ALBANY STATE
UNIVERSITY
ALBANY, GEORGIA
MASTER OF PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM
COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Title: PADM 5500: Computer
Applications & Management Information Systems
Course Number: PADM 5500.01
Semester Offered: Spring Semester, 2010
Class Meetings: Thursday evenings 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Simmons
204
Instructor: Dr. Bruce
Neubauer, Simmons, Room 307
229-430-4872,
bruce.neubauer@asurams.edu
Office Hours: Daily 9:30 to 11:30
a.m. and by appointment.
Course Home
Page: http://www.robertcat.net/spring2010/padm5500/index.html
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS
Powering Up: How Public Managers Can Take Control of Information Technology (2001) by Barett and Greene. ISBN 1568025750
Fundamentals of Information Systems, by Stair and Reynolds.
Fourth edition.
Supplementary
Readings: Additional
materials and/or Web sites will be assigned.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students are introduced to the concepts and theories of management
information systems, the practices in government organizations, as well as
issues, problems and trends. The course will also introduce students to a
variety of software programs. This course is designed to prepare students
with computer application skills and management of information knowledge for
professional competency to perform successfully as managers in the government
and nonprofit sector.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
While this course has some technical content the purpose and intent is to help students become better generalist managers in government agencies, nonprofits, and other kinds of organizations. Areas of emphasis include information technology (IT) hardware and software, e-governance and e-democracy, knowledge management, workflow design and automation, object-oriented analysis, service-oriented architecture (SOA) and new and emerging technologies of potential relevance to organizations. Upon completion of this course, managers will be better prepared to participate in strategic planning, to work with IT project managers and other IT professionals, and venders of IT systems. Managers will have a better understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), including strategies for the identification and mitigation of risks that often contribute to cost overruns and less-than-successful IT projects. This course examines the means by which information technology can improve management functions and the quality of services provided to citizens and other clients.
MEANS OF COURSE DELIVERY
The presentation and discussion of course content will be accomplished
using a hybrid model of traditional classroom meetings and multiple uses of
online technologies. This means of
delivery of educational services reflects Goal Four of Albany State
University's strategic plan, which is to provide and maintain state of the art
information technology that will support the University's mission and goals,
including instructional excellence.
The means by which course objectives will be achieved include readings,
classroom presentations by instructor and students, classroom discussion, a
course term project, computer lab assignments, and assessment by examinations. Each course activity and deliverable is
intended to contribute to the technical insights relevant to the
responsibilities of non-technical public and nonprofit managers.
TEACHING METHODS
This course includes both theory and application. The class will meet regularly in a traditional
classroom or computer lab, depending upon availability. There will be substantial use of the Internet
to supplement traditional learning methods through a blended (hybrid) approach
to learning. This course will employ
techniques to integrate a variety of instructional techniques, encourage
independent learning, and use interactive learning methods.
CLASS ATTENDANCE POLICY
Class attendance is mandatory at Albany State University. The ASU attendance policy states that: “All
students are expected to be in class on time for all class meetings. Attendance begins the first day of class and
all students are expected to remain in class for the entire class period unless
prior arrangements have been made with the instructor. Absenteeism cannot exceed the credit hours
for the course. This means if a class
meets two times per week, a student cannot miss class more than two times
during the semester without suffering a substantial penalty. Excessive absences may result in the
instructor lowering the grade earned by one letter grade, e.g. “A” to “B” or
“D” to “F”. Students should contact the
instructor in advance regarding any foreseen instances of absence, tardiness,
or early departure. Students must
provide valid documentation by the next class meeting for excused absence.
CLASS AND COURSE CANCELLATION/MODIFICATION
POLICY
The instructor reserves the right to make
modifications to the course syllabus and requirements that are in the best
interest of the learning environment.
Students will be notified in a timely manner of any such modifications
in class and on the course Web site. In
the event a class meeting needs to be cancelled, the instructor will make effort
to notify students via email or telephone.
The topics missed during this class will be rescheduled or an
independent class assignment given.
QEP PARTICIPATION
This course is a QEP (Quality Enrichment Program) writing enhanced
course. The University's QEP initiative
is intended to encourage and support the use of innovative writing assignments
across the entire campus. Selected
writing assignments in this course may be reviewed by others who are
administering the QEP program. We may be
asked to complete some surveys or other work for the QEP program as a part of
our learning experiences together. There
may be some in-class writing assignments and surveys associated and with the
QEP initiative that may not be included in the calculation of the course
grade. Questions regarding the QEP program can be addressed to Dr. Joyce Cherry.
