Syllabus for IST 110:
Introduction to Information Sciences and Technology  

Please note, this is a live document. Changes announced in class and on the list server will be incorporated from time to time. Announcements in class and their mirror here are the definative version.

COURSE OVERVIEW

This course provides an introduction to basic concepts of information, information systems and the "Information Age". Students will develop an understanding of basic computing and information systems principles and the social implications of information and information technology. The course also provides an overview on the creation, organization, analysis, storage, retrieval, and communication of information. The instruction incorporates both collaborative and action learning experiences wherever possible. We also emphasize developing and practicing both writing and speaking skills through application of the concepts that define the course. In this course we will cover the following major topics:

• The "Information Age" and the role of information in knowledge work
• Information systems and information technologies
• Planning for and developing information systems
• Personal information and information technology skills

We will explore these topics through in-class presentations, laboratory exercises discussions (both face-to-face and online), readings (from both text and on-line sources), exercises (both individual and group-based), and a variety of graded assignments and tests.  

COURSE OBJECTIVES

At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:

• Define and illustrate the roles of information and information technology as they shape the emerging "Information Age."
• Demonstrate competence in the use of basic information technologies (i.e., Office2000).
• Define and illustrate concepts of social informatics and relate these to the planning, development, and use of information technologies in organizations.

Note to students with disabilities: It is Penn State's policy to not discriminate against qualified students with documented disabilities in its educational programs. If you have a disability-related need for modifications in your testing situation, your instructor should be notified during the first week of classes so that your needs can be accommodated. You will be asked to present documentation from the Office of Disability Services (located in 105 Boucke Building) that describes the nature of your disability and the recommended remedy. You may refer to the Nondiscrimination Policy in the Student Guide to University Policies and Rules 1999.

Americans with Disabilities Act: The School of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) welcomes persons with disabilities to all of its classes, programs, and events. If you need accommodations, or have questions about access to buildings where IST activities are held, please contact the Dean's Office (814) 865-3528 in advance of your participation or visit. If you need assistance during a class, program, or event, please contact any member of our staff or faculty in charge.  

COURSE ORGANIZATION

Teaching Staff and Structure. Drs. Steve Sawyer, Gerry Santoro and Frank Ritter are each teaching sections of IST110. Dr. Santaro also serves as the course coordinator. The course is based on a common text and syllabus, though each section will be slightly different based on the professor's personal interests and pedagogy. There are also several teaching assistants (TAs). Nominally, a TA is attached to a particular section. The TA for our sections is Seda Ozmutlu (email: sxg188@email.psu.edu, phone 865-8952). She will assist with grading and serve as the Lab. Instructor. However, all students are welcome (encouraged!) to take advantage of either TA's office hours. These office hours will be posted during the first week of class.

The IST 110 Web Site. This course has an active web page that contains the syllabus, assignments, links to useful sites, and other valuable material (such as how to correctly prepare assignments, citations templates, and other academic and recreational information). We will post late-breaking information and updates to the web page. This page can currently be found at uniform resource locator (URL) www.frankritter.com/ist110, and later will be available through links from the IST home page via course listings.

The IST 110 Listserv and Bulletin Board. Each section has a mandatory listserv which we will use to post course and class information, conduct on-line discussions, and share information. Our section will also have an electronic bulletin board that is also linked to the course web site.

If you are in Section1 you need to subscribe to L-ist110-1@lists.psu.edu.

If you are in Section2 you need to subscribe to L-ist110-2@lists.psu.edu.

Instructions on how to subscribe are available at cac.psu.edu/~santoro/110sp00/conf.htm. Please note that (a) you must use your PSU account, and (b) the web server accepting confirmations is sometimes down. If the server is down, read the email and use the reply option to confirm your subscription. This appears to always work.

We also have a chat room. http://www.personal.psu.edu/staff/g/m/gms/volano/110sec1/chat.htm User name and password has been mailed to you. A short tutorial is available at http://cac.psu.edu/ets/projects/modules/laurie/vc/vc1-1-0.htm

Transcripts are recorded in the room. I will get an email every night with any room discussions included from the previous day. If they are found to be particularly useful, I'll put them onto the web site.

Required Texts (available at the PSU Bookstore):

(H) Haag, S., Cummings, M and J. Dawkins, (2000) Management Information Systems for the Information Age, Boston: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. See the companion web site: www.mhhe.com/business/mis/haag

Papers and online references will be available to supplement Haag et al.

Optional Texts (available at the PSU Bookstore):

(O) O'Leary, T. O'Leary, L. (2000) Microsoft Office 2000, Boston: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. See the companion web site: www.mhhe.com/cit/apps/oleary/ A local review.

You will find having a reference manual/tutorial for the Microsoft Office 2000 software useful. TAs will discuss current options in the first few labs.

PSU STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

According to the University Advising Handbook: "Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and deception, and is the educational objective of this institution. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication of information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person, or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Any violation of academic integrity will be thoroughly investigated, and where warranted, punitive action will be taken." Students should be aware that standards for documentation and intellectual contribution may depend on the course content and method of teaching, and should consult instructors for guidance. 

