Everything here is subject to change! 
Changes will be announced in class and on Blackboard. 
It is your responsibility to check for changes in schedule, assignments, etc.

Instructor

Student Learning Objectives

Bus118S is the second semester continuation of 119H, which is an advanced course on the Practice of MIS, particularly the implementation of information systems. Its purpose is to provide you with real world experience working on an application project and learning about all the issues associated with the successful completion of the project. This class is an honors class, with admission by permission of the instructor.

As a practicum, Bus119H provides the opportunity  to learn a number of skills directly related to being successful in the workplace. Specifically, Bus119H provides an opportunity to:

•  Participate in a team to complete an IT project for a sponsor in the community.

• Develop and practice the following key skills:
  ·     using industry-standard project management tools and methods
  ·      applying technical skills to a business need
  ·       teamwork
  ·       leadership
  ·      communication
  ·      flexibility and adaptability

You will learn to:

• Act professionally as a team-member to plan, design, implement, and deliver a real-world application project that is accepted by the sponsor

• Identify issues associated with the development and management of MIS projects and formulate appropriate strategies for handling them

• Create and use project management plans and updates in accordance with industry standards

Prerequisites

You must have completed 119H and have permission of the instructor.

Required Texts & Supplies

Same text as 1st semester:
Marchewka, Jack T. Information Technology Project Management: Providing Measurable Organizational Value. 2nd Edition. John Wiley & Sons: 2006.

General Course Policies

We will spend the class time on discussion of assigned readings, other relevant topics and issues that arise in your projects. In addition to your primary team project, in-class team assignments will be a regular part of class activities. You are expected to participate actively in class. Depending on project complexity, your team may be asked to undertake more than one project.

Check the handbook for COB students for general guidelines for nearly every academic assignment business faculty require--plus advice on studying, participating, etc. More resources for you are available on the COB website: www.cob.sjsu.edu under student services.

• Two semester class. The honors section of 119h-118s is a is a two-semester class to allow us to undertake larger, more complex projects. Although you will receive a grade at the end of the first semester, it is expected that you will enroll for both semesters. Participation in the second semester requires successful completion of the first semester and instructor permission.
• Readings. You are always responsible for reading the assigned chapters before class, completing a Reading Journal and generally being prepared to discuss the material. I assume you can and will read, so class time will be used to clarify principles from the reading and practice applying them.
• Blackboard. Blackboard is the central information repository for this class. You are expected to log onto Blackboard at least once a week to check for new information, complete online review aids, download reading journals, etc. Instructions will be handed out at the first class.
• Class starts on time. Please get to class on time, prepared to begin promptly at the appointed hour. Please plan ahead with regard to traffic, parking, etc. Arriving late and disrupting the class is rude and will negatively affect your participation grade.  
• Assignments will be graded for grammar, spelling, clarity of presentation and overall appearance as well as content. Everything that is handed in for a grade must be prepared electronically with a word processing and or graphical tool (diagrams) such as Visio, Microsoft Project or Microsoft PowerPoint.  Most assignments will be submitted electronically, via email. Submission of an assignment with a virus will result in a failing grade for the course. Late assignments without prior approval are penalized 10% for every due date missed.
• Always make backups of all assignments before submitting them. A disk or system crash is no excuse for not completing assignments. A backup also protects you from accidental loss on my part.
• Laptops may be used in class for taking notes or completing assignments. Surfing the web, playing games or using them for anything not directly related to the current class activities will result in an invitation to leave class and an undesirable effect on your grade.
• Makeups for missed or late assignments will not be allowed unless they are approved prior to the date of the event by me.  Makeups will only be authorized in the event of a verifiable emergency.
• Drop/Add: since this is an honors section, please see me if you are thinking of dropping the class. If you wish to apply for the honors program for next year, please contact me.
• Contacting Me: I am here to help you, but you have to let me know what you need. I will be happy to talk with you during scheduled office hours, after class or during breaks, through email, by phone, or by appointment as necessary. If you need to contact me outside of class and office hours, email is the most reliable way to do so. 
• Food and beverages are not allowed in class except for water in a container that can be sealed between drinks (i.e. bottled water or a sports bottle). Please turn off your cell phone ringers and do not answer calls during class.
• Professional behavior is expected at all times. This includes showing respect for alternative points of view, diverse abilities, cultural and linguistic perspectives.

