Simnet sdsu

MIS180-6 Principles of Information Systems
Fall 2015
San Diego State University
College of Business Administration
Department of MIS
COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Robert Judge

Class Days: Tuesdays

Class Times: 4:00-6:40pm

Class Location: HH-130

Office Hours Times (and by appointment): Wed 4-5:00pm & Thurs 2-4:00pm

Office Location: SSE-3114

Email: rjudge@mail.sdsu.edu

Phone: 760-505-7075

COMMUNICATIONS

e-mail inquiries are welcome through rjudge@mail.sdsu.edu at any time for any questions you may have. Please include a descriptive subject for your e-mail communications. BE SURE TO indicate your name, class and section or I will not respond to your email. I have several classes and lack the time to dig around and find which class and section you are in.

Questions not to email me about:

· Anything already in this syllabus

· What’s on the exam?

· When is something due (read this syllabus)?

· Is there extra credit (No)?

· I am so close to a higher grade. Can I just have an additional point or two (No)?

Enrollment Information
Prerequisites: None

Adding/Dropping Procedures: A crash list will be created the first day of class. Those students with the greatest number of units will be provided any available seats. Dropping of the class will follow the rules stated by the university.

Course Overview
CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION

Prerequisite: None

Fundamentals of information systems in business. Integration of information technology, e-commerce, systems analysis, database management systems, networking, security, and collaboration. Application of concepts through developing solutions to business problems using spreadsheets, database management systems, and web development tools/languages.

INTRODUCTION

The world’s technical knowledge is doubling every two years. Companies cannot afford to be static – they must change to face a rapidly changing world. Their information services must operate 24/7 and have global reach. They need to be able to understand their current processes and the information flows used to create value, and then identify ways to improve them. Everyone in the organization must understand technology and adapt rapidly as that technology evolves. This course will give you an introduction to the information systems and technologies used by businesses to gain competitive advantage. As a practical application of the course reading and lectures, you will complete assignments using various software tools (Cognitive mapping, Process flow, Spreadsheet, Database, etc.).

Why this is important to you?

1. What are the generally agreed skills needed for the 21st Century? ( Article on 21st Century Skills needed by the Workforce)

· Information and Technological literacy

· Inventive and creative thinking skills

· Collaboration and communication skills

· Use of Knowledge, Skills and Abilities to achieve high levels of productivity

*** IS&T plays a role in all these!

2. Job Market (Article on the job market for MIS)

· Computer System Analyst positions expected to increase 29% by 2016

· This is 146,000 new jobs in the field bringing the total to 650,000

· In 2009, the highest paid undergraduates from business schools were Information System Majors (Article on highest paid business majors).

Student Learning Outcomes

BSBA students will graduate being:

· Effective Communicators

· Critical Thinkers

· Able to Analyze Ethical Problems

· Global in their perspective

· Knowledgeable about the essentials of business

MIS180 contributes to these goals through its student learning outcomes. All students will be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills related to the application of Information Systems in organizations. In order to demonstrate acquisition of this knowledge and skill, students are required to read assigned materials, participate in class discussions, and complete assignments related to the course content. By the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. Understand the importance of determining information system requirements for all management and employees by developing an understanding of the differences between various types of information systems

2. Understand how information systems are developed

3. Understand the computer revolution and its impact on the way business is conducted

4. Become familiar with critical-thinking skills in identifying information systems problems and how to investigate existing literature about hardware and software solutions to problems.

5. Know the components and functions of computer systems, both hardware and software.

6. Become familiar with the advances in networking, data communications and the Internet and how they affect the way business is conducted.

7. Identify which information technology tools are used to solve various business problems.

8. Develop proficiency solving business problems using modern productivity tools (e.g., spreadsheet, database) or creating custom programs.

Course Materials
Text: Baltzan, M: Information Systems, SDSU Edition (2nd Edition, 2011).

Microsoft Visio and Access software (This will be free through the Microsoft Academic Alliance Program - Dreamspark). Instructions are posted in Blackboard on how to obtain a Dreamspark account, download software and install it. I will help you only for the first two weeks – after that you are on your own. Please do not procrastinate.

Microsoft Excel software cannot be obtained through the program just mentioned. You can use the school's computers for Excel assignments if you do not have a copy.

Free Mind software – Available for free download.

Tableau software - free student version available for download

VirtualBox if you have a MAC - This is free software that allows you to install Visio, Access, and Tableau on a MAC computer. There is a document posted in Blackboard on how to do install this software.

Simnet online learning system for Excel and Access self-learning assignments

The Course Key: web application for attendance, in-class questions, and peer 2 peer communication

Course Structure and Conduct
This class is a lecture class with several assignments using the software listed above. The lectures will be posted in Blackboard although they often change to various degrees as I review them prior to class. The changes generally are to add current information. To help with assignments I will review each in detail during class, but I have also posted videos in Blackboard to help you understand the software and how to do the assignments.