The spirit of our QEP program is that
writing takes many forms including opportunities to use emerging Web 2.0
applications being made available by Google and other companies. You each may be asked to get a free Google
e-mail account in order for us to be able to use one or more of the new
technologies that Google is making available for discussion forums and other
forms of collaborative writing.
SEXUAL HARRASSMENT STATEMENT
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT
Albany State University is an equal
opportunity agency of the State of Georgia and as such does not discriminate
against students on the basis of race, national origin, religion, disability,
gender, sexual orientation, or family status.
DISABILITY AND ACCESS STATEMENT
Albany State University offers the Disability Student Services Program to
ensure equal opportunity education to all students with disabilities. All eligible students with disabilities must
have equal access to student programs, facilities, activities, and
services. Students may contact the ASU
Disability Student Services Program at (229) 430-4667 for appropriate
disclosure and accommodation procedures.
CLASSROOM STANDARDS
Students are to adhere to all university policies on attendance,
punctuality, make up tests, plagiarism/cheating, withdrawal from class,
incomplete grades and final examinations. Failure to participate in the course
plus failure to formally withdraw as per University policies and schedules will
result in a grade of F. Please refer to
the student handbook, graduate catalog, and any departmental and program
guidelines. In class, respectful and
professional conduct is required towards all.
Use of cell phones and ringing of cell phones and pagers in the
classroom are not allowed. As per University policies, children, infants and
other persons not enrolled in the course are not allowed to attend classes. Audio and/or video recordings of class
sessions are not permitted. Students may
not sell notes of class presentations. A
grade of Incomplete will not be given except as intended by University
policies. An Incomplete will only be
given if the student is otherwise passing the course at the end of the semester
and has one assignment that cannot be completed during the semester for reasons
beyond the student's control. I do not
consider failure to complete the term project to be the basis of an Incomplete
grade because the assignment is known from the first day of class.
UNIVERSITY'S
COMMUNICATIONS POLICY STATEMENT
ASU RAMmail
account is the university’s official means of electronic communication with
students. Students are required to use the ASU website (www.asurams.edu) and RAMmail for important university’s official information on
financial aid, current class schedule, registration holds, account balances,
etc. In order to communicate with students by other means as needed, each
student is asked to provide the university with his/her current telephone
number(s) and mailing address via BannerWeb.
STUDENT
EVALUATION AND FINAL GRADE
There is an opportunity
to earn 1000 points in the course.
Course grades will be based upon the following translation of numeric
scores to letter grades. Please also see
"Class Attendance Policy" section above. Your course grade may be reduced as a result
of the frequency and duration of your attendance. There may be some in-class writing
assignments or surveys associated with the QEP initiative that may not be
included in the calculation of the course grade.
A 900 to 1000 points
B 800 to 899 points
C 700 to 799 points
D 600 to 699 points
F < 600 points
|
|
Percentage |
Points of 1000 |
Points of 1000 |
|
Midterm Examination |
20% |
200 |
200 |
|
Weekly reading quiz 1 |
2% |
20 |
240 |
|
Weekly reading quiz 2 |
2% |
20 |
|
|
Weekly reading quiz 3 |
2% |
20 |
|
|
Weekly reading quiz 4 |
2% |
20 |
|
|
Weekly reading quiz 5 |
2% |
20 |
|
|
Weekly reading quiz 6 |
2% |
20 |
|
|
Weekly reading quiz 7 |
2% |
20 |
|
|
Weekly reading quiz 8 |
2% |
20 |
|
|
Weekly reading quiz 9 |
2% |
20 |
|
|
Weekly reading quiz 10 |
2% |
20 |
|
|
Weekly reading quiz 11 |
2% |
20 |
|
|
Weekly reading quiz 12 |
2% |
20 |
|
|
Excel assignment |
6% |
60 |
360 |
|
PowerPoint assignment |
6% |
60 |
|
|
Knowledge Management assignment |
6% |
60 |
|
|
Arena assignment 1 |
6% |
60 |
|
|
Arena assignment 2 |
6% |
60 |
|
|
Arena assignment 3 |
6% |
60 |
|
|
Final Examination |
20% |
200 |
200 |
|
TOTALS |
100% |
1000 |
1000 |
A higher grade on the final examination will substitute for a lower grade on the midterm examination. The final is comprehensive. The final is not optional. The substitution of grades does not work the other way around.
REVISIONS TO SYLLABUS AND/OR COURSE CALENDAR
As instructor I reserve the right to make reasonable changes in the syllabus and course calendar with appropriate notice. The current syllabus for this course will be available on the course website. Revisions to this syllabus and/or the course calendar will be announced in class, with appropriate notice, and will be reflected in the edition of the syllabus and the calendar available on the web.