Grading (2nd semester)

Although your work in the second semester will be graded separately from your work in the first, you are expected to address issues in your deliverables that were identified during the first semester. For example, your project plan must continue to be improved and updated as the project continues. Also, because projects do evolve and change, the grading scheme may be adjusted based on what the project actually entails. This is all subject to change. We will discuss changes in class to be sure everyone knows in advance what is happening. More details about grading, assignments, etc. will be posted and updated on Blackboard.

The following approximate scale will be used on total percentage earned by student. Since this is an honors class, I expect everyone to earn an "A"!

Team Projects

The team project is the most important part of this class.  You cannot pass the class without successfully participating in a team project. Details about the team project are available in the Assignment Info section of the Blackboard site.

Reading Journals

There will be a reading journal for assigned readings to help you focus and to prepare for the class discussions. Reading Journals will be available on Blackboard when the reading is assigned. Submit it to me by email and ALSO bring a copy with you to class to use during the class discussions. Your grade for each reading journal  is all or nothing: if you submit the journal  on time and you've clearly put reasonable thought into it, you get the points. unless you make other arrangements with me in advance, if the time-stamp on your email is later than the beginning of class or if it is too sketchy, your grade for that Reading Journal will be 0. Written evaluations of guest speaker presentations are also required, and will be graded as reading journals.

Participation 

Participation means active involvement in class by participating in discussions and working well with your team. Everything you do in the class can help or hurt your participation grade: leading discussions helps, sleeping or doing non-related activities hurts. Everyone starts with 75 points. Showing up for most classes, talking occasionally and not doing anything disruptive (like web surfing) lets you keep your 75 points. Enthusiastic, regular participation throughout the semester gets you more points. Your participation grade also includes your activity within your team. If you just do your share, you keep your 75 points. If your teammates have to struggle to get your participation, you lose points. If you actively help your team excel, you get more points.

Honors Paper

The honors paper is your assessment of the project as a whole. It will include lessons learned and personal reflections, but also a discussion of the project in terms of project management theory and practice, systems analysis and design principles, etc. This is your opportunity to demonstrate that you understand the connection between your academic work in all classes and the practice of MIS as shown in this project.

If You Need Help

If you are having trouble understanding the material, having technical or management difficulties with your project, etc., please ask for help right away! The only stupid question is the one not asked. If your team is having difficulties, or you are having difficulty within your team, ask for help as soon as you are aware of the problem. If I don't know about it until the end of the semester, it's too late to help. You can come see me during my office hours, or make an appointment. In addition, MIS faculty are usually able and willing to help in their areas of expertise, such as web design or database.

Class Schedule

Details will be announced in class and posted on Blackboard.    

University Policies

Academic integrity

Students are expected to be familiar with the University's Academic Integrity Policy. Please review this at http://sa.sjsu.edu/student_conduct. "Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University and the University's integrity policy, require you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical development."

Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism (presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person's ideas without giving proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. For this class, all assignments are to be completed by the individual student unless otherwise specified. "If you would like to include in your assignment any material you have submitted, or plan to submit for another class, please note that SJSU's Academic Policy F06-1 requires approval of instructors."

If you are at all unsure what plagiarism is, take the university tutorial! Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San José State University, and the University’s Academic Integrity Policy requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the Office of Judicial Affairs.

Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the DRC (Disability Resource Center) to establish a record of their disability.
Special accommodations for exams require ample notice to the testing office and must be submitted to the instructor well in advance of the exam date.