Adelphi · Syllabus ·
IFSM 201 6376 Concepts and Applications of Information Technology (2225)IFSM-201
- Summer 2022
- Section 6376
- 3 Credits
- 05/18/2022 to 07/12/2022
Faculty Contact
James Maas [email protected]
Course Description
(Access to a standard office productivity package, i.e., word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software, required.) An introduction to data and the range of technologies (including hardware, software, databases, and networking and information systems) that provide the foundation for the data-centric focus of modern organizations. The objective is to apply knowledge of basic technical, ethical, and security considerations to select and use information technology (and the data that arises from technology) effectively in one’s personal and professional lives. Discussion covers issues related to technology as a vehicle for collecting, storing, and sharing data and information, including privacy, ethics, security, and social impact. Applied exercises focus on the manipulation, analysis, and visualization of data and effective data communication strategies. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: BMGT 301, CAPP 101, CAPP 300, CMST 300, IFSM 201, or TMGT 201.
Course Introduction
With each passing year in the 21st century, information systems and technology have become more ubiquitous. Information technology is an umbrella term that includes digital devices, storage and networking, and the systems and processes that allow people to create, store, manipulate, share, and secure electronic data. Businesses and organizations, both domestic and international, depend on information systems to process and store vast volumes of data as an integral key to the overall health and competitiveness of the organization. This course will explore the technology (hardware, software, networking, and databases) that form the foundation for gathering and analyzing data, converting data into information by adding context, relevance and purpose, securing sensitive data, and using that information to create knowledge, that is, the ability to make insightful decisions based on the information gathered.
Software: Microsoft Office Suite
Microsoft Office 2013, 2016, 2019 or the installed version of Office 365 (for Windows) or Office for Mac 2016 are highly recommended for this course. Use of any older version is ‘at your own risk’ as certain functionalities required for the assignments may not be available in previous versions. Furthermore, faculty may be limited in their ability to offer assistance in previous versions of the software.
Note that Microsoft Office 365, the online version, is appropriate for the course. Anyone who has an Office 365 subscription has access to a downloadable, installed version of Office 2013 or 2016 or 365.
If, for any reason, you cannot install a suitable version of Microsoft Office to your computer, you will be able to use UMGC’s online Virtual Lab to complete the assignments. Additional information and instructions are available under Content – Virtual Lab Access.
Note: This course is identified as a prerequisite for another course at UMGC. Successful completion of this course is required to advance to the next course in a sequence. A grade of Withdrawal (W), Failure for non-attendance (FN), Failure (F) or Incomplete (I) will not meet a prerequisite requirement. You may be barred from enrolling in or may be removed from courses for which you do not have the necessary prerequisites. Keep track of your progress in this course. If you are uncertain about your standing, consult with your instructor. You should also work with an academic advisor to be sure you are aware of your options and are meeting all necessary program requirements when planning your schedule.
Course Outcomes
After completing this course, you should be able to
- Identify the basic components of the information system: hardware, software, data, processes, and people, and how these components are used to support strategic decision making.
- Apply information technology tools for research, data gathering and information analysis, problem-solving, decision-making, and communicating information that aligns with business needs and objectives.
- Identify ethical, security, and privacy considerations in conducting data and information analysis and selecting and using information technology.
Course Materials
Click to access your course materials information
Class Guidelines
Contacting your Faculty Member/Preferred Method of Contact
You can use email or the Instant Message feature, located via the envelope at the top of the LEO page, within the classroom to send a message to your faculty member. Your instructor’s email address can be found at the top of this syllabus under Faculty Contact and on the Overview page in LEO.
Note that your instructor may express a preference for one mode of communication over another.
Contacting Advising or the Department
• If you have questions related to the course content or any of the graded deliverables, please contact your instructor.
• For questions and concerns related to advising, you can call 800-888-8682 (toll-free), or, write to [email protected] (if you are an undergraduate student), or [email protected] (if you are a graduate student).
• For other questions and concerns about this class, you can contact your program director by writing to [email protected]. Please be sure to mention the course name, course number, and your section number in the “Subject:” field of your email. Your email will be treated confidentially.
Amount of Time Students Should Spend on the Course
Students should expect to spend 3 to 6 hours online in discussions or activities, and an additional 6 to 12 hours per week engaged in study, research, and assignment preparation. Most students find it advantageous to login daily and spend more time than these minimums.
Students are expected to achieve the same intended learning outcomes and do the same amount of work in an online course as they would in a hybrid course. The key to success is not to wait until the last minute to read required course materials or begin work on assignments and projects.