EVALUATION

You earn your grade but it will be assigned by me. The criteria for each assignment will be discussed in detail, as will the grading scheme. Each written assignment will be evaluated on how well it addresses the questions posed, the clarity of thinking, the organization and presentation of the material, the quality of writing, and its timeliness. 

Your grade will be based on 100 possible points. You earn points with each assignment (see below). As a maximum scale (i.e., cutoffs may be lowered): A: 100-94, A-: 94- 90, B+ 89- 86, B: 85- 82, B-: 81- 79, C+: 78- 76, C: 75- 70, D: 69- 60, F: 60- 0. 

There are written assignments, laboratory assignments, a midterm, and a final exam. Please consult the schedule to see when papers/ assignments are due and exams scheduled. You will receive more written instructions for each assignment well in advance of the due date. Here is a brief summary of each:
   

Assignment	Weight		Due Date
Current Affairs and Additional Readings Assignment Schedule	10% (2 x 5%)	Twice during the semester you will be asked to find an article from a current magazine, newspaper or periodical that addresses issues of information and information technology. In one page or less, you will comment on how that article relates to the current class discussion/ topic. You will share both the article and your comments with the class.	Twice during Spring, 2000, varies by student
Web Site Evaluation Assignment	10%	You will evaluate two web sites for their functionality and value. Based on this analysis, you will provide suggestions for how to improve them.	24 Feb 2000
Mid-Term Examination  Example questions	15%	This examination will cover class material up to, and including database concepts.	29 Feb 2000
Social Aspects Assignment or National Issues Forum exercise	10%	You will develop a socio-technical analysis of a contemporary computing environment (such as a cluster, your own use, the library, etc) or if you attended. Example by Santoro.	13 April 2000
Lab. Assignments Grade (aggregated)	20%	See below for details.	27 April 2000
In class exercises	10%	These will be held at various times, in class. Bonus on Wasilov talk due on 31 March	Various
Final Examination Review Example questions	25%	This will be a comprehensive examination that incorporates both class and lab material.	1 May 2000
Total	100%

COURSE CONDUCT

• Classes will start on time and end as scheduled. Please take your seat prior to the start of class.
• You will attend each class and actively participate in the discussions during class. If you are uncomfortable with public speaking, or if English is not your native language, we must meet in the first two weeks of school to establish ways to make you more comfortable in speaking and interacting with your peers.
• For every hour of lecture, I anticipate that you will need to budget about 3 hours of out-of-class time. For every lab session, you may need to budget one-to-two hours of out-of-lab time. This implies that you need to budget about 140 hours of out-of-class time over the course of the semester. This time estimate is a guide and you may need to budget more. For example, if the material is new to you or difficult to comprehend, it will require more of your time. 
• You are responsible for all the readings, even if the material is not explicitly covered in class. You should read the class materials prior to class and be prepared to discuss and ask questions about the readings and assignments. You should also re-read the material after class as not every topic will be covered during class time. Many passages in the text may need to be read several times to gain clarity. Also, taking notes on the material you are reading and reflecting on the reading and these notes will help you better understand the issues, concepts and techniques that are being presented.
• All work must be completed and turned in at the start of class on the assigned date. No late work will be accepted. Late means after the class has begun. Note that a computer's failure is not an excuse (it represents poor planning on your part). If you miss a deadline, a written explanation of a university recognized excuse and written documentation (e.g. a doctor's note) must be handed to me at the end of a lecture. Assignments that are simply late can be turned in for feedback but 0 marks.
• All assignment should be computer-printed, double-spaced, on 8.5"x 11" paper. All pages should have 1" margins. Papers should be stapled and collated. Please do not use report covers; they will not be returned.
• Carefully proofread your work. Mistakes include spelling, grammatical errors, and typos.
• Your work should be properly referenced and adhere to standards of both academic integrity and proper form. Generally, I prefer the APA style (see the APA online, and also other summaries and here).
• I expect individual work should be just that -- it should be done by you, alone.
• I expect group work should be just that -- from all of the group. If I become aware that you are not contributing to your group equally, I will intervene.
• Students who participate in University-sanctioned events (such as athletics) must make prior arrangements and give ample notice. Missing class for practice is not advised.

IST 110 CLASS SCHEDULE (subject to revisions) 

Instructor	Office	Office Hours	Phone	Email
Seda Ozmutlu	509D Rider	Thurs 11:00 to 14:00 509C Rider and by appointment Lab office hours for all 4 sections) 6-8 pm every wednesday in 112 Boucke	865-8952	sxg188@email.psu.edu

LAB OVERVIEW

The laboratory portion of IST 110 provides students with the chance to become familiar with both some of the basic computing tools of the Information Age and provides exposure and experience to the uses of information and information technology in organizational settings.

In the lab portion of this course we will cover the following major topics:

• Basic information skills
• Personal information technologies
• Some of the roles that information technologies and information systems play in organizations

As we explore these topics, we will also practice skills in working together, analytical skills, and information problem-solving approaches. 

Notes on using your Soda space

IST 110 Lab Schedule (subject to revisions)