Management > Business Administration > Information Technology Essentials

Information Technology Essentials posted by duggu on 12/31/2007

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Abstract/Syllabus

Courseware/Lectures

Test/Tutorials

Course Highlights

This course features a set of lecture notes and a reading list.

Course Description

This class offers a broad coverage of technology concepts and trends underlying current and future developments in information technology, and fundamental principles for the effective use of computer-based information systems. There will be a special emphasis on networks and distributed computing, including the World Wide Web. Other topics include: hardware and operating systems, software development tools and processes, relational databases, security and cryptography, enterprise applications, and electronic commerce. Hands-on exposure to Web, database, and graphical user interface (GUI) tools.

This course is intended for students with little or no background in computer technology. Students with extensive education or work experience in computer technology should consider taking a more advanced course.

Technical Requirements

Microsoft® Access software is recommended for viewing the .mdb files in this section. Free Microsoft® Access viewer software can also be used to view the .mdb files.

Syllabus

Course Description

This class includes broad coverage of technology concepts and trends underlying current and future developments in information technology, and fundamental principles for the effective use of computer-based information systems. There will be a special emphasis on networks and distributed computing, including the World Wide Web. Other topics include: hardware and operating systems, software development tools and processes, relational databases, security and cryptography, enterprise applications, and electronic commerce. Hands-on exposure to Web, database, and graphical user interface (GUI) tools.

Readings

The course material includes all the required readings (articles) to be covered in class. It also includes non-Web optional readings, which offer supplementary material on the topics discussed, except for optional readings that are available via the Web. There are also some optional textbooks (that are not included in the course reader) and recommended Web material- see below for details.

Grading

Grading
ACTIVITIES	PERCENTAGES
Class Participation	20%
Three Problem Sets	40%
Final Exam	40%

We view this course as a cooperative learning experience and expect students to engage the topics provided as an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with some of the tools and technologies covered. They include (a) creating a personal home page, (b) working with a Microsoft® Access database and (c) constructing a web-based survey form that collects in a database information provided by people who fill out the survey on-line. All assignments are to be received by the TA before class on the due date.

Required Software

Microsoft® Frontpage® is required for completing Assignment 3 (and optional for Assignment 1).

Microsoft® Access is required for completing Assignment 2. Microsoft® Access is included as part of Microsoft® Office Professional.

Recommended Web Materials

The PC Webopedia is a Web site that serves as an encyclopedia of Information Technology terms. It provides excellent explanations of many Information Technology terms, together with links to additional web pages related to them. For many of the lectures, the course Web page contains pointers to the relevant category of the PC Webopedia. We strongly encourage you to use this valuable resource to clarify unanswered questions and to go beyond the material covered in class, according to your own personal interests.

Optional Textbooks

There are three optional textbooks.

White, Ron, et. al. How Computers Work. 7th ed. Indianapolis, IN: Que Publishing. ISBN: 0789730332.

Gralla, Preston, et. al. How the Internet Works. 7th ed. Indianapolis, IN: Que Publishing. ISBN: 0789729733.
Good introductory texts on the internals of computer hardware, system software and the Internet. Recommended if you don't have a background in science or engineering.

Viescas, John L. Running Microsoft® Access 2000. Redmond, WA: Microsoft® Press, 1999. ISBN: 1572319348.
One of the best and most detailed "bibles" on Microsoft® Access. The coverage is way beyond what will be covered in this course. This is an excellent reference book for students who are interested in becoming Microsoft® Access experts.

Calendar

Calendar
Lec #	TOPICS	KEY DATES
1	Introduction: Fundamentals of Computing I
The Technology
2	Fundamentals of Computing II	Problem set 1 out - build a simple Web home page
3	Networks I
4	Networks II
5	Programming Languages
6	Relational Databases
7	Introduction to Microsoft® Access	Problem set 2 out - Microsoft® Access
8	Web Technologies Fundamentals	Problem set 1 due
9	Computer Security I: Encryption and Digital Signatures
10	Computer Security II: Network Security
Applications of Technology
11	"Under the Hood" of a Commercial Website	Problem set 3 out - Microsoft® Frontpage®
12	Managing Software Development	Problem set 2 due
13	Enterprise Systems
14	Systems that Span Multiple Enterprises
15	Business Intelligence: Data Mining and Data Warehousing
16	Emerging Technologies; Course Wrap-up	Problem set 3 due
17	Final Exam

Readings

There are three optional textbooks, as well as a set of readings and Web references by lecture listed in the table below.

Optional Textbooks

White, Ron, et. al. How Computers Work. 7th ed. Indianapolis, IN: Que Publishing. ISBN: 0789730332.

Gralla, Preston, et. al. How the Internet Works. 7th ed. Indianapolis, IN: Que Publishing. ISBN: 0789729733.
Good introductory texts on the internals of computer hardware, system software and the Internet. Recommended if you don't have a background in science or engineering.

Viescas, John L. Running Microsoft® Access 2000. Redmond, WA: Microsoft® Press, 1999. ISBN: 1572319348.
One of the best and most detailed "bibles" on Microsoft® Access. The coverage is way beyond what will be covered in this course. This is an excellent reference book for students who are interested in becoming Microsoft® Access experts.

Readings
Lec #	TOPICS	READINGS
1	Introduction: Fundamentals of Computing I
The Technology
2	Fundamentals of Computing II	Optional Laudon, K. C., and J. P. Laudon. "Computer Hardware and Information Technology Infrastructure." Section 6.1 in Management Information Systems: Organization and Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2004, pp. 182-190. ISBN: 0131538411. Mossberg, Walter S. "Do you really need a DDR SDRAM and 802.11b?" Wall Street Journal, December 4, 2002, D5. ———. "The Fall Buyer's Guide: Things to Keep In Mind When Choosing a PC." Wall Street Journal, September 30, 2004.
3	Networks I	Recommended Tutorial on How the Internet Works. Gralla, Preston, et. al. How the Internet Works. Illustrated by Mina Reimer, and Stephen Adams. 7th ed. Indianapolis, IN: Que Publishing. ISBN: 0789729733.
4	Networks II	Optional Mossberg, Walter S. "Deciphering Cellphone Geek-Speak." Wall Street Journal, July 9, 2003, D5.
5	Programming Languages
6	Relational Databases	Peterson, John. Chapters 1, and 2 in Absolute Beginner's Guide to Databases. Indianapolis, IN: Que Publishing, 2002. pp. 7-16, and 19-41. ISBN: 078972569X.
7	Introduction to Microsoft® Access	Peterson, John. Chapters 8-10 in Absolute Beginner's Guide to Databases. Indianapolis, IN: Que Publishing, 2002. pp. 159-234. ISBN: 078972569X. Optional Viescas, John L. Running Microsoft® Access 2000. Redmond, WA: Microsoft® Press, 1999. ISBN: 1572319348.
8	Web Technologies Fundamentals	Comer, Douglas E. Chapter 24 in The Internet Book. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2000. pp. 223-242. ISBN: 0130308528. Berners-Lee, Tim, James Hendler, and Ora Lassila. "The Semantic Web." Scientific American (May 2001). Recommended PC Webopedia - World Wide Web Category Page.
9	Computer Security I: Encryption and Digital Signatures	Turban, E., D. King, J. Lee, and D. Viehland. Chapter 12 in Electronic Commerce: A Managerial Perspective. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004. pp. 462-490. ISBN: 0130094935. Optional Zimmerman, Phil. Chapter 1 in An Introduction to Cryptography. PC Webopedia - Encryption Category Page. Terms to look up: symmetric-key cryptography, DES, public-key encryption, RSA, Pretty Good Privacy, authentication, digital signature, digital certificate, PKI, SSL, smart card.
10	Computer Security II: Network Security	Turban, E., D. King, J. Lee, and D. Viehland. Chapter 12 in Electronic Commerce: A Managerial Perspective. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004. pp. 462-490. ISBN: 0130094935. Optional Zimmerman, Phil. Chapter 1 in An Introduction to Cryptography. PC Webopedia - Encryption Category Page. Terms to look up: symmetric-key cryptography, DES, public-key encryption, RSA, Pretty Good Privacy, authentication, digital signature, digital certificate, PKI, SSL, smart card.
Applications of Technology
11	"Under the Hood" of a Commercial Website	Treese, G. Winfield, and Lawrence C. Stewart. Chapter 19 in Designing Systems for Internet Commerce. 2nd ed. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley 2003. pp. 375-387. ISBN: 0201760355.
12	Managing Software Development
13	Enterprise Systems	Davenport, T. H. "Putting the Enterprise into the Enterprise System." Harvard Business Review (August 1998): 121-131. Optional "An Eagle Eye on Customers." Business Week, February 21, 2000, 66-76.
14	Systems that Span Multiple Enterprises	Hagel III, John, and John Seely Brown. "Your Next IT Strategy." Harvard Business Review (October 2001).
15	Business Intelligence: Data Mining and Data Warehousing	Berry, Michael J. A., and Gordon Linoff. Chapters 2, and 3 in Data Mining Techniques: For Marketing, Sales, and Customer Support. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1997. pp. 17-50. ISBN: 0471179809. Optional Berson, Alex, Stephen Smith, and Kurt Thearling. "An Overview of Data Mining Techniques." Excerpted from Building Data Mining Applications for CRM.
16	Emerging Technologies Course Wrap-up
17	Final Exam

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