Students with work/professional responsibilities, family/personal commitments, or both, may have difficulty successfully completing courses above the recommended workload. It is important to be honest with yourself about the amount of time and energy you will have to devote to this course.
Because of the rapid, 8-week course pace, online and hybrid students should login to LEO a minimum of four times a week.
Writing and Research
Effective writing is critical to the intellectual life of university students and graduates within the workplace. Effective managers are usually effective communicators. Your work in this course must demonstrate your ability to master and effectively communicate course content.
Effective writing
- Meets the needs of the reader
- Adequately covers the subject
- Uses expected conventions of format and organization
- Demonstrates use of credible reasoning and evidence
- Satisfies standards of style and grammatical correctness
- Requires 100% compliance with UMGC’s zero-tolerance policy regarding plagiarism
In this class, we use a model for writing that applies to both the classroom environment and the professional environment. FIRST, answer the question in your own words. Be sure to answer the question thoroughly, especially if it has multiple parts. SECOND, provide a credible source to reinforce your answer. The source should support your work, not be the major part of your answer. THIRD, provide an example that demonstrates your understanding of the question or demonstrates the concept you are discussing. Remember that your OWN work should be at least 85-90% of the answer and the sources, quotes, or in-text citations should only be used to support, reinforce, or demonstrate the points. All materials submitted must conform to UMGC’s academic policies.
Effective Writing Center (EWC)
Students may receive free writing tutorial assistance from the EWC. A link to the Center is located in the main LEO classroom under Resources. You will also find the Guide to Writing and Research as well as information regarding plagiarism located on this site.
Grading Information
This course consists of the following graded items:
| Graded Item | Value |
| Course Participation | |
| Weekly Discussions (2 points per week for 8 weeks) | 16% |
| Quizzes | |
| Five (5) quizzes at 5 points each, based on Weekly Readings and content of tutorials. | 25% |
| Projects | |
| Database Project | 5% |
| SWOT Analysis | 15% |
| Project Presentation | 25% |
| Data Security Professional Memo | 14% |
| Total: | 100% |
All assignments, quizzes, and discussions must be submitted on the due date by 11:59 p.m. EST or EDT, whichever is in effect during your class.
Academic Rigor in UMGC Courses
UMGC defines academic rigor as the degree to which students demonstrate content mastery, application of critical thinking skills and adherence to UMGC’s code of academic integrity.
This definition implies three components to academic rigor:
- Content mastery to include the subject matter of the course as well as mastery of those core curriculum goals established for the course (for example, information literacy, effective writing).
- Application of critical thinking skills to include the degree to which the student can present and defend original thinking on the subject matter, including synthesis and analysis of key concepts.
- Academic integrity to include the degree to which student demonstrates academic honesty defined in UMGC’s code of academic integrity.
Weekly Classroom Discussion Topics and Participation
The weekly discussions (conducted in LEO) will address key concepts and issues in the course. The intention is to facilitate the same student-student and student-instructor interaction via the LEO classroom that is found in traditional classroom courses.
Although attendance does not contribute to your grade, participation does. By registering for an online or hybrid course, you have made a commitment to participate in class discussions and activities as well as other online activities. Please plan to participate regularly. Participation for this course is defined as proactive discussion in weekly discussions, specific industry topics, and group working sessions. This requires you to actively reflect on the assigned readings and to develop original ideas in your responses. You are expected to provide supporting details for your response; that support may come from the points covered in the readings and additional external research (appropriately cited). You are also expected to take into account your classmates’ responses and to comment on others’ submissions. The best discussion responses will demonstrate critical thinking and develop original ideas. Responses to classmates’ postings should be constructive, expand upon points made, ask additional questions, and contribute to the dialogue. A simple “good posting” or “I agree” is not a sufficient comment. You may expect the instructor to participate in the discussions, but do not expect a response to every posting. If the instructor or another student poses a question to you, you are expected to respond to it, as you would during a face-to-face classroom discussion.
To sum up, every post (initial post or reply) should be supported by relevant information rather than simply express an opinion. Prove your point by a) citing external research, b) citing readings from the class content, or c) providing detailed examples of personal experiences that are relevant and support your position on the topic. Be sure to read the instructions and the grading rubric for classroom discussions and participation that is posted at the top of the Weekly Discussions forum. These instructions remain visible throughout the 8 weeks.
