1997 Swinburne Higher Education Handbook

BT502 Current Issues in lnformation Systems
3 hours per week Hawthorn Prerequisite: completion of
stage 2A of Management stream Assessment: Group and
individual presentations and assignments Gis subject is
equal to two semester subjects
A subject in the Master of Information Systems
(Management Stage 2B)
Objectives
In this subject, some of the most recent developments and
trends . in . computer applications and technologies are
examined to:
encourage students to appraise critically state of the art
developments and evaluate them for relevance to their
own environment:
communicate recent systems design techniques;
provide an awareness of the anticipated directions
within the computer industry.
Content
Topics covered include:
systems analysis and design for the fourth and fifth
generation systems;
prototyping strategies;
integrating personal and corporate computing;
knowledge based systems.
Recommended reading
In addition to numerous periodicals and journals, the following
texts will serve as a guide:
Dordick, H. et al. 7he Innovative Management Using
Telecommunications - A Gutde to Opportunities Strategies and
Applications. New York, Wiley, 1986
Firebaugh, M. Arttficial Intelligence. A Knowledge Based Approach.
Boston, PWS-Kent, 1989
Laudon, K.C. and Laudon, J.P. Management Information Systems:
A Contemporary Perspective. 2nd edn, New York, Macmillan, 1991
BT550 Introduction to Information Systems
12.5 credit points Duration: four hours per week over 1
semester
Prerequisities: students are not expected to have any previous
experience with computers or information technology
Instruction: lecture/tutorial/lab Assessment: examination
(70%) and assignments (30%)
Aims
On completion of this unit, the student should have an
understanding of computer systems and their uses in our
a society. The student should also be able to pick out an
appropriate system for hidher use and understand the
V)
fundamentals of programming.
Content
basic components of a computer system: input,
processing, output (including communication), and
storage
use of common applications software: a word processor
and spreadsheet
stages involved in building a system
differences between a file manager and a database
management system
design and implementation of a simple database
basic constructs used in writing programs; writing
simple programs using dBase IV
types of processing and common processing operations
differences between a transaction processing system,
management information system and decision support
system
main functions of managers in an organisation and the
use of information technology to achieve the goals of
the manager and the organisation
ethical issues arising from the use of information
technology
protection of information systems from computer
crime, natural disasters, and human error
Textbook
Laudon, Laudon, Infomation Systems -A Problem Solving
Approach, The Dryden Press - Harcoun Brace College Publishers,
1995.
Sala, P. Microsoft Excel Version 5 Step by Step Guide, Swinburne
Press, 1995.
Sala, P. Learn Microsoft Windows 3.1 and Microsoft Word for
Windows 6- A Step by Step Guide, Swinburne Press, 1995.
Wilde, W.D. and Baxter, J.E. Standards of Presentation,
Swinburne Press, 1991
References
Laudon, Trevor and Laudon Information Technology and Society,
Wadswonh Publishing Company, 1995
Hutchinson, Sarah E. and Sawyer, Stacey C., Computers - Be
User Pmpective, Irwin, 1990.
BT551 Business Programming 1
12.5 credit points Duration:fiur hours per week over 1
semester Prerequisities: Nil
Instruction: lecture/tutorial/lab Assessment: examination
(60%) and assignments (40%)
Aims
The main aim of this subject is to introduce students to the
programming concepts most widely used in business and
organisational computing. It is assumed that students may
not previously have had any programming experience.
Content
An overview of modern business computing sets the context
and introduces the structure, declarative and event driven
approaches.
Some of the ideas of object orientated programming are also
discussed.
The remainder of the subject provides a thorough
introduction to the structured programming approach
including sequence, selection and iteration. Students will be
exposed to these ideas through examples drawn from several
different programming languages
Text books
To be advised
References
Juliff, P Program Design, 3rd ed., Prentice Hall, 1990
Sebesta, R., Concepts of Programming Languages, 2nd ed., Addison
Wesley, 1992.
Wilson, L.B., and Clark, R.G., Comparative Programming
Languages, 2nd ed., Addison Wesley, 1993.