DIVISION OF BUSINESS

COURSE SYLLABUS: MISM 3303-SA01, Information Systems Theory and Practice,
Summer 2008 San Antonio Campus

Instructor:	Tommy J. Thompson
Office:	Director, Campus Operations and Information Services, San Antonio
Office Phone:	(210) 826-7595 ext. 225
Home Phone:
Email:	Tommy.Thompson@wbusa.wbu.edu
Course Web Site:	http://satx.wbu.edu/tommy.thompson/mism3303 will be activated May 27, 2008.
FAX:	(210) 826-5699
Office Hours:	9-5 M-F by appointment
Class Hours:	6:00 – 10:10 pm Tuesday
Class Location:	Room 101 Main Campus

DESCRIPTION: This course provides an understanding of organizational systems, planning, and decision process, and how information is used for decision support in organizations. It covers quality and decision theory, information theory, and practice essential for providing viable information to the organization. It outlines the concepts of IS for competitive advantage, data as a resource, IS and IT planning, re-engineering, project management and development of systems, and end-user computing.

PREREQUISITE(s): COSC 2311.

TEXTBOOK:

BOOK	AUTHOR	ED	YEAR	PUBLISHER	ISBN#	REVIEW
Management Information Systems - with CD	OZ	5th	2006	Thomson Learning	1-4188-3597-8	Spring 09

OUTCOME COMPETENCIES:

Upon completion of this course, students will have developed an understanding of the uses, development, implementation and management of various business systems. The student will understand how business systems can be used to achieve a competitive advantage through the proper use and understanding of these important management tools.

Student progress will be measured by administering two tests, one written assignment, and web based questions.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION:

The final course grade will be determined using a 1,000-point grading system. The value for each graded segment is listed below.

Mid-term Exam	300 pt.	A = 900 - 1000
Final Exam	300 pt.	B = 800 - 899
Data Flow Diagram	100 pt.	C = 700 - 799
Written Report/Essay	100 pt.	D = 600 - 699
Four Web Assignments	200 pt. (50 pt. each)	F = below 600

Written Assignment

Your written assignment has two parts, each will be graded separately. Your written assignment will be evaluated in accordance with the guidelines established in the APA Manual. The following additional instructions are provided for clarity. Papers must be typed. Papers must be double-paced. Papers must be left justified. Each part must contain a title page on which you will list the name of the course, the date, and your name and nine digit student ID number. In addition to the standard correct use of English grammar, spelling and format, your assignment will be evaluated for the correct use of references, content and logic of the paper, and design and logic of your data flow diagram.

Part one is to write a 500 word report or essay on what you believe to be the greatest threat to information (data) in the United States business community today. Part one is due in class on June 24, 2008. It must be submitted in class, not by email.

Part two is to produce a data flow chart of one single report used in a system where you work using only the four diagram symbols on page 394 in your text for each step and process. Remember a dataflow chart must have at least one process, and a diagram can never begin or end with a process since that is an action. Interview any necessary employees and review any pertinent documentation to construct your diagram. The diagram must be complete showing the entire flow of the data of that report from input through output including final disposition. Since it may be difficult to construct a data flow chart correctly using a computer you may construct it by hand. If you want to use a computer, Microsoft Word has all of the necessary symbols as part of the AutoShapes, the square (entity), the arrow (flow), the circle (process), and the double sided rectangle (data store). They are shown here:

Create a simple written description explaining the processes that are followed in the data flow diagram. If you do not have a current job, you may write on a report where you previously worked provided you can still interview those employees and view the appropriate documentation of that organization; or you can select a report used at this campus and base your report diagram on interviews and research with university staff members. Part two is due in class on July 22, 2008. It must be submitted in class, not by email.

On the class web site notes page select the option for paper topic and enter the name of the report on which you will construct your data flow chart.

Web Assignments:

Read the chapters and the class notes for each week then answer the questions on the web site for each weekly web assignment. Please do not submit the web assignment questions before the week they are due (Ex: week 3 questions may be submitted after the week 2 meeting and no later than 10 pm on Tuesday of week 3). Web questions must be submitted via the class web site. Your responses are written to a data table. Do not email your web questions to me.

· Week 3 – Review questions on page 171, questions 1-20.

· Week 6 – Review questions on pages 306, questions 1-11.

· Week 7 – Review questions on page 343-344, questions 1-12 and page 371, questions 1-14.

· Week 10 – Review questions on page 472, questions 1-18.

ATTENDANCE POLICY: During this course, students are expected to attend all classes and to be on time. Students are responsible for all assignments and lecture material including material missed during any absences. Students are expected to makeup any missed work due an absence or tardiness. Tests for this course will be administered via the web; therefore no make-up exams will be available. The lab is open for your use during the day, however there may be classes or testing scheduled. You should call the office first to ensure it is open at the time you wish to use it. You will need to show your Student ID Card to use the lab. You must vacant the lab no later than 5 p.m. so as not to interfere with the evening computer classes. Please do not assume that an assignment has been submitted by merely typing it or loading it onto a lab computer. Work conflicts, family emergencies, military TDY, and sudden changes in your scheduled work hours are not considered an excuse for failure to submit your assignments on time.