This class has a considerable amount of assignments and opportunities to contribute to the class discussion. It is always a good idea to read the assigned material in advance of the class. You will get far more out of the discussion and lecture. We will start each class with a discussion of what is in the news related to technology and how that technology affects sustainability, and its potential for positive and negative impacts on businesses. I will be using The Course Key software to track attendance, present in class questions, and to award points for participation.

This semester we will be using the CourseKey beta version and you will be able to use the application on any smart device (smartphone, tablet, laptops, etc.) with a web browser. If you do not have a smart device please contact support the support team at support@thecoursekey.com so that arrangements can be made to accommodate you.

Required Browser: Google Chrome

· Laptop/PC Chrome Download Link

· Android Chrome Download Link

· iTunes Download Link (click “View in iTunes” to pull up in iPhone or iPad)

· Windows Phone Download Link

*** Disclaimer ***

The software location features work best with the Chrome browser so failure to use the required browser can result in attendance location errors and/or bugs. Additional browser compatibility will be implemented in the next version.

You can visit the CourseKey Youtube channel for the Student Quick Start Guide which outlines how you will register for a student account, as well as providing a brief overview to get you registered for the class. CourseKey’s beta version offers a free semester-long subscription. The first day of class we will go over the integration of the software and how attendance and participation will be graded.

Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. To avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that accommodations based upon disability cannot be provided until you have presented your instructor with an accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Assessments and Grading
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:

All assignments must be turned in with the file name of your “lastname_firstname_assignment” (e.g. Judge_Robert_cognitive map). A minimum of 10 points will be deducted for each assignment that this is not followed. Late is late for assignments – no partial points, no makeup!

1. Produce a Cognitive Map on a provided MIS topic area (see list of topics below): Expectations (low "B"), are that the map will have a minimum of:

· 50 child nodes (content)

· 10 hyperlinks

· 10 notes

· Some structure: Color, fonts, clouds, etc.

·

2. Produce a Process flow map. Expectations (low "B"), are that each process map will have:

· Minimum of 30 blocks (including several decision blocks)

· Represent the process logically

· Include key parameters for several key blocks (time, cost, key resources such as labor and equipment)

· Incorporate color, formatting and a legend for clarity

3. Excel and Access online course (SIMNET). Instructions on how to access and use Simnet will be provided on Blackboard and in class. Be sure to sign up for Your CLASS and SECTION # --- or lose your points.

4. Excel and Access practical business analysis (detailed instructions will be provided through Blackboard and in class). The Excel portion requires you to activate macros so that a dialog box appears for you to enter your Name and Red-id appears. If the dialog box does not appear for you, change your macro security settings or use a school computer. See me if still a problem. Failure to enter such information will result in a loss of a minimum of 50% of the possible points. The Access database must be saved as a .mdb or .accdb file. If saved as a file type .laccdb, you will lose a minimum of 50% of the possible points.

5. Tableau visual data analysis. Failure to "Save as" a Tableau Workbook Package (.twbx) will result in a loss of a minimum of 50% of the points. You will create 3 charts and a dashboard. 20 points will be awarded for accomplishing this correctly. Up to an additional 5 points extra credit will be awarded for using special features of Tableau to make it easy for the user to select out a subset of the data to emphasize.

6. There will be 9 quizzes worth 20 points each (one for each chapter). You will have only 10 minutes to complete each quiz - so be prepared before you start. All quizzes will be accessed through Blackboard. Late is late for quizzes – no partial points, no makeup!

Suggested Topics for Cognitive Map Assignment:

· Cloud computing

· Outsourcing MIS

· RSS Feeds

· Security

· Social Networking (Blogs, Forums, Communities of Practice)

· Simulation

· Search engines

· Robotics

· Data Mining

· Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

· Knowledge management

· Decision Support Systems (DSS)

· Virtual communities

· Nanotechnology

· Sensor technology & networks

· Open source software

· Peer to Peer networks

· Web 2.0

· Communication technologies

· Server Virtualization

· Client Virtualization

· Sustainability (environmental efforts related to MIS)

· Agile programming methodology vs. Waterfall methodology

· Semantic web

· Quantum computing

· Encryption

· Worms & Trojan Horses

· MIS workplace productivity improvements (Economics)

· MIS labor market analysis

· Technology acceptance models (TAM, UTAUT, etc.)

· HCI (Human Computer Interface)

· CMMI, COBIT, ITIL

Grading:

Course grades will be assigned in accordance with San Diego State University policy (see General Catalog). Undergraduate grades shall be: A (outstanding achievement, available only for the highest accomplishment), B (praiseworthy performance, definitely above average), C (average, awarded for satisfactory performance, the most common undergraduate grade), D (minimally passing, less than the typical undergraduate achievement), F (failing).