Extra Credit
Extra Credit is not available
Policy on Late or Missed Assignments, Projects and Discussions and a Resubmission Policy
Assignments are expected to be submitted on time. Students have a long lead time in which to prepare, ask questions, and seek help.
A late assignment will be penalized unless a major accident, illness, or deployment (for active duty military), with supporting documentation, prevents a student from submitting his/her assignment on time. Students should keep their instructor informed in advance about military deployments or other events that may impact their progress and participation in the course.
The standard Late Penalty consists of a 10% reduction each day (24-hour period, starting at the midnight due date deadline) the assignment is late. After five days, late assignments will not be accepted or graded.
Quizzes and discussion posts must be completed on time to receive a grade.
Faculty have the discretion to relax the requirements for required documentation and/or the application of such late penalties if the student circumstances warrant.
Please check the course schedule to know the exact day and time each assignment is due. Please do not wait until the last minute to attempt to complete and post an assignment.
Each assignment is time stamped when submitted in your Assignments Folder. It is also time stamped again each time an assignment is modified. Therefore, the latest submission time shall be considered the official time.
No assignments will be accepted after the last day of class unless a student has satisfied the requirements for an Incomplete according to UMGC Policy 170.71 Grade of Incomplete, and the request was made before the last day of class and agreed to by the instructor.
Resubmission Policy
The SWOT Analysis assignment, submitted by the due date, with a grade below 75% are allowed to be improved and resubmitted one time.
The resubmission will be graded only if it is submitted within five days of the date when the original assignment’s grade was posted.
The highest grade possible on a resubmission is 75%.
The resubmission policies do not apply to the Professional Memo, Project Presentation, quizzes or discussion posts.
Project Descriptions
Academic Integrity Tutorial
All students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Tutorial Modules 1 and 2.
This tutorial is to be completed no later than the end of Week 2 If the student has completed the tutorial modules in a previous class then the student should review the modules since the student is responsible for their content in all classwork.
Quizzes based on Weekly Readings
Specific reading material is assigned each week, and links to the readings are found in the Content area for any given week. Quizzes on material in the assigned readings are linked to the Activities area of the week in which the quizzes are due. Only one attempt at each quiz is allowed. The due dates for completion of the quizzes are found in the schedule in this syllabus and in the Schedule found under Course Home. The grades for all quizzes are automatically transferred to your gradebook. Feedback on the quiz results are available AFTER the due date for the quiz has passed.
Quiz based on Database Tutorial
A quiz on creating and using a simple database using SQL is assigned in Week 4 after students have worked through an interactive tutorial. Students are encouraged to work through the interactive tutorial as often as needed. Only one attempt at the quiz is allowed.
Class Project
The Class Project includes two deliverables; a SWOT Analysis, due in week 4, and a Presentation, due in week 8. The Project addresses the following course outcomes:
- Identify the basic components of the information system: hardware, software, data, processes, and people, and how these components are used to support strategic decision making.
- Apply information technology tools for research, data gathering and information analysis, problem-solving, decision-making, and communicating information that aligns with business needs and objectives.
Data Security Professional Memo
The Professional Memo assignment addresses the following course outcome:
- Identify ethical, security, and privacy considerations in conducting data and information analysis and selecting and using information technology.
Project Details and Rubrics
Detailed descriptions of projects/paper and the grading rubric for each are posted under the Assignments tab on the main Navigation bar. Assignments will be graded on your demonstration of understanding of the course concepts, your application of the concepts, the clarity of your presentation of the material, and format (including appropriate use of the tools, spelling, grammar, use of APA style, etc.).
Final Exam
This course does not have a final exam.
Academic Policies
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) has adopted a Philosophy of Academic Integrity to guide the university’s commitment to a culture of academic integrity and authentic education encompassing a set of dispositions and behaviors that are socially beneficial, educationally critical, and professionally necessary.
All members of the University community must maintain the highest level of integrity across the academic experience. For students, intellectually honest academic work represents independent analysis, acknowledges all sources of information that contribute to the ideas being explored, and ensures the ability to engage in life and work authentically. Your instructor is your primary resource for how to uphold the highest ethical standards in the context of this course’s specific requirements.
Turnitin is enabled within the classroom to support the development and assessment of authentic student writing. To learn more about Turnitin, the feedback it provides, how to use feedback to improve your work, and your options regarding the inclusion of your work in the Turnitin database, visit University guides for Turnitin at sites.umgc.edu/library/libresources/turnitin.cfm and https://sites.umgc.edu/library/libresources/turnitin.cfm#studentcopyright.