Attendance will be taken via the Internet starting the second week of class. Submission of your attendance using the form provided on the class web site is considered a part of the grading process and you may be counted as absent if you fail to sign in for class, even if you were in present in the classroom. Therefore, failure to send your attendance may not only result in you being counted as absent, but can have a negative impact on your course grade as well. Check your on-line grades and notes often. You are expected to attend each scheduled class meeting. On the weeks when the class has web assignments instead of meeting in the lab you are expected to work the assignments during that week. Failure to accomplish the assignments during the week assigned will count the same as an absence for that week. Any student who misses 25 percent or more of the regularly scheduled class meetings will receive grade of F in this course. The university attendance policy can be found in the 2007-2008 academic catalog. If you do not have a catalog, you may obtain one through the main office. The attendance policy was also part of your new student orientation, which you were required to take. To summarize, the attendance policy states that any student who misses 25 percent (three classes for the San Antonio Campus) or more of a term will receive a grade of F. The university has a very liberal drop policy, especially for military TDY and medical exigency reasons. These policies can be found in the academic catalog. Since the semesters are only eleven weeks in duration, the university does not differentiate between excused and unexcused absences. Three late arrivals, early departures, or combination of the two may be counted as an absence. On those evenings that the class has a web based assignment, failure to submit your assignment by 10 pm that evening will result in you being counted absent for that week.

STATEMENTS: “This class will adhere to zero tolerance for using someone else’s work as your own.”

“It is university policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be excused from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the University. Students should inform the instructor of existing disabilities at the first class meeting”

“Students are responsible for reading, understanding, obeying, and respecting all academic policies, with added emphasis being placed upon academic progress policies, appearing in the Wayland Baptist University Academic Catalog applicable to their curriculum and/or program of study.”

COURSE OUTLINE/CALENDAR

Week 1 – May 27 (in-class; 6 pm to 8:05 pm)

Read chapter 1, Business Information Systems: An Overview.

Week 2 – June 3 (in-class; 6 pm to 8:05 pm)

Read chapters 2 and 3, The Strategic Uses of Information Systems, and Business Functions and Supply Chains.

Week 3 –June 10 (web)

Read chapters 4 and 5, Information Technology in Business: Hardware; and Information Technology in Business: Software. Answer the questions on the class web site for this evening and submit via the web no later than 10 pm this evening.

Week 4 – June 17 (in-class; 6 to 10:10 pm)

Read Chapter 6, Information Technology in Business: Networks and Telecommunications.

Week 5 – June 24 (in-class; 6 to 10:10 pm)

Read chapter 7; and Databases and Data Warehouses. Part one of your written assignment is due in class this evening.

Week 6 – July 1 (web)

Read chapters 8 and 9, The Web-Enabled Enterprise and Challenges of Global Information Systems. Answer the questions on the class web site for this evening and submit via the web no later than 10 pm this evening. The mid-term exam will be administered via the web and must completed no later than 10 pm this evening, for a grade. The exam will be available on the class web site beginning June 28, 2008. Since it is available via the web, make up exams will not be administered. The test must be answered and submitted through the web page. The mid-term exam will cover chapters 1 – 9.

Week 7 – July 8 (web)

Read chapters 10 and 11, Decision Support Systems and Expert Systems. Answer the questions on the class web site for this evening and submit via the web no later than 10 pm this evening.

Week 8 – July15 (in-class; 6 to 10:10 pm)

Read chapter 12, Business Intelligence and Knowledge Management and Systems Planning and Development. We will work exercises on NVP, NPC coefficients, payback analysis, PERT and Gantt this evening, as well as several formulas used in project management and systems analysis.

Week 9 – July 22 (in-class; 6 – 10:10 pm)

Continue with PERT and Gantt from last week and work exercises in class using MS Project. Read chapter 13, Systems Acquisitions. We will carry over the discussion from last week and continue to work additional exercises as necessary. Part two of your written assignment is due in class this evening.

Week 10 – July 29 (web)

Read chapter 14, Risks, Security, and Disaster Recovery.

The final exam will be administered next week. If you prefer to take the exam in class instead of the web, you must complete the form on the class web site so I will have a printed copy available for you. Answer the questions on the class web site for this evening and submit via the web no later than 10 pm this evening.

Week 11 – August 5 (web/in-class)

The final exam will be administered via the web and must completed no later than 10 pm this evening for a grade. The exam will be available on the class web site beginning August 2, 2008. It will cover chapters 10- 17. Since it is available via the web, make up final exams will not be administered. Incomplete grades will not be given except for medical emergencies.

The mid-term and the final exam will be graded by the computer and your grade will be available immediately for viewing in your student data file. The written assignment and the four web assignments will be graded individually and I will post the grade to your file. If you elect to take the final exam in class then it will also be graded individually and I will post the grade to your file. Once posted to your student data file, you may view your grades via the web using your Student ID number, name, and the password you entered when obtaining a permit to register. You may change your password via the campus web site at any time. No grades will be given out over the phone or by email or the mail. The university no longer mails a grade sheet to you. You must access your grades on-line using the IQ Web system in Plainview.