COURSE OVERVIEW

This course provides an introduction to basic concepts of information, information systems and the "Information Age". Students will develop an understanding of basic computing and information systems principles and the social implications of information and information technology. The course also provides an overview on the creation, organization, analysis, storage, retrieval, and communication of information. The instruction incorporates both collaborative and action learning experiences wherever possible. We also emphasize developing and practicing both writing and speaking skills through application of the concepts that define the course. In this course we will cover the following major topics:

• The "Information Age" and the role of information in knowledge work
• Information systems and information technologies
• Planning for and developing information systems
• Personal information and information technology skills

Return to Table of Content
 
 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:

• Define and illustrate the roles of information and information technology as they shape the emerging "Information Age."
• Demonstrate competence in the use of basic information technologies (i.e., Office 2000).
• Define and illustrate concepts of social informatics and relate these to the planning, development, and use of information technologies in organizations

Americans with Disabilities Act: The School of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) welcomes persons with disabilities to all of its classes, programs, and events. If you need accommodations, or have questions about access to buildings where IST activities are held, please contact the Dean's Office (814) 865-3528. in advance of your participation or visit. If you need assistance during a class, program, or event, please contact any member of our staff or faculty in charge. 

Return to Table of Content

COURSE ORGANIZATION

Teaching Staff and Structure. Drs. Steve Sawyer, Gerry Santaro and Frank Ritter are each teaching sections of IST110. Dr. Santaro also serves as the course coordinator. The course is based on a common text and syllabus, though each section will be slightly different based on the professor's personal interests and pedagogy. There are also several teaching assistants (TAs). Nominally, a TA is attached to a particular section. The TA for our section is Xun Ge (email: ge@ist.psu.edu, phone 865-8952). She will assist with grading and serve as the Lab. Instructor. However, all students are welcome (encouraged!) to take advantage of either TA's office hours. These office hours will be posted during the first week of class.

The IST 110 Web Site. This course has an active web page that contains the syllabus, assignments, links to useful sites, and other valuable material (such as how to correctly prepare assignments, citations templates, and other academic and recreational information). We will post late-breaking information and updates to the web page. This page can be found at uniform resource listing (URL) www.personal.psu.edu/sbs11/spring00 or by links from the IST home page via course listings.

The IST 110 Listserv and Bulletin Board. There is a mandatory listserv: l-ist110-4@lists.psu.edu which we will use to post course and class information, conduct on-line discussions, and share information. You must self-subscribe to this listserv in the first week of the semester (see instructions for the subscription)!

Our section will also have an electronic bulletin board that is also linked to the course web site.

Required Texts (available at the PSU Bookstore):

(H) Haag, S., Cummings, M and J. Dawkins, (2000) Management Information Systems for the Information Age, Boston: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. See the companion web site: http://www.mhhe.com/business/mis/haag

Any Office 2000 support text (such as those from Que, Microsoft Press, etc.).

According to the University Advising Handbook: "Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and deception, and is the educational objective of this institution. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication of information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person, or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Any violation of academic integrity will be thoroughly investigated, and where warranted, punitive action will be taken." Students should be aware that standards for documentation and intellectual contribution may depend on the course content and method of teaching, and should consult instructors for guidance.

Return to Table of Content
 
 

ASSIGNMENTS

Assignment	Weight	Due Date
Current Affairs Assignment	10%	Twice during Spring, 2000
Web Site Evaluation Assignment	10%	22 February, 2000
Class Participation (part one)	5%	14 March, 2000
Mid-Term Examination	15%	28 February, 2000
Social-Technical Analysis Assignment	10%	10 April, 2000
Lab. Assignments Grade (aggregated)	20%	14 Times in Spring, 2000
Class Participation (part two)	10%	26 April, 2000
Final Examination	20%	2 May, 2000
Total	100%

Return to Table of Content
 

GRADING

Your grade is based on 100 possible points. You earn points with each assignment (see below).

 A: 100-94, A-: 94- 90, B+ 89- 86, B: 85- 82, B-: 81- 79, C+: 78- 76, C: 75- 70, D: 69- 60, F: 60- 0. 

There are three assignments, two tests, a two-part participation grade, and a separate laboratory grade. You will get further details about the laboratory assignment grading.

