Information Technology
Goal of the Course :
This course introduces students to basic concepts and understanding of Information Technology in Social Sciences. Special emphasis on the correlations between fast growing communication /information technology and social impacts/transformation will be examined, as well as trends of information technology systems and its social significance. Some lectures will also consider the role of information in modern social systems, and what influence will information technology innovations have on society in the 21st Century.
Standards for Achieving Goal:
Basic understanding on Information Technology and its role in developing possible solutions related to common social problems. Students are expected to show a basic and general knowledge on the impacts and influence of new fast changing information- processing technology to modern global social systems.
Teaching
Methods:
Lectures based on texts and reference materials provided at each class. Class discussion and student presentations are encouraged.
Overview of Each Class:
Class 1. General overview and basic concept of Information Technology. In this class, students will learn the fundamental and powerful roles of information technologies in the modern global environment. Basic concepts on information, information technologies, and information systems will be introduced.
Class 2. Foundations of information systems, infrastructure & architecture of information system concepts will be taught in this lecture. Specifically, we will look at five major components of infrastructure: computer hardware, general-purpose software, networks facilities, databases, and information management personal.
Class 3. This class will discuss on computer hardware and its innovative technology: CPU, memory, input technologies, output technologies, and communication technologies.
Class 4. Students will learn computer software and its various forms and languages, as well as how the software works, how the software is created (developed), and what kind of applications they can be used to address problems in everyday social life.
Class 5.
This lecture focuses mainly on how data are stored and accessed
and what kinds of data analysis techniques are commonly used for
processing general social problems.
Class 6. In this class meeting, we introduce what kind of telecommunication - technologies and computer networks are available today and how they are used for data transmission using new fast growing technology.
Class 7. New important sub-areas of telecommunications: Internet and Intranets will be discussed. Special emphasis on some social problems, such as privacy, security, and legal issues of information contents on the Internet will be presented.
Class 8. Multinational communities, and international organizations need global information systems. Electronic documents, such as requests, responses, and confirmation of messages between organizational partners in the global systems allow users to send and receive messages between computers using Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) processes.
Class 9. In any organizational and social communities, gathering and organizing data, information and knowledge are mostly used to support the decision makers. Various kinds of computerized Decision Support Systems (DSS) commonly used will be presented.
Class 10. Topics on smart machines and intelligent systems used in modern social systems to increase productivity, quality, social service, and to reduce cycle time will be examined.
Class 11. Students will learn Electronic Commerce and its impact (influence) on customer and social services. Electronic-Commerce is commonly used by many companies and organizations to expand their business and organizational activities worldwide.
Class 12. This class deals with strategic information systems and reorganization. In order to adjust to fast changing environment, long-range/tactical organizational systems needs to be planned well ahead to increase competitiveness and effectiveness.
Class 13. Information systems tend to grow in complexity as they grow in size. Planning and developing large information systems based on System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) concept are needed to solve organizational and social problems and opportunities.
Class 14. Major issues related to ethics, technology impacts on society, and data security in information technology will be addressed during this class-time. The social significance and implications of IT, both positive and negative are of concern to many people in the 21st Century.
Class 15. Reviews. Last class is held for overview on the role of recent IT systems, review on all previous classes, and possible student presentations.
Method of Grade Evaluation:
Attendance 30%
Mid term tests 15%
Term Papers (HW) 15%
Final Examination/Paper 25%
In-class participation/presentation 15%
Requirement for Students:
Students had to take at least Intro to Information Science and Information Processing I with good grade in the previous semester.
Suggested Reading:
1) Introduction to Information Technology, Efraim Turban, R.K. Reiner Jr., Richard E. Potter, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2003.
2) Information Technology for Management , Henry C. Lucas, Jr , Irwin/McGraw-Hill , 2000.
3) Information resources and technology transfer management in developing countries, Richard Ouma-Onyango, Routledge , London, New York, 1997.
Internet Website related to the course: