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IS 101 – Introduction to Information Systems
Syllabus
Spring 2011
Course # & Title:
Credits:
IS 101, Introduction to Information Systems
3
Catalog Description:
Introduction to computer-based information systems management
including: hardware/software relationships, business applications usage, system theory,
current technology, networking, the Internet, computer security, and privacy issues.
Qualified students with physical or documented learning disabilities have the right to free
accommodations to ensure equal access to educational opportunities at Great Basin
College. For information, contact the disabled student services office at 753-2271.
Instructor:
Email:
Class Time:
Place:
Text:
Terry Hardy, (phone: 635-8355)
muffylynn@hotmail.com
9:30am - 12:15am, Monday
GBC - Battle Mountain
Fluency with Information Technology: Skills, Concepts, and Capabilities,
4/e, Snyder, 2011 ISBN: 9780136091820
Course Description: This course will explain computer-based information management
systems. We will discuss computer hardware and software, business applications, systems
theory, application development methods, changing technology and computer security and
privacy issues. This course will help students develop an understanding of computers and the
role they play in the business environment.
Expected Learner Outcomes & Measurements
At the end of the course, each student should be able to:
Expected Learner Outcomes
Measurements
1. Identify and explain basic computer
hardware and operations
Turn in completed documents, Take subject
tests.
2. Identify and apply common business
software
Turn in completed documents, Take subject
tests.
3. Understand basic computer
communications and their use in
business
Turn in completed Word documents, Take
subject tests.
The primary objective for this class is to provide students with a working knowledge of
technology and computers; the use of computers in the workplace, including both hardware
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IS 101 – Introduction to Information Systems
Syllabus
Spring 2011
and software applications; Appropriate uses and misuses of the computer will be discussed.
Specific topics to be covered in this class include:




Becoming Skilled at Information Technology
Algorithms and Digitizing Information
Data and Information
Problem Solving
Method of Instruction: This class will be a live lecture with hands-on activities. Class work
consists of exercises from the text, the WebCampus Discussion Board, as well as online
activities (www.aw.com/snyder/). The assignments can mostly be completed during class time
(hopefully!). Reading the assigned chapters BEFORE class will help. Review questions from
the text can be beneficial for the Quizzes. Turning in (thru WebCampus) the chapter review
questions will give extra points. There will be 4 Quizzes, one for each section in the book. The
quizzes may include multiple choice, matching and true/false. Makeup quizzes will not be
given. Quizzes will be open from Monday until Saturday at midnight. If you have any
questions about the assignments, contact me.
Attendance: To obtain the full benefits of instruction it is recommended that you attend class
regularly. There will be a sign-up sheet that you need to sign as you come to class, even if
you're late. Each week there will be a Class Activity that can ONLY be completed in class. It
CANNOT be made up.
If, for some reason, you feel that you cannot complete the course, to get a 100% refund, it
must be in by the end of the first week, and before the end of the third week for a 50% refund.
If you feel that you must withdraw, talk to the Battle Mountain Coordinator.
Student Evaluation and Grading: Grading in this course will be as follows:
DISCUSSION BOARD
50% (225pts)
CLASS ACTIVITY
10% (1500pts)
QUIZZES
40% (440pts)
TOTALS
100% (2165pts)
The Grades for the assignments and quizzes will be calculated on the percentage scale and
then recorded as the corresponding grade point value as shown below.
PERCENTAGE
90 - 100
80 - 89
70 - 79
60 - 69
< 60
GRADE POINT VALUE
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
LETTER GRADE
A
B
C
D
F
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: The skills that are taught in this course can be enhanced by use of
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IS 101 – Introduction to Information Systems
Syllabus
Spring 2011
the computer. Students are encouraged to work together. GBC is dedicated to education.
Therefore, the college demands a high level of scholarly behavior and academic honesty. No
form of academic dishonesty is acceptable.
Student Computer Lab Use: Computer lab hours are posted. My lab hours will be Tuesday
and Friday 8:30 – 12:00pm. If there is a change, it will be posted. The computer labs are
provided as a service to the students. Use of the computer lab is a privilege, not a right.
Users must refrain from doing anything that annoys others or disrupts their education. You
must use your Student Number to login to the computers. If you have any questions or
problems, let me know.
LAB RULES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
GBC students may use the computer lab.
Scheduled classes have priority in the use of computers. There is a lab sign-in sheet.
If you have problems with your computer, please write the computer number and give a
description of the problem.
NO FOOD OR DRINK IS ALLOWED IN THE COMPUTER LAB.
Unauthorized copying of software is ILLEGAL.
Personal software is NOT to be used on the labs computers.
The computer lab is a place of study, where disruptive behavior is not allowed.
Children are not allowed in the computer lab.
The lab assistant on duty has the right to ask anyone not following these rules to leave
the lab.
Internet Access is to be used for class related work only.
FINAL NOTES: This is a non-smoking building so all smokers must go outside. We'll take a
5-minute break after the 1st hour. If I forget, remind me! We are only to park in the college
parking lot across the street. Don't let yourself get behind! If you are confused about a
particular concept, see me immediately.