Return to Table of Content
 
 

EVALUATION

You earn your grade but it will be assigned by me. The criteria for each assignment will be discussed in detail, as will the grading scheme. Generally, your class participation grade consists of attendance, participation, performance on in-class exercises and presentations and any special written assignments given by either me or the lab instructor. Class participation is a measure of your intellectual engagement with the topics and your contribution to the dialog on class topics. There includes in-class work and exercises. Each written assignment will be evaluated on how well it addresses the questions posed, the clarity of thinking, the organization and presentation of the material, the quality of writing, and its timeliness. 

Return to Table of Content
 
 

ASSIGNMENTS & EXAMS

There are written assignments, laboratory assignments, a quiz and a final exam. Please consult the schedule to see when papers/ assignments are due and exams scheduled. You will receive more written instructions for each assignment well in advance of the due date. Here is a brief description of each:
 

Current Affairs Assignment	Twice during the semester you will be asked to find an article from a current magazine, newspaper or periodical that addresses issues of information and information technology. In one page or less, you will comment on how that article relates to the current class discussion/ topic. You will share both the article and your comments with the class.
Web Site Evaluation Assignment	You will evaluate two web sites for their functionality and value. Based on this analysis, you will provide suggestions for how to improve both sites.
Socio-Technical Analysis	You will develop a socio-technical analysis of a contemporary com-puting environment (such as a cluster, your own use, the library, etc).
Mid-term Examination	This examination will cover class material up to, and including database concepts.
Final Examination	This will be a comprehensive examination that incorporates both class and lab material.

Return to Table of Content

 

COURSE CONDUCT

• Classes will start on time and end as scheduled. Please take your seat prior to the start of class.
• You will attend each class and actively participate in the discussions during class. If you are uncomfortable with public speaking, or if English is not your native language, we should meet in the first two weeks of school to establish ways to make you more comfortable in speaking and interacting with your peers.
• For every hour of lecture, I anticipate that you will need to budget about 3 hours of out-of-class time. For every lab session, you may need to budget one-to-two hours of out-of-lab time. This implies that you need to budget about 140 hours of out-of-class time over the course of the semester. This time estimate is a guide and you may need to budget more. For example, if the material is new to you or difficult to comprehend, it will require more of your time. 
• You are responsible for all the readings, even if the material is not explicitly covered in class. You should read the class materials prior to class and be prepared to discuss and ask questions about the readings and assignments. You should also re-read the material after class as not every topic will be covered during class time. Many passages in the text may need to be read several times to gain clarity. Also, taking notes on the material you are reading and reflecting on the reading and these notes will help you better understand the issues, concepts and techniques that are being presented.
• All work must be completed and turned in at the start of class on the assigned date. No late work will be accepted. Late means after the class has begun. Note that a computer's failure is not an excuse (it represents poor planning on your part).
• All assignment should be computer-printed, double-spaced, on 8.5"x 11" paper. All pages should have 1" margins. Papers should be stapled and collated. Please do not use report covers. 
• I read to the fifth mistake. Your grade will be based on what we have read to that point. Mistakes include spelling, grammatical errors, and typos. Carefully proofread your work. 
• Your work should be properly referenced and adhere to standards of both academic integrity and proper form. Generally, I prefer the APA style (see www.apa.org).
• I expect individual work should be just that - it should be done by you, alone.
• I expect group work should be just that - from all of the group. If I become aware that you are not contributing to your group equally, I will intervene.
• Class participation is my way of assessing your intellectual engagement with the topics we are covering. You can demonstrate this engagement through a number of ways. For example, speaking in class, bringing in to the class relevant material (such as copies of articles) from outside sources, contributing to on-line discussions with peers via the class listserv, working with the TAs, and visiting me during office hours to discuss material being covered in class.
• Students who participate in University-sanctioned events (such as athletics) must make prior arrangements and give ample notice. Missing class for practice is not advised.

IST 110 CLASS SCHEDULE (subject to revisions through the semester) As of 1/5/00
 

The laboratory portion of IST 110 provides students with the chance to become familiar with both some of the basic computing tools of the Information Age and exposure to the uses of information and information technology in organizational settings.

In the lab portion of this course we will cover the following major topics:

• Basic information skills
• Personal information technologies
• Some of the roles that information technologies and information systems play in organizations

Return to Table of Content

LAB ASSIGNMENTS

Return to Table of Content

 

IST 110 Lab Schedule(subject to revisions through the semester) 1/5/00

Return to Table of Content