CIS 301 Management Information Systems

Fall 2009
Teacher: Adam Reed, EE, PhD, CTT (areed2@calstatela.edu)
Class: Thursdays or Mondays, 6:10-10:00 PM, SHC-139
Office Hours: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:40-6:00 PM, Room ST-616

Course Description:

The catalog description of this course includes "organizational context of computer-based information systems; common application systems; information architecture; user role in systems development; social and ethical implications." The best way to achieve an integrated, coherent, useful perspective on these otherwise disparate topics is to examine the history of information systems and their current place in business and other organizations. (This approach to teaching an introductory survey course in Information Systems was originally developed by Prof. John Drake of Eastern Michigan University.) At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to use information systems productively in their lives, in their organizations, and in their participation in the global human civilization of the information age.

Prerequisite:

CIS 100 or accepted equivalent.

Time demands:

This course requires, in addition to 4 hours of lab/lecture per week, between 8 and 16 hours per week in independent study and practice. Students with prior familiarity with information systems will need about 8 hours per week in addition to class; students without prior familiarity with information systems may need up to 16 hours per week in addition to class time. You are required to answer all the listed readings before the corresponding lecture, writing down your questions; discuss your questions with your study partner; ask questions about each chapter during lectures; and, after each lecture and further discussion with your study partner, e-mail your discussion points to me at areed2@calstatela.edu, with the course number (CIS 301) and chapter number in the subject line of your e-mail, e.g. "Subject: My Discussion Points for CIS 301 Lesson 2 Readings."

Web Resources:

This page: http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/areed2/F09.301mis.html

Textbooks:

Martin Campbell-Kelly and William Aspray. Computer: A History Of The Information Machine, Second Edition

Martin Campbell-Kelly. From Airline Reservations to Sonic the Hedgehog: A History of the Software Industry

Michael A. Cusumano. The Business of Software

Faculty Furloughs:

In July of 2009, members of the California Faculty Association voted to allow the California State University Chancellor to impose unpaid furlough days for all professors and lecturers at all 23 Cal State Campuses. The purpose of furloughs is to minimize the need for faculty layoffs given the current budget crisis. At Cal State LA, this means that most professors and lecturers are required to take 6 days of unpaid leave each quarter, during which time they are prohibited from performing any university work. In addition, we are required to certify, in writing, that we will not perform any additional work at any time during any week with furlough days. Because I am teaching brand-new versions of all my courses this quarter, I cannot take furloughs on days when I normally prepare for teaching and read student assignments. For this reason I scheduled some of my furlough days instead on what would have been the first, introductory meeting of each class, substituting E-mail and Web-based work for the brief in-person lecture introducing the class and assigning readings for the following week.

Tentative Schedule of Lessons:

  1. Course Introduction - E-Mail/Web
  2. Campbell-Kelly and Aspray, Chapters 1-3
    Campbell-Kelly, Chapter 1
  3. Campbell-Kelly and Aspray, Chapters 4-6
    Campbell-Kelly, Chapter 2
  4. Campbell-Kelly and Aspray, Chapter 7
    Campbell-Kelly, Chapters 3-5
  5. Campbell-Kelly and Aspray, Chapters 8-9
    Campbell-Kelly, Chapter 6
  6. Campbell-Kelly and Aspray, Chapter 10
    Campbell-Kelly, Chapter 7
    Mid-term Exam
  7. Campbell-Kelly and Aspray, Chapters 11-12
    Campbell-Kelly, Chapters 8-9
  8. Campbell-Kelly, Chapter 10
    Cosumano, Chapters 1-3
  9. Cosumano, Chapters 4-6
  10. Cosumano, Chapter 7
    Course Review

Application Skills:

You may not be awarded a passing grade in CIS 301 without demonstrating profficiency in 3 categories of applications: word processing (e.g. MS Word,) spreadsheet (e.g. MS Excel,) and presentation (e.g. MS PowerPoint.) You may demonstrate profficiency in each category in one of 3 ways:
  1. Proof of Specialist-level certification by Microsoft or Sun Microsystems in the corresponding Microsoft Office or OpenOffice.org application.
  2. A certificate of completion of ITC training (or comparable training) in the corresponding application.
  3. A sample of your own work, e-mailed to me (areed2@calstatela.edu,) demonstrating mastery of the application.
If you are not already a certified specialist in an application, I recommend taking the available (and excellent) ITC training.

Grading:

The primary grading inputs are class participation, written input (e-mailed to areed2@calstatela.edu) and the mid-term and final exam grades. I will raise to an A or A- the grade of any student from whom I learn, by way of class participation or project, a new concept, insight, or technique. Concrete information about programs or bugs may also raise your grade somewhat, if it is useful and perceptive.

Participation:

Questions from which students may benefit will be answered in class. I will not answer individual questions during breaks or after class. If you wish to discuss something during office hours, please send me e-mail at least a day in advance; if the answer to your question may be of general interest I will discuss it in class. Questions and insights during class are encouraged; if I learn something new to me from your question I may raise your grade accordingly.

Study Partners:

You are expected to select a study partner among your colleagues in the class (or, but only if there are an odd number of students in the class, two study partners, so that you will meet in a group of three). You will exchange telephone numbers and e-mail addresses among partners, and meet with your parner or partners each week to review your understanding of current course content. Please make sure to bring to class any issues that come up in reviewing matters with your study partner. If you miss any class work you are responsible for obtaining your study partner's notes and recollections, and for asking whatever questions you find necessary to fill out your understanding.

Final Examination:

Section 7: Thursday, December 10, 7:30-10:00 PM
Section 8: Monday, December 7, 7:30-10:00 PM

Accomodation of Students With Disabilities:

Reasonable accommodation will be provided to any student who is registered with the Office of Students with Disabilities and requests needed accommodation.

Academic Honesty:

A student who infringes the University's policy on Academic Honesty will receive a failing grade, without regard to other aspects of performance in this course.