The final grade will be based on the percent of the total available points received against the following scale:

· 93 - 100% A

· 90 - 92.9% A-

· 87 - 89.9% B+

· 83 – 86.9% B

· 80 – 82.9% B-

· 77 – 79.9% C+

· 73 – 76.9% C

· 70 – 72.9% C-

· 67 – 69.9% D+

· 63 - 66.9% D

· 60 - 62.9% D-

· < 59.9% F

GRADE COMPONENTS

Students are graded on the following components of the course found in table 1 (approximate points per assignment – some changes to point totals may occur – but any changes will be communicated). You are responsible to monitor your grades. If something is not correct, you need to bring it to my attention immediately, not days or weeks later. I will have sympathy early but not later.

Table 1: Your course grade will be based on the following weighted components

Assignments

Scoring Methodology

Number of Assignments or Submissions

Points per Assignment

Total Possible Points

Process Flow Chart

· 30 + Blocks

· 2 + Swimlanes

· 2+ Blocks (color coded with data)

· Use of Legend

· Reference indicators

1

50

50

Excel (Simnet)

Point for each question correctly answered

3

29,38,44,17

128

Access (Simnet)

Point for each question correctly answered

2

45,27

72

Excel Projects (Simnet)

Point for each question correctly answered

4

24, 22, 12, 12

70

Access Project (Simnet)

Point for each question correctly answered

4

25, 24, 10, 16

75

Excel/Access

Files for assignment in Blackboard:

· Import files into Excel

· Merge manually and answer questions using a pivot table

· Export to Access

· Create Query to answer question

1

Excel (30)

Access (20)

50

Tableau

Import the 3 tables from Excel.

Create 3 charts that visually represent the answers to the Excel/Access assignment questions and incorporate in a dashboard

1

20

+ 5 bonus points possible

20

Cognitive map

· 50+ Nodes with informative content

· 10+ Hyperlinks

· 10+ Notes

· Use of color, structure, and icons

1

50

50

Attendance

The Course Key software will track those who attend

15

2

30

Class Questions

The course key will track who answered and whether correctly

50

2

100

Extra Points

Extra credit points will be awarded at times for class participation

?

3

?

Quizzes

Score

9

40

360

Midterm

Score

1

400

400

Final Exam

Score

1

400

400

Total

1805

Do not ask for a few extra points or an assignment to make up points at the end of the semester. The grade breaks are hard and fast. You have many assignments, quizzes and exams to make up points for one poor showing. It is only fair to all the students.

Grade of Incomplete. A grade of Incomplete (I) indicates that a portion of required coursework has not been completed and evaluated in the prescribed time period due to unforeseen, but fully justified, reasons and that there is still a possibility of earning credit. It is your responsibility to bring pertinent information to the instructor and to reach agreement on the means by which the remaining course requirements will be satisfied. The conditions for removal of the Incomplete shall be reduced to writing by the instructor and given to you with a copy placed on file with the department chair until the Incomplete is removed or the time limit for removal has passed. A final grade is assigned when the work agreed upon has been completed and evaluated. An Incomplete shall not be assigned when the only way you could make up the work would be to attend a major portion of the class when it is next offered. Contract forms for Incomplete grades are available at the Office of the Registrar website

Tentative Course Schedule
The following Table 2, introduces the sessions in this course. The specific scope of each week may be modified throughout the course – but any changes will be well communicated in class. All assignments are due end of day Sunday on the week they appear in the table below (Sunday is the last day of the week). All assignments must be submitted through Blackboard.

Table 2: The course schedule, including topics and class activities listed by week, is presented in the following table

Class Dates

Session Topics, Demonstrations, and Hands-on work

Readings and due dates for Assignments

8/25

Understand the role of MIS in business strategy and competitiveness. MIS Roles and responsibilities, Porter's 5 force model, Value Chain analysis

Other activities:

· Did You Know?

· Review Syllabus and learning objectives

· DreamSpark service - how to access it (2 weeks help!)

· Setting up the MAC to use PC software

Chapter 1

Special Office hours to help with software installation will be stated in class

9/1

Systems as enabler of cross-functional processes. Input – process – output (I-P-O)

Other activities: Review use of Visio for process flow mapping and how to do the assignment

Chapter 1

Quiz # 1: Due 9/6

9/8

MIS Support for Decision making process, Measuring success.

Chapter 2

9/15

Business processes, Artificial intelligence (Expert, Neural, Genetic, Agents, VR).

Other activities: Tools you should be familiar with (Google refined searches, Scholar, Wolfram Alpha, etc.)

Chapter 2

Quiz # 2: Due 9/20

Process Flowchart: Due 9/20

9/22

WWW - business "disruptor", advantages/challenges and types of Ebusiness, Describe the major forms of E-commerce.

