Texts:

Gray, P., Manager's Guide to Making Decisions about Information Systems, New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2006.

Recommended:

      Lloyd, I., Build Your Own Web Site the Right Way Using HTML & CSS, SitePoint, 2006.

      Keogh, J., Javascript Demystified, New York: McGraw-Hill Osborne, 2005.

      Upton, D. and H.K. Bowen, IT Concepts: An Online Course, Harvard Business School Publishing, http://elearning.hbsp.org/sponsor.html?sponsorCode=UMSLVS1

Supplemental Materials:

Class Home Page:     http://www.umsl.edu/~sauter/5800/index.html

Current Page:     http://www.umsl.edu/~sauter/5800/current.html

Readings:     http://www.umsl.edu/~sauter/5800/links.html

Schedule:     http://www.umsl.edu/~sauter/5800/schedule.html

Web Materials:     http://www.umsl.edu/~sauter/help/index.html

UMSL Home Page:     http://www.umsl.edu/

MIS Home Page:     http://mis.umsl.edu/

Prerequisites: none

Assignments: There are individual assignments and a group project.

Due Dates: Due dates are listed for each project. In each case, the assignment is due at the end of the class period on the due date. NO late assignments will be accepted.

Length: All assignments must be typed (or word-processed) and must be double-spaced; use page numbers. Margins must be at least one inch (1") on all sides. Staple assignments in upper left corner; do not provide folders with your work. Where page estimates are specified, they are gauged at a font size of 11; students using a larger font should assume their texts can be about one-third longer. I will quit reading at the end of the page restriction. Hence, if your main point occurs after the maximum number of pages for the assignment, it will be lost.

Format: Not only will I grade on the basis of the content of the material, but also the presentation of the material. I expect the writing to be of the caliber of college graduates; I expect good grammar and accurate spelling.

 
Web Page Evaluation: Explore three commercial Web pages in a particular industry or segment. Complete the Web Site Evaluation sheet (to be provided) for each and provide a critical appraisal of what you find at each site. This critique should include answers to at least the following questions.

     What is the purpose of the company in developing the site?

     Does the site convey a positive or useful message for the company?

     Who is the intended audience?

     What information content is provided?

     What functions are provided?

     Can the user purchase goods?

     Is the site well designed from the point-of-view of clarity, ease of use, speed of access?

     Is the site aesthetically pleasing?

Summarize what you have learned by examining the different sites. Consider the following questions.

     Are the sites useful?

     Are different strategies being employed?

     Would you recommend any company's approach over the others?

     How do you think these sites will evolve?

     Can you develop a general framework that will help other companies in this industry design their Web sites?

         Due Date: October 4

         Length: maximum 5 pages plus the 3 evaluation sheets

 
Web Page Development: For this assignment, you will create a personal home page, and put it up on the World Wide Web. The page should include some basic information about you, and some links to sites related to you and your interests. Your home page should have a title (what the browser displays at the top of the window). I suggest you call it Home Page of , but you can use any title. You must include at least two images or graphics on your home page. You may either copy the image to your html directory, or you may create a direct link to the image's original site.

The body of the personal home page should have your name and e-mail address. Make use of the available headings to give a professional appearance to your page. The e-mail address should include a "hot link," so that any person with proper settings in their browser should be able to send you a message directly from your home page.

Following your name and e-mail address, you should have a section describing yourself. You might entitle it "About Me." In this section you should include links to the class page, the IS Area, the College of Business Administration and the University of Missouri - St. Louis. State your education background, and include a link to other colleges and universities you have attended. If you are employed, state where you work, and include a link to the company home page if it exists. You may then include any additional information you would like to share with us (remembering that the page can be accessed by anyone in the world). If there are sites related to this information, include a link to them.

The next section should include information about your interests, hobbies, etc.; you might entitle it "My Interests and Favorite Links." Search the Web and find pages which relate to your interests. You must include at least four more links of your choice.

Another section should include information about your professional interests. This might be technological pages you believe to be interesting. Or, it might include information of interest to your current employer, job or industry. You must include at least four more links in this area.

Your personal home page file should be named "index.htm" or "index.html." If you created the page in Windows, you will need to transfer it to the html directory on your Admiral account. This directory is the public directory. You can do this transfer using the FTP program demonstrated in class or use of your SAMBA drive.