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IS 101 – Introduction to Information Systems
Tentative Outline
Spring 2011
Date
01/24/2011
Description
Chapter
Introduction-Website: www.aw.com/snyder
Defining Information Technology—Terms of Endearment. Using
the right word, Start Button, Computer, Software, Analytical
Thinking. Exercises: End of Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary
Flashcards.
1
01/31/2011
Exploring the Human-Computer Interface—What the Digerati
Know. About Technology, Interfaces, GUI, Clicking Around,
Searching, Editing. Exercises: End of Chapter Multiple Choice,
Glossary Flashcards.
2
02/07/2011
The Basics of Networking—Making the Connection. Networks,
Communications, Internet, File Structure. Exercises: End of
Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards..
3&4
A Hypertext Markup Language Primer—Marking Up with HTML.
HTML, Document Structure, Tags, Color, Lists, Tables.
Exercises: End of Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary
Flashcards.
02/14/2011
Locating Information on the WWW—Searching for the Truth.
Searching, Organized Information, Reliability of Information.
Exercises: End of Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary
Flashcards.
Case Study in Online Research—Searching for Guinea Pig.
Online Research, Sources, Resolving Questions. Exercises
Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards.
QUIZ.
5&6
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IS 101 – Introduction to Information Systems
Tentative Outline
Spring 2011
Date
Description
Chapter
* * * PRESIDEN’T’S DAY HOLIDAY * * *
(No Class)
02/21/2011
02/28/2011 An Introduction to Debugging—To Err is Human. High Standards
of IT, Accuracy, Debugging. Exercises: End of Chapter Multiple
Choice, Glossary Flashcards.
7&8
Representing Information Digitally—Bits and the “Why” of Bytes.
Digitizing Information, Encoding, Hex. Exercises: End of Chapter
Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards..
03/07/2011 Principles of Computer Operations—Following Instructions.
Execution Engines, Program Counter, Software, Integrated
Circuits, Semi-Conductor Technology. Exercises Multiple
Choice, Glossary Flashcards.
9 & 10
Algorithmic Thinking—What’s the Plan? Algorithms. Exercises:
End of Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards.
03/14/2011 Representing Multimedia Digitally—Light, Sound, Magic.
Digitizing Colors, Sounds, Images, Virtual Reality. Exercises:
End of Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards.
http://www.utah3d.net/
QUIZ.
Social Implications of IT—Computers in Polite Society. Email,
Passwords, Viruses & Worms, Protecting Property. Exercises:
End of Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards.
03/21/2011
*** SPRING BREAK ***
(No Class)
11 & 12
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IS 101 – Introduction to Information Systems
Tentative Outline
Spring 2011
Date
Description
03/28/2011 Privacy and Digital Security—SHHH, It’s a Secret. Privacy
Issues, Cookies, Encryption & Decryption, Cryptosystems,
Redundancy. Exercises: End of Chapter Multiple Choice,
Glossary Flashcards.
04/04/2011 The Basics of Spreadsheets—Fill-In-The-Blank Computing.
Arranging Information, Calculating, Functions. Exercises: End of
Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards.
Chapter
13
14 & 15
Advanced Spreadsheets—“What If” Thinking Helps. Designing,
Formatting, Formulas, Naming, “What If” Analysis, Filtering.
Exercises: End of Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards.
04/11/2011 Introduction to Database Concepts—A Table with a View.
Differences between Tables and Databases, XML, Tables and
Entities, Operations, Join, Structures, Exercises: End of Chapter
Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards.
16 & 17
Case Study in Database Organization—The iDiary Database.
Preliminary exercise, iDiary Database, Using the iDiary daily,
Exercises: End of Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards.
QUIZ.
04/18/2011 Fundamental Concepts Expressed in JavaScript—Get with the
Program. Programming Concepts, Names, Values & Variables,
Statements, Syntax, expresso program. Exercises: End of
Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards. Site for WebPage
Building: http://www.tripod.lycos.com/
A JavaScript Program—The Bean Counter. Preliminaries,
Backgrounds, Critiquing. Exercises: End of Chapter Multiple
Choice, Glossary Flashcards.
18 & 19
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IS 101 – Introduction to Information Systems
Tentative Outline
Spring 2011
Date
Description
04/25/2011 Programming Functions—Thinking Big. Anatomy of a function,
forms & functions, Writing & Using Functions, Memory Bank.
Exercises: End of Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards..
Chapter
20 & 21
Iteration Principles—Once is Not Enough. Iteration, Rules for
Loops, experiments for flipping coins. Exercises: End of Chapter
Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards.
05/02/2011 A Case Study in Algorithmic Problem Solving—The Smooth
Motion. Planning Smooth Motion, Build Web Page, Animation,
Controls. Exercises: End of Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary
Flashcards.
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05/09/2011 Computers Can Do Almost {□ Everything □ Nothing}—Limits to
Computation. Exercises: End of Chapter Multiple Choice,
23 & 24
Glossary Flashcards. Fluency Summary—Click to Close.
Exercises: End of Chapter Multiple Choice, Glossary Flashcards.
05/16/2011 FINAL QUIZ