Other Academic Integrity resources and guidelines are found at https://www.umgc.edu/current-students/learning-resources/academic-integrity/index.cfm.
CLASSROOM CIVILITY
University of Maryland Global Campus is committed to the success of our global community and values the diverse identities and backgrounds of our students, faculty, and staff. Each one of us has a broader life and set of experiences beyond UMGC that we bring with us to each interaction. Sharing your story with your classmates provides opportunities to learn, relate, and gain inspiration from each other. Engagement often begins with introductions at the beginning of the course. Sharing your preferred name, preferred pronouns, and other details about yourself and your life builds a foundation for connection, understanding, and a richer and more personalized learning experience.
We also recognize that some of life’s responsibilities and challenges outside of the classroom, such as childcare, a change in employment status, or illness, have an impact on success in a course. To the extent you are comfortable, we encourage you to communicate with your faculty member or Success Coach about any concerns you have for this course or as a student at UMGC so we can help you navigate potential obstacles and stay on track to achieve your goals.
Students are expected to work together cooperatively, and treat fellow students and faculty with respect, showing professionalism and courtesy in all interactions. Please review the Code of Civility for more guidance on interacting in UMGC classrooms: https://www.umgc.edu/students/support/studentlife/conduct/code.cfm.
POLICIES AND GUIDELINES
UMGC is committed to ensuring that all individuals are treated equally according to Policy 040.30 Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity, and Sexual Harassment.
Students with disabilities who need accommodations in a course are encouraged to contact the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) at [email protected], or call 800-888-8682 or 240-684-2287.
The following academic policies and procedures apply to this course and your studies at UMGC.
| 150.25 | Academic Integrity Policy The University expects all members of the university community—students, faculty, and staff—to use guidelines to work with and promote integrity. If you are aware of any academic misconduct, please contact [email protected]. All cases of academic misconduct will be addressed in accordance with Policy 150.25 and associated procedures.You are expected to engage in new learning that furthers your development of knowledge, skills, and abilities in each course. According to this policy, you may not submit a substantial portion of any coursework that you have submitted to any course previously without express written approval through assignment guidelines or other forms of communication. You must use UMGC course materials responsibly. Uploading course materials to any website outside of UMGC’s online classroom is prohibited by this policy. |
| 151.00 | Code of Student Conduct |
| 170.40170.41170.42 | The following policies describe the requirements for the award of each degree: Degree Completion Requirements for the Graduate SchoolDegree Completion Requirements for a Bachelor’s DegreeDegree Completion Requirements for an Associate’s Degree |
| 170.71 | Policy on Grade of Incomplete – The mark of I is exceptional and considered only for certain courses. Students who have completed 60% of their coursework with a grade of B or better for graduate courses or C or better for undergraduate courses and request an I before the end of the term. The mark of I is not available for noncredit courses. |
| 170.72 | Course Withdrawal Policy – Students must follow drop and withdrawal procedures and deadlines available at https://www.umgc.edu/ under Academic Calendar. |
| 130.80 | Procedures for Review of Alleged Arbitrary and Capricious Grading – appeals may be made on final course grades as described herein. |
| 190.00 | Intellectual Property – All university faculty, staff, and students must comply with University guidelines on the use of copyrighted material. Uploading UMGC or faculty copyrighted material without authorization degrades and corrupts the integrity of the teaching and learning experience and is a potential violation of UMGC policy and copyright law. You must obtain permission to post UMGC or other’s copyrighted material to third-party websites, including social learning network sites. UMGC reserves the right to take appropriate action to remove copyrighted material uploaded without authorization. |
| 205.06 | Calculation Of Grade-Point Average (GPA) for Inclusion on Transcripts and Transcript Requests – Note: Undergraduate and graduate courses have different Grading Policies. See Course Syllabus for Grading Policies. |
| 270.00 | Acceptable Use – The security of the online classroom is critical to ensuring a strong culture of academic integrity and authentic education at the University. It is a violation of the University’s policies for anyone to share logon, password, and any other secure information about a UMGC online account, including credentials required to access the online learning environment. |
GRADING
According to UMGC’s grading policy, the following marks are used:
| Undergraduate | Graduate | |
| A | 90-100 | 90-100 |
| B | 80-89 | 80-89 |
| C | 70-79 | 70-79* |
| D | 60-69 | N/A** |
| F | 59 or below | 69 or below |
| FN | Failure-Non attendance | Failure-Non attendance |
| G | Grade Pending | Grade Pending |
| P | Passing | Passing |
| S | Satisfactory | Satisfactory |
| U | Unsatisfactory | Unsatisfactory |
| I | Incomplete | Incomplete |
| AU | Audit | Audit |
| W | Withdrew | Withdrew |
* The grade of “B” represents the benchmark for graduate courses. Students must maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher. Classes where final grade of C or F places a student on Academic Probation must be repeated.
