UMUC-Europe Syllabus

MyUMUC

WebTycho

UMUC Europe Home

Undergraduate Programs

Portal

Syllabi | Generic |

UMUC-Europe Syllabus UMUC-EUROPE GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Common Syllabus for IMAT 670

Course Title:

Contemporary Topics in Informatics (Capstone)

Required Texts and Readings:

Leedy, P. and Ormrod, J. (2005). Practical Research: Planning and Design (8^th edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ, Prentice-Hall, Inc. Primarily articles from current journals and periodicals - other materials as appropriate. American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5^th ed.). Washington DC: Author Citing Electronic Resources: APA Style. Retrieved July 14, 2003 from http://www.umuc.edu/library/guides/apa.html Online Guide to Writing and Research. Retrieved July 14, 2003 from http://www.umuc.edu/prog/ugp/ewp_writingcenter/writinggde/welcome.shtml Procedures for Completing the Research Project Notification and Human Subjects Protection Form. Retrieved June 16, 2003 from http://www.ed.umuc.edu/staff/faculty/detech/pedagogy/proceduresform.html University Of Maryland University College Policy Manual Policy 130.25: Conducting Research Involving Human Subjects. Retrieved June 16, 2003 from http://www.ed.umuc.edu/staff/faculty/detech/pedagogy/policy%20manual.html

Supplementary Readings:

All graduate students should be prepared to utilize the UMUC online library to obtain the various resources necessary to develop a Professional Paper.

Recommended Journals:

Publications of the various professional societies (such as ACM -- the Association for Computing Machinery, the IEEE Computing Society, as well as various management professional societies) are strongly recommended. In addition, there are many trade journals (such as eWEEK) that IT professionals should become familiar with, many of these being published both weekly and on-line.

Course Description:

A capstone study of emerging and current technologies and some eternal verities in information technology (IT) management that integrates and augments concepts previously studied. Topics vary and may include aligning IT with the strategic goals of the enterprise, leadership in IT, software psychology in the design of user interfaces, geographical information systems, building and managing Internet communities, using technology to ameliorate the digital divide, managing an enterprise’s IT portfolio, and the social impact of information policy decisions.

Course Goals:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should understand and be able to apply knowledge concerning: Best practices and appropriate technologies to align information technology decisions with organizational goals. Research methods to support both operational and strategic management decisions regarding information technology issues. Integration and communication of major concepts in information technology. Current and emerging issues and trends in information technology.

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion, the student should be able to: Demonstrate ability to organize and summarize complex technical information into a suitable executive presentation. Collaborate with class peers, putting into practice interpersonal and communication skills. Identify the major issues in the development of information technology for application in electronic commerce and evaluate their application on practical and/or theoretical bases. Assess the impact of information technology on an organization's climate and competitive position. Demonstrate the connections between information architecture, management philosophy, and corporate infrastructure. Evaluate the implications of major trends (such as the growing globalization of the marketplace) for the US knowledge industry. Analyze business cases and determine best practices to align information technology with organizational goals. Assess connectivity and determine suitable information architectures for creating and managing a virtual organization.

Grading Information:

Final grades will be calculated as follows: Mid-term examination: 15% Final examination: 15% Professional paper: 60% Participation: 10% According to the Graduate School grading policy, the following symbols and scale are used: A = excellent (90-100) B = good (80-89) C = passing (70-79) F = failure (less than 70) The grade of "B" represents the benchmark for the Graduate School. It indicates the student has demonstrated competency in the subject matter of the course, i.e., has fulfilled all course requirements on time, has a clear grasp of the full range of course materials and concepts, and is able to present and apply these materials and concepts in clear, reasoned, well-organized and grammatically correct responses, whether written or oral. Only students who full meet this standard and, in addition, who demonstrate exceptional comprehension and application of the course subject matter, merit an "A." Students who do not meet the benchmark standard of competency fall within the "C" range or lower. They, in effect, have not met graduate level standards. Where this failure is substantial, they earn an "F." The grade F(a) is used to designate academic failure. F(n) is used to designate failure for non-completion. Grades of Incomplete or Withdrawal are governed by UMUC-Europe policies. For further details, please refer to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog, available in your local Education Center or online at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/general_info/publications/catalogs/.

Course Requirements:

1. Examinations: There will be a midterm exam and a final exam designed to help students improve their understanding of the concepts discussed in the course and apply the concepts to some specific scenarios. 2. Professional Paper: Definition of a Professional Paper A Professional Paper is based on research conducted solely by the author. Examples include, but are not limited to: Academic, professional, or trade journal articles, Case studies, Policy analyses, policy proposals, project management reviews, and program evaluations, Pre-procurement or pre-implementation analyses of new technologies or best practices, Grant proposals. The length, style, and format of the final draft of any Professional Paper are defined largely by the nature of the audience and the standards employed in that particular segment of the profession. Audiences and venues for publication and dissemination of final drafts may include but are not limited to: The readership of academic, professional, or trade journals, including online journals, Conferences conducted and organized by professional associations, Political institutions (Congress, state legislatures, regulatory boards, etc.), Management teams (government and non-profit agency directors, boards of directors, CEOs and CIOs, etc.), and Funding organizations (National Science Foundation, National Institutes for Health, etc.). Any Professional Paper, written for UMUC Europe Graduate Programs, regardless of audience, length, style, or format, uses the APA citation style and reference style. 3. Participation: Students are expected to prepare for each class meeting and participate in the discussion. In an online environment, the best way to demonstrate your understanding, learning and subject interest is through your active participation in various tasks, projects and assignments designed specifically for this class.

Description of Course Requirements:

Successful graduate students in American universities dedicate approximately three hours of preparation/study time for every hour spent in the face-to-face classroom. Thus, the following course requirements were developed on the assumption that students would be prepared to spend approximately 150 hours of their own time working on them. In an 8-week term, that is the equivalent of a half-time job. Most 14-week graduate distance education courses require at least 10 hours per week of dedicated time, plus time spent in the virtual classroom. STATEMENT ON WRITING REQUIREMENTS: Effective managers and leaders are also effective communicators. Written communication is an important element of the total communication process. The Graduate School recognizes and expects exemplary writing to be the norm for course work. To this end, all analyses and papers must demonstrate graduate level writing ability and comply with the format requirements of the Publications Manual of the American Psychological Association. All writing assignments will be graded on the basis of content, logic, analysis, mechanics, organization, and research. Careful attention should be given to source citations, proper listing of references, the use of footnotes, and the presentation of tables and graphs. Work submitted online should follow standard procedures for formatting and citation. POLICY ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Academic integrity is central to the learning and teaching process. Students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that will contribute to the maintenance of academic integrity by making all reasonable efforts to prevent the occurrence of academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty includes (but is not limited to) obtaining or giving aid on an examination, having unauthorized prior knowledge of an examination, doing work for another student, and plagiarism of all types. PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional presentation of another person's idea or product as one's own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to the following: copying verbatim all or part of another's written work; using phrases, charts, figures, illustrations, or mathematical or scientific solutions without citing the source; paraphrasing ideas, conclusions, or research without citing the source; and using all or part of a literary plot, poem, film, musical score, or other artistic product without attributing the work to its creator. Students can avoid unintentional plagiarism by following carefully accepted scholarly practices. Notes taken for papers and research projects should accurately record sources of material to be cited, quoted, paraphrased, or summarized, and papers should acknowledge these sources in footnotes. The penalties for plagiarism include a zero or a grade of F on the work in question, a grade of F in the course, suspension with a file letter, suspension with a transcript notation, or expulsion. Resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC, UMUC-Europe or BSU), partially or in its entirety, is not acceptable in this course and will result in an automatic failure on the assignment. DISABLED STUDENTS: Students with disabilities who need to register or request services should contact the Staff Support Team four to six weeks in advance of registration to request and register for services. (See the Academic Policies section below for more information on disabled students.) COURSE EVALUATIONS: Feedback on each graduate course and instructor is important to the university, your professor, and to all UMUC students. UMUC has the responsibility to assess the effectiveness of classroom instruction, and each student has the responsibility to provide accurate and timely feedback through completion of the course evaluation form. This is a shared obligation for us all. It is therefore important that you complete the evaluation form for each course you attend. This should be viewed as an additional course and program requirement.

Course Schedule:

Module 1: Development Week One - present draft proposal to classroom By Week Two - deliver draft proposal Module 2: Refinement and Initiation By Week Four - present revised proposal to classroom and submit final draft of proposal to instructor Module 3:Execution By Week Eight or Nine - present working draft/lit review to classroom By Week Twelve - present complete draft to instructor Module 4:Conclusion By Week Fourteen - present second draft to instructor By Week Sixteen - present final draft to classroom

Academic Policies:

The University has a license agreement with Turnitin.com, a service that helps prevent plagiarism from internet resources. I may be using this service in this class by either requiring students to submit their papers electronically to Turnitin.com or by submitting questionable text on behalf of a student. If you or I submit part or all of your paper, it will be stored by Turnitin.com in their database throughout the term of the University's contract with Turnitin.com. If you object to this temporary storage of your paper, you must let me know no later than two weeks after the start of this class. Please Note: If you object to the storage of your paper on Turnitin.com, I may utilize other services to check your work for plagiarism The official university policy on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty can be found at http://www.umuc.edu/policy/aa15025.shtml. Section I.C. states: "Faculty may determine if the resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC), partially or in its entirety, is acceptable when assigning a grade on that piece of course work. Faculty must provide this information in their written syllabi. If the resubmission of course work is deemed to be unacceptable, a charge may not be brought under this Policy and will be handled as indicated in the written syllabi." Please refer to Description of Course Requirements for specific information on how resubmissions will be treated in this course. Students with disabilities should contact the appropriate support office at UMUC-Europe. Jan Keller, Director of Student Services UMUC-Europe, Heidelberg Phone: +49-6221-378299 Email: edstudent_svc@ed.umuc.edu Mailing Address: Unit 29216, APO AE 09102 OR Im Bosseldorn 30, D-69126 Heidelberg, Germany Please refer to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog for information on the following: Academic Integrity Course Load Exception to Policy Grade Appeal Process Make-up Examinations Nondiscrimination Code of Civility Hard copies of the catalog are available at your local Education Center.