BCIS 338: Business Information Systems I Section M70: Distance Education Section Instructor: Richard L. Oliver Office: Business Complex 233 E-mail: [email protected] Office/Dept Phone: 575-646-2944/575-646-4901 Blackboard CE 8: http://learn.nmsu.edu/ MyItLab: http://MyItLab.com Office Hours: Mon. 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Wed. 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm or by appointment MyItLab Course ID: CRSABXU-221950 Course Materials: 1. This is a distance education course which does not include any face to face meetings as part of the regular schedule. Please note that my office hours are available if you are in Las Cruces frequently. Further, we can arrange a meeting at another time in my office or we can arrange a telephone meeting. All of that said, there are two easy methods to meet with me via the Internet. The first is email in Blackboard. I will answer this frequently throughout the day, including most weekends. I will send out an email note if I am going to be away from Blackboard for an extended period of time. Secondly, please feel free to use the “Who’s Online” feature of Blackboard. If you see that I am logged in, please invite me to chat. If I do not respond, please do not be discouraged! It is not that I do not want to chat with you!! I have simply stepped away from my computer for a (short) period of time. 2. What is MyITLab and how does it work? In this course, we use computer based training (CBT) software called MyITLab. This is an application available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week over the Internet. The CBT in MyITLab us the following procedure. First, the system present the student with a series of training exercises or modules. The particular skill being taught is described, then demonstrated to the student. Next, the student is asked to demonstrate the skill. If they do so successfully, then MyITLab moves on to the next module. If not, then the skill is demonstrated by MyITLab again as many times as the student wants it to be demonstrated. Once the student is comfortable with a skills in a module, MyITLab provides a Hands-On Skills Based examination to assess the student’s progress in using the skills in the particular module. . These Hands-On Skills Based examinations can be taken up to three times by the student. Please note, the highest score is used for the student’s grade book entry! After working through a series of related modules teaching various skills sets, the student is given another assessment called a Chapter Skills Based examination. Once again, this can be taken up to three times and the highest score is used in the grade book. 3. Why do we use MyITLab? We have been using MyITLab in this and other courses for a number of years. It has several significant advantages. First, it is a information source available 24/7 for the student’s convenience! This training can be done at the best time for the students. Secondly, we are targeting intermediate and some advanced skills in Excel and Access in this course. However, the time when our students learned the basic skills in Excel and Access varies tremendously. For some students, their learned theseskills last semester. But for other students, it may have been years ago and they have simply not used and forgotten many of the basic skills. Here is the great part: MyITLab has all of those basic skill modules available! That is, if you feel you need to review the basic Excel skills, the modules to do so are already available for you in MyITLab. You can do a few, all or none of these review exercises. Finally, we like MyITLab because it moves forward at a customized pace. That is, it will let you progress through modules very rapidly if appropriate. And, it will repeatedly demonstrate any skills as many times as you require to understand them. We believe MyITLab is a powerful addition to the course that will help you develop your expertise in Excel and Access! 4. MyITLab Access Code: Each student in the class MUST have their own MyItLab access code. You will need this code within the first few days of the semester. 4.1. Why do I need this? The access code is required to complete the MyItLab software assignments which make up over 40% of your grade in this class. The assignments provide training and practice in using Microsoft Access (a database) and Microsoft Excel (a spreadsheet). These are two of the most commonly used productivity software packages. 4.2. Where can I get the MyItLab access code? 4.2.1. You can purchase an access code online for $65 at http://www.MyItLab.com/access_MyItLab.asp. 5. Using MIS, 3rd edition, by David Kroenke, ISBN: 9780136100751. In the bookstore, the ISBN is listed as 9780136100799. It makes no difference if it is loose leaf or bound, but be sure the title, author and edition is the same. 5.1. Why do I need this? This is the Information Systems concepts text which will be used for much of the in class discussions. 5.2. Where can I get the text? 5.2.1. A used text may be available at the NMSU book store. New and used texts can also be purchased online. . 5.2.2. The text can also be purchased in electronic form from www.coursesmart.com. The cost is about $66.70 for a 180 day subscription. 6. Microsoft Office 2007: 6.1. Why do I need this? You will need access to Microsoft Office 2007 to complete the Assessment Project. 6.2. Where can I get the Software? 6.2.1. The software is available in all PC labs on campus. 6.2.2. You can also purchase a fully functional version from the NMSU book store for a significant discount from the normal retail price. 7. Reminder: If you are sharing texts, each person will still need an individual MyItLab access code. See item 1 above for details. 9780136100799 Course Description - Business and managerial applications of Management Information Systems and Information Technology, from strategic and competitive technology opportunities to the organization to management of information using databases and data warehouses.Course Objectives - The student who completes this course will have met the following objectives: • Terminology: You will be able to explain the meaning of terms used to describe common techniques and concepts in business information systems. • Skill. You will have achieved advanced and intermediate office productivity software skills in Excel and Access, respectively, to solve typical information systems problems. • Advanced Information Systems Concepts. You will be able to describe