Instructor and Classroom Information
Instructor:
Dr. Dave Sullivan
Course Description
Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes:
Learn how information systems work. In any medium to
large-scale business, information systems play a much larger role than
personal productivity tools like Microsoft Office. A certain amount of factual
knowledge about the information systems area is useful, but I have become
convinced a more important skill involves finding and evaluating information.
- The factual coverage of Information Systems will begin by defining an
information technology infrastructure, and developing an understanding of
both its technological (hardware, software, data, and networks) and human
(people, values/culture, and management system) components.
- Rather than read and memorize all the stuff in the previous paragraph --
which is the usual academic approach -- we will use a traditional Information Systems textbook
only as a jumping-off point. Each student will work in a group to research and
learn current developments about a information system's topic. Each group will prepare an Internet-based reading assignment for
their peers and will present what they learned to the class. A follow-up
discussion will evaluate the quality of sources of information used by the
group and debate issues around a mini-case study.
After completing this course, you should be able to:
- Understand
information systems, their role in businesses (strategic, operational, tactical,
etc.);
- Understand what
comprises information systems, the hardware and software technologies integrated
to deliver the technology businesses require;
- Recognize the
competitive edge – and limitations – that information technology offers to
business, as well as its effects on productivity;
- Provide an overview
of operating system, programming languages, the different generations of
languages and current trends;
- Explain the
principles and role of Open Source Software, its major players and
representatives;
- Understand data base
design, and be familiar with data warehouse, data mart and data mining;
- Understand the basic
architecture of the world-wide web, as well as some of its governing protocols;
- Explain the practice
and relevance of both the governance and auditing of information systems.
- Successfully
collaborate with others, and use the practices of project management, to work on
group tasks;
- Communicate –
verbally and in writing – in acceptable business English about information
technology practices and principles;
- Use a relational database system to build forms,
queries, forms, and reports.
Course Policies
Behavior in class:
Behavior
in class should be professional at all times. People must treat each other
with dignity and respect in order for scholarship to thrive. Behaviors
that are disruptive to learning will not be tolerated and may be referred
to the Office of the Dean of Students for disciplinary action.
Discrimination
and harassment: Discrimination
and/or harassment will not be tolerated in the classroom. In most cases,
discrimination and/or harassment violates Federal and State laws and/or
University Policies and Regulations. Intentional discrimination and/or
harassment will be referred to the Affirmative Action Office and dealt
with in accordance with the appropriate rules and regulations.
Unintentional
discrimination or harassment can be just as damaging to the offended
party, but it results from people not understanding the impact of
their remarks or actions on others or insensitivity to the feelings of
others. We must all strive to work together to create a positive learning
environment. This means that each individual should be sensitive to the
feelings of others and tolerant of the remarks and actions of others. If
you find the remarks and actions of another individual to be offensive,
please bring it to their attention. If you believe those remarks and
actions constitute intentional discrimination or harassment, please
bring it to my attention.
Arbitration: There
will be a one-week arbitration period after graded exams, projects and
assignments are returned. Within that one-week period, you are encouraged
to discuss any assumptions or interpretations you made on the
activity that influenced your grade.
Attendance: If you are unable to attend a class
session, it is your responsibility to acquire the class notes,
assignments, announcements and so on from a classmate. I will not give
private lectures for those that miss class.
Participation:
While attendance is not required, participation is a graded portion of the
class discussions. Obviously, you
cannot participate in class
discussions if you are not in the room.
Disability accommodation: Students with documented
disabilities who may need accommodations, who have any emergency medical
information the instructor should know of, or who need special
arrangements in the event of an evacuation, should make an appointment
with the instructor as early as possible, no later than the first week
of the term.
Syllabus and class website is a guide: feedback is requested This syllabus
and this BA370 website are a guide, not a
contract. They will change during the term as I attempt to provide the
most compelling and useful learning experience possible. I've learned from
experience that what makes sense to an instructor can be confusing to
students. So if things do not make sense, please talk with me. As changes
are made, I will announce them in class or place a note on the
BA370 Home Page. I also expect to make extensive use of
email to notify students of changes to lectures, readings and assignments. You
should check email frequently for course updates. Not reading your email
does not constituent a valid excuse for missing a course milestone.
Textbook:
Ralph Stair and George Reynolds,
Principles of Information Systems, Thompson, Course Technology, 2006.
 Comments: This
is a customized and trimmed-down version of the full-blown Ralph Stair
Information Systems textbook. The picture at the right shows the full-blown
textbook, which retails for over $100. By trimming away many of the more
specialized chapters, this book retains the essential core topics for an
Information Systems class while being a bunch cheaper. (The OSU Bookstore is
selling used copies of the Principles of Information Systems book for $33.
Course
Grades: The Department of Accounting, Finance and
Information Management uses the +/- grading system. Letter grades will be
assigned according to the number of points accumulated on activities and
exams. Status reports will occasionally be sent to your email box. I am
likely to shift the percentages listed below somewhat, but at
least the following table will give you a general sense of how I intend to
evaluate your performance.
| Activity |
Percentage of total |
| Reading quizzes |
10% |
| Data modeling project |
10% |
| Group presentation |
20% + 10% = 30% |
| Midterm |
20% |
| Final exam |
30% |
| Total |
100% |
- Reading quizzes: For class discussions to make sense, everyone must
have a common background about the day's topic. To ensure this happens, I
will periodically prepare fairly simple quizzes for you to complete about the readings
to be discussed. I won't prepare quizzed for each class period. Because life is full of
unexpected events that might force you to miss a class, I will throw out your
lowest quiz score.
- Data modeling project: An
important Information Systems skill is to document how data moves through an
organization. The data modeling project will ask you to determine what data should be collected in a corporate
database and design a normalized database structure for the data.
- Group presentation: each student will help prepare and present a
group presentation. The group presentation score
is broken into two parts. The first part is based on the quality of the
readings and presentation made to the class on the original presentation
date. The second part is based on the ideas (concept map, survey results,
and analysis) presented to the class on the follow-up date.
- Midterm: During the term I want to evaluate
your skill at using a computer directly, most likely through a midterm or
quizzes given in the basement computer lab during the last hour of the class
(that is, at 2:00 or 7:00 p.m.)
- Final exam: The comprehensive final exam will be held in the
basement computer lab. The exam will be open book, open note.
This link leads to a draft exam that I used in a
prior term ... it will some idea of the sort of questions I've used in
past.
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