may be applicable.

Sustainable performance involves the capacity of performing both physically and mentally at a sustained level to consistently deliver competence in a task or role.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students need sustained mental endurance to consistently perform many tasks over a set period of time to provide safe and appropriate ICT skills and services.

Examples are:

• Actively participating in activities related to the course and professional experience.
• Performing with the required mental energy and endurance in performing ICT skills and services during set time frames.
• Showing persistence when learning a new concept and seeing it as a challenge to be solved rather than an insurmountable obstacle.

Strength and Mobility relate to the ability to physically perform a range of whole-body movements (gross motor skills) and fine movements (fine motor skills).

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills refer to the ability to undertake precise and more finite movements or actions, especially of the hands and fingers (or equivalent assisted technology) for activities such as using a computer keyboard and mouse, writing and manipulating small objects.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students must have sufficient fine motor skills to complete various ICT tasks that may include (but are not limited to) being able to grasp, press, push, turn, squeeze and manipulate various objects.
• Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently to ensure a safe environment as well as reduce the risk of injury to themselves and others.

Examples are:

• Interacting with a computer through input devices such as a mouse or keyboard.
• Interacting with mobile devices through inputs such as buttons and a touchscreen.

Interpersonal skills include empathy, communication, collaboration and conflict management skills.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students need interpersonal skills to effectively communicate, interact and collaborate with others and resolve conflicts.

Examples are:

• Demonstrating the skills of collaborating with fellow students and colleagues, modifying and reflecting on practice during a project, or modifying and reflecting on work-integrated learning in response to supervisor feedback.
• Rapidly building rapport with a client in order to engage them in project management practice, for example taking over a project mid-stream and successfully recovering troubled projects or gathering initial requirements from a client and negotiating project scope.
• Critically self-reflecting on situations that may/may not have gone well, and taking the learning point(s) from that situation.
• Interacting and engaging with individuals and groups in project management practice in a respectful and culturally competent manner in a wide variety of contexts.
• Positively recovering a project from serious problems or risk by means of superior negotiation, influencing and leadership skills to achieve the best possible outcome.

Information and Communication Technology ability involves the capacity to demonstrate appropriate and proficient understanding and use of computers and associated technologies in a wide variety of contexts.

Justification of inherent requirement:

• Students need to be able to understand and competently use computers, mobile devices and associated technologies as these are fundamental to this program.

Examples are:

• Competently using a desktop operating system such as Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X.
• Having sufficient computer knowledge and skills to engage in the online learning environment that may include completing relevant online assessments and participating in online forums or responding to emails.
• Competently using a mobile operating system such as iOS or Android.
• Competently using digital media software tools such as Adobe Creative Cloud applications.
• Competently using productivity software such as Microsoft Office.
• Operating electronic devices such as a video camera, a scanner, a tablet computer or a mobile phone.