CIS 461/561 Web Technologies

Fall 2009
Teacher: Adam Reed, EE, PhD, CTT (areed2@calstatela.edu)
Class: Tuesdays, 6:10-10:00 PM, SHC-344
Office Hours: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:40-6:00 PM, Room ST-616

Course Description:

An organization's IS manager is expected to contribute to the productivity of the enterprise, and to make information accessible as needed. The organization's web site is often the most visible means toward those ends. This course teaches the technologies used to develop and provide website content. Ideally, this course will be taken in conjunction with our Web Site Authoring course (CIS 454/562 Authoring Web Sites) which teaches the concepts and techniques of organizing, presenting, and acquiring information through a website; tailoring the content, organization, and interactivity of the web site to achieve its purpose; and making the web site easy to find, inviting, and a pleasure to use and to return to.

Prerequisites:

CIS 283; or Sun Microsystems certification as Certified Java Associate or Certified Java Programmer; or CIS 284.

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 programming experience will need about 8 hours per week in addition to class; students without prior programming experience may need up to 16 hours per week in addition to class time. You are required to answer all the review questions and to perform all the exercises in each chapter before the corresponding lecture, writing down your answers; discuss both with your study partner; ask questions about each chapter, review questions and exercises during lectures; and, after each lecture and further discussion with your study partner, e-mail your revised answers to me at areed2@calstatela.edu, with the course number (CIS 461 or CIS 561) and chapter number in the subject line of your e-mail, e.g. "Subject: My Answers for CIS 461, Chapter 1."

Web Resources:

This page: http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/areed2/F09.561tech.html

Course Folder: http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/areed2/CIS561

Textbook:

Ralph F. Grove: Web-Based Application Development

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. Grove, Chapters 1-2, Appendix A
  3. Grove, Chapters 3-4
  4. Grove, Chapters 5-6
  5. JavaScript in depth: Sun Academic Initiative (SAI) mini-course "JavaScript(TM) Language for Java(TM) Developers (WJO-2123.)" At the SAI Learning Connection, register with Program Name: SAI-US and Program ID: z5c4gf20. Then search for "JavaScript," select WJO-2123 and add it to your Plan, click on "GO" next to its listing in your Plan, and follow the modules of the mini-course. (Don't worry if you have questions - consult your study partner, and e-mail me any remaining questions.)
  6. Grove, Chapter 7; Mid-term Exam
  7. Grove, Chapters 8-9
  8. Grove, Chapters 10-11
  9. Grove, Chapters 12-13
  10. Grove, Chapters 14-15

Grading:

The primary grading inputs are class participation, written input (e-mailed to areed2@calstatela.edu) and the mid-term and final exam grades. In CIS 561, a graduate course, grades will be A, A-, B+, B, B-, and F. 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, and for being able to answer all the review questions and perform all the exercises in the assigned chapters.

Final Examination:

Tuesday, December 8, 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.