You can use my sample page as a reference to how to do your home page. Of course, you are free to add more and make your page more "cool." After you create your home page, ensure that all of the links are working properly. Once your page has passed the final quality check, send me an email message providing me with the location of your page. On the due date, print a copy of your home page and turn it in.

         Due Date: October 11

         Format: send URL to Professor Sauter

 
The Blogs: This course is designed to help students understand how information systems and technology are used and how they impact (positively or negatively) the competitive position of organizations. Through an overview of the technologies, activities, and applications of IS, this course will help you in acquiring an appreciation for the possibilities created by IT based solutions in today's organizations.

To facilitate this effort, students will select a particular industry or segment of industry and research how IS/IT is being used in that arena. Throughout the semester, the students will maintain a "blog" on what they learned, how they believe they will be able to use that information in their futures, and how it relates to what is covered in class. This may include issues such as the role of IS/IT in a firm's competitive environment, the underlying technologies of use in that industry, the development of IS In organizations, and the emerging IS issues.

While web-based materials and popular press articles will be important, students must also cite research-oriented, peer-reviewed journals in their blogs. Students must have at least one substantive blog entry each week that summarizes what they have found, how it relates to the industry of choice and how it relates (if it does) to what we have discussed in class. An example of using a blog for this purpose can be found at http://blog.hbs.edu/faculty/amcafee/.

Students are also expected to review other students blogs, and use what they are learning to comment on others' work.

There will be at least one question on the final exam pertaining to the blogs.

         Due Date: each week

         Format: send URL to Professor Sauter

 
"Networking" Activities: Learning to network, and learning to learn about new topics is an important part of any IS Professional's life. Therefore, you are going to practice that activity this semester by attending at least three external events. These might include the IS Mentoring Program, the IS Programming Club, the Career Services Mentoring Activities, the Executive Leadership Institute Events, the Distinguished Lecture program, Student Night Seminars sponsored by the Institute of Internal Auditors and the Information Systems Audit and Control Associations, the local Web Developers Chapter, Saint Louis Visual Basic Users Group, the XPSTL Group, the Wireless SIG or any other IS-related seminar by a campus based or local professional organization (if it is not in this list, be sure to get permission before you go). The base grade will be the percentage of the expected events (3) you attend. Any you attend above three will count as extra credit. To get credit for attendance, you must bring a note from an officer of the organization noting the date of your attendance, your name and the speaker's topic.

         Due Date: three by the send of the semester

         Format: provide signed statements from each event you attend

 
Group Project: Students working in groups of three or less will complete a web-based project. I will provide specifics of the content of the project after I become acquainted with the people in the class. The project will involve the development of a web-based function that is enabled by the incorporation of the javascript tools we learn in class.

         Due Date: December 8

         Format: send URL to Professor Sauter

Exams: There will be a midterm and a final exam

Midterm Exam: October 16

Final Exam: December 11 12:30 - 2:30 pm

 
Grading Policy: The following proportions will be used for grading.

Approximate letter grades will be assigned when exams and projects are returned. Students should remember, however, that the term average is a weighted average of the numerical grades, not an average of the approximate letter grades.

Drop Policy: For the purposes of this policy, the "effective drop date" is the date which I am informed of the drop or the actual date of the drop, which ever is later. Students can and may inform me by leaving me a note in my mailbox, leaving me a message (on voice mail or email) or by speaking to me in person or over the telephone.

A student may drop this class until October 23 with a passing grade. (Note the University policy states that you may drop until September 15 without receiving a grade; this policy is simply an extension of the University policy.) Between October 24 and November 13, a student will receive either a passing grade (excused) or a failing grade (F) depending upon his or her performance (current grade) in the course. A student may withdraw after November 13 only with and solely with the approval of the dean of his or her division. If you want to withdraw after this date, go directly to your dean; do not ask for my signature -- my signature is not needed and I will not provide it. Under no circumstance may a student drop this class after December 6, 2006.

Academic Honesty: According to the University Standard of Conduct, Section 6.0101,

For the purposes of this class, cheating will include: plagiarism (using the writings of another without proper citation), copying of another (either current or past student's work), working with another on individually assigned work or exams, unauthorized marking on a graded paper or exam, or in any other way presenting as one's own work that which is not entirely one's own work. Any student who is caught cheating on any assignment or exam will receive a grade of zero (0) for that assignment or exam. Further, a recommendation will be made to the appropriate university officials that additional disciplinary action be taken.