** UMGC does not award the grade of D in graduate courses.
GRADE ROUNDING
Scores to individual assignments are calculated based on rubrics in the class and are not rounded to the whole point. The final grade for the course is determined by weighted average and will be rounded to the nearest whole point using mathematical rule (grades with .5 and above to be rounded to the next whole point).
EXTRA CREDIT
Assignments are designed to enable students to achieve course objectives and succeed in the program. In the interest of equity and fairness, there will be no extra credit opportunities. All assignments are identified in the syllabus.
COURSE EVALUATION SURVEY
UMGC values its students’ feedback. You will be asked to complete an online evaluation toward the end of the term. The primary purpose of this evaluation process is to assess the effectiveness of classroom instruction in order to provide the best learning experience possible and make continuous improvements to every class. Responses are kept confidential. Please take full advantage of this opportunity to provide your feedback.
LIBRARY SUPPORT
Extensive library resources and services are available online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week at https://sites.umgc.edu/library/index.cfm to support you in your studies. The UMGC Library provides research assistance in creating search strategies, selecting relevant databases, and evaluating and citing resources in a variety of formats via its Ask a Librarian service at https://www.umgc.edu/library/libask/index.cfm.
EXTERNAL LINK DISCLAIMER
This course may contain links to external sites neither owned nor maintained by UMGC. UMGC bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, or content of external sites or for that of subsequent links. In addition, the terms of use, security policies, and privacy policies may differ from those of UMGC. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content, terms of use, and policies.
LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SUPPORT
Those requiring technical assistance can access [email protected] Support directly in LEO under the Help menu. Additional technical support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week via self-help and live chat at https://www.umgc.edu/help/ or by phone toll-free at 888-360-8682.
SYLLABUS CHANGES
All items on this syllabus are subject to change at the discretion of the Instructor and the Office of Academic Affairs.
Class & Assignment Schedule
Students can access their complete list of assignments and their corresponding due dates within the Assignments section of the classroom by navigating to the Assignments section of the class from the main navigation bar.
| Week | Topics | Readings/Assignments |
| Week 1 | Introductions and Overview of Information Systems | Content:Overview of Information SystemsRead the information about the Academic Integrity Tutorial in the Syllabus (Project Descriptions). This assignment is due in Week 2.Activities:Post your Introduction in the Introductions DiscussionParticipate in the Week 1 DiscussionRead course syllabus and course content for week 1Complete Week 1 Quiz |
| Week 2 | Hardware | Content:HardwareComplete the Academic Integrity Tutorial Modules 1 and 2.Activities:Participate in Week 2 DiscussionComplete Week 2 Quiz |
| Week 3 | Networking, the Internet & eCommerce | Content:Networking, the Internet & eCommerceSocial and Ethical Considerations of ITActivities:Participate in Week 3 DiscussionComplete Week 3 Quiz |
| Week 4 | Software and Systems | Content:Software and SystemsSystems Development Life CycleActivities:Participate in Week 4 DiscussionComplete Week 4 QuizSubmit the SWOT Analysis |
| Week 5 | Database Management Systems, Data Warehouse and Cloud Computing | Content:Database Management Systems, Data Warehouse and Cloud ComputingKahn Academy interactive tutorial on creating and using a simple database using SQLActivities:Participate in Week 5 DiscussionComplete Week 5 QuizComplete Database Project Quiz based on the interactive tutorial |
| Week 6 | Evolving Languages, DSS, and Artificial Intelligence | Content:Evolving LanguagesDecision Support SystemsMachine Learning and Artificial IntelligenceActivities:Participate in Week 6 Discussion |
| Week 7 | Cybersecurity and Information Assurance | Content:Cybersecurity and Information AssuranceIssues in ComputingEthicsPrivacySecurityActivities:Participate in Week 7 DiscussionSubmit Data Security Professional Memo |
| Week 8 | Business Intelligence and Process Improvement | Content:Business Intelligence and Process ImprovementCommercial Satellite ImagingActivities:Participate in Week 8 DiscussionSubmit Project Presentation |