Other activities: How to sign up and use SIMNET for Excel and Access assignment

Chapter 3

SimNet Excel assignment # 1 and 2: Due 9/27

9/29

Discuss how e-commerce is made secure. Web 2.0

Other activities: Setting up your B2C – just how hard is it: Tools and costs.

Chapter 3

Quiz # 3: Due 10/4

Simnet Excel assignment # 3 and 4: Due 10/4

10/6

Polices: privacy, ethical and acceptable use of company systems. Security: people vs. technology.

Chapter 4

Quiz # 4 : Due 10/11

Simnet Access assignment # A and B: Due 10/11

10/13

What is MIS infrastructure? Backup and recovery. Maintainability, Portability, Reliability, and Scalability. MIS and the environment (Sustainability)

Chapter 5

Quiz # 5 : Due 10/18

SimNet Excel Projects skills assessments: Due 10/18

10/20

MIDTERM 10/20 - Bring Scantron form: 882-E: Covers chapters 1 - 5

10/27

Data, information and Databases. Transactional vs. Analytical processes. Timelines and Quality. Relational data bases.

Other activities: MS Access vs. Excel assignment demo/explanation

Chapter 6 & Appendix C (only in e-book)

SimNet Access Projects skills assessment: Due 11/1

11/3

Data warehouses and data marts. Making sense of all that data - tools to help us. Evolving database technologies: big data.

Other activities:

· Demo of GIS (Batchgeo.com)

· Demo of Analytics software (KNIME)

· Tableau demo and assignment review

Chapter 6 & Appendix C (only in e-book)

Quiz # 6: Due 11/8

Excel Pivot table & Access assignment: Due 11/8

11/10

Mobile network categories, providers, technologies and protocols. Business applications of wireless technology

Chapter 7

Tableau assignment: Due 11/15

Quiz # 7: Due 11/15

11/17

Operations and Supply Chain Management (SCM) strategies and fundamentals. Success factors.

Other activities: FreeMind Demo (Blackboard) – Cognitive Mapping

Chapter 8

11/24

Benefits of Customer relationship management (CRM). Business intelligence – finding a competitive advantage.

Trends. The system to plan it all. Integrating the flow of business transaction to improve control, accuracy, and responsiveness. Knowledge management.

Other activities: Demo of SAP

Chapter 8

Quiz # 8: Due 11/29

.

Cognitive map: Due 11/29

12/1

The SDLC and its seven phases. Agile system development and its key principles. The importance of TAM and UTAUT for implementation success.

Chapter 9

12/8

Overview of Project Management: necessity and tools.

Chapter 9

Quiz # 9: Due 12/13

5/12

Final Exam - Bring Scantron form: 882-E

December 15 4:00 PM Room HH-130

Changes to the course schedule, if any, will be announced in class.

Academic Honesty
The University adheres to a strict policy regarding cheating and plagiarism. These activities will not be tolerated in this class. Become familiar with the policy (http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html). Any cheating or plagiarism will result in failing this class and a disciplinary review by Student Affairs.

CHEATING:

The assignments, quizzes, and exams you submit must be entirely your own individual work.

If you and another person work together on assignments and the resulting two assignments are alike (or very nearly so), you are cheating. Each student is responsible for doing the assignment independently. Cheating in IDS 180 includes sharing solutions either by copying, retyping, looking at, or supplying a copy of a file/solution. Cheating occurs on both the supplying and receiving ends. Do NOT leave copies of your assignments on the lab computers. If you do, and someone else uses it, you are still responsible and involved in cheating.

The easiest way to comply with this policy is to avoid talking to others about the assignment while you are working at a computer. While it is okay to talk to other students to get help in understanding what the assignment is, it is absolutely wrong for you to be working with one or more people, even if you are sitting at different computers, deciding what to put in each part of a worksheet, database, etc. You are always allowed to ask the instructor for more specific help. If you have questions relating to this policy, please direct them to the instructor.

This class has a zero-tolerance policy for cheating. You have now been warned. If you are involved in a cheating incident you will receive a grade of F in this course. Additionally, all cases of cheating will be reported to SDSU’s Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities for University disciplinary action. Note: You are not eligible to use course forgiveness to replace a grade in a course where you have been found guilty of academic dishonesty.

Note: During Exams you may not wear any hats or have turned on any electronic devices including but not limited to cell phones, pagers, music devices, etc. Plan accordingly on exam days.

Plagiarism:

Examples of Plagiarism include but are not limited to:

· Using sources verbatim or paraphrasing without giving proper attribution (this can include phrases, sentences, paragraphs and/or pages of work)

· Copying and pasting work from an online or offline source directly and calling it your own

· Using information you find from an online or offline source without giving the author credit

· Replacing words or phrases from another source and inserting your own words or phrases

· Submitting a piece of work you did for one class to another class

If you have questions on what is plagiarism, please consult the policy and this helpful guide from the Library