Syllabus

Title
4146 Corporate IT I (Information Structures)
Instructors
Dr. Helena Lovasz-Bukvova
Contact details
helena.lovasz-bukvova@wu.ac.at
Type
PI
Weekly hours
2
Language of instruction
Englisch
Registration
02/09/17 to 03/05/17
Registration via LPIS
Notes to the course
Subject(s) Bachelor Programs
Specialization in Business Administration Course III - Business Information Systems
Dates
Day Date Time Room
Wednesday 03/15/17 09:00 AM - 10:00 AM D2.-1.019 Workstation-Raum
Wednesday 03/22/17 09:00 AM - 01:30 PM D2.-1.019 Workstation-Raum
Wednesday 03/29/17 09:00 AM - 01:30 PM D2.-1.019 Workstation-Raum
Wednesday 04/05/17 09:00 AM - 01:30 PM D2.-1.019 Workstation-Raum
Wednesday 05/03/17 09:00 AM - 01:30 PM D2.-1.019 Workstation-Raum
Wednesday 05/17/17 09:00 AM - 01:30 PM D2.-1.019 Workstation-Raum

On this page:

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Contents

The collection and management of data plays an important role in today’s organisations. Increasingly, the importance of management of information and knowledge are also recognised. The understanding of mechanisms and ideas behind data and information management is an important skill in nearly all professions, as it helps to increase the personal as well as the organisational efficiency. This course aim is to furnish an in-depth understanding of the principles and key languages behind data and information collection, structuring, and retrieval, together with knowledge of their practical application.

In the course, we will address five topics related to data and information structuring:

  • the design and management of relational databases and data retrieval with SQL
  • the design of web pages with HTML and CSS
  • the definition of data structures with XML, DTD, and XSD, as well as transformation of XML with XSLT
  • the principles of information retrieval, esp. for unstructured information
  • the idea and key principles of Semantic Web
The focus of this course is on theoretical understanding and practical application. The participants will be expected to actually write code.
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Learning outcomes

After attending this course, you will be able to understand, describe and judge key approaches to data and information management.

Subject-related skills

  • know the role of data, information, and knowledge in information
  • understand relevant terms and principles from the area of information structuring
  • create relational databases and write SQL-queries to retrieve data
  • write HTML to create web pages and format them by defining CSS
  • define structures of XML using DTD and XSD and create XML-files
  • write XSLT to transform XML (esp. into HTML)
  • understand key principles of information retrieval, such as Boolean logic in search expressions and Web Information Retrieval
  • understand key principles and know key technologies related to Semantic Web

Soft-skills

  • ability to autonomously collect, filter, and structure information on a previously unknown subject
  • ability to assess own strength and weaknesses and adjust practices accordingly
  • experience with designing own learning processes
  • practice with decision making and planning
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Teaching/learning method(s)

The aim of this course is not only to provide you with relevant theoretical knowledge, but also to enable you to put what you have learned into practical use. The design of the course reflects this, combining phases of knowledge acquisition with exercises and practical application. The instructor takes a part of a mentor, rather than a teacher; hence the course is driven by your active participation and learning needs.

The coursework can be divided into three areas: (1.) theoretical learning and preparation, (2.) practice in exercises, and (3.) project work. What does this mean in practice:

  1. Theoretical learning and preparation. You will be provided with a selection of suitable (mostly online) learning materials that will help you acquire understanding of the area, such as key terms and concepts. You will be encouraged to work your way through this learning material, making notes and learning about the application of the concepts
    (e.g. what is a markup language or how HTML works).
  2. Practice in exercises. As it is impossible to acquire applied skills without practising, you will be provided with a lot of exercises on different levels to test and develop your abilities.
    (e.g. writing SQL queries, adapting HTML code)
  3. Project work. To test the level of your skill, you will be required to work on a complex task. Unlike exercises that help you attain a particular skill, the project work will encourage you to use what you have learned creatively, to solve problems that you might encounter in practice.
    (e.g. designing HTML pages from scratch)

There are five presence units, better described as labs. In these units, you are free to ask the instructor to support your learning as required. While it is suggested that we focus each lab on a particular set of topics, this order is by no means binding and the content and activities will be decided by common vote. This means, that the participants will decide whether they want to place the theoretical learning, practice or even the project work into the presence hours. Part of the lab will be always devoted to the challenges that are a part of the assessment.

As the course covers a large number of topics within a very short period of time and with only 5 presence units, you will be expected to invest a considerable amount of time into autonomous learning. You can expect to invest up to 100 hours learning time (as adequate for 4 ECTS points), if you have no previous knowledge of the topics and wish to get a top grade. The workload can be roughly divided into following parts (the exact amount of time necessary will depend of your background and your learning style):

  • approx. 25 hours presence learning (20% compulsory attendance, but full attendance is strongly advisable)
  • up to 40 hours autonomous theoretical preparation and practice
  • up to 35 hours (ideally spread out evenly throughout the term) for project work
Please note: This is a very demanding course and it is not advisable to attempt it parallel to other similarly demanding courses! The course format requires a high level of self-discipline and interest in learning. The course does not require previous knowledge of programming or any other technical skills - as long as you willing to learn and not afraid to invest time into learning, you will do well in the course.
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Assessment

As you may have noted from the description of the teaching method, this course is based on the idea that the participants are the decision makers in the course, who govern their learning according to their own needs. The assessment format takes it into account.The overall principle is that of performance-based assessment: you have to demonstrate certain abilities to gain points, but you are free to repeat your performance as often as you want and need.

The overall assessment consists of three main parts: essentials, challenges and project.

Essentials (30%)

  • There are certain areas that every participant that passes the course must know, understand and be able to apply. The purpose of the essentials is to ensure, the participants are familiar with key terms and concepts across all areas, can recall, explain and use them. This knowledge is assessed in for of a written test. At the beginning, each you will receive a personalised test that you can attempt in every unit and as many times as necessary. You must solve all the tasks 100% correctly to pass the test and get 30 points!
  • You do not have to succeed the first time; in fact, you are free to try and retry as often as you want and need as long as the course runs. You will get feedback on your attempts which will allow you to improve. There is just one restriction: you are not allowed to take the challenge tasks home: you can only attempt them in class. Additional time to work on the challenges can be agreed on per appointment with the instructor. This way, the work remains your own.
  • Example: explain term, apply theoretical concepts, match terms to code

Challenges (max. 30%)

  • You will be offered a number of challenges, actually advanced applied exercises, to solve. Each challenge brings a fix number of points and you can gain up to 30 points from these.
  • As there are more challenges than would be worth 30 points, you can deliberately choose areas and exercises that match your interests.
  • Once again, the challenges can be attempted only in class or per appointment outside of class, but you can prepare for them at home as needed.
  • Example: retrieve data from a database, create a web page, find mistakes in code, structure information with XSD

Project (40%)

The project is a complex task, such that you might meet in the real world. Essentially, you are confronted with a problem that you have to solve using the technologies you have learned in the course. How you solve the problem and how you employ the technologies is for you to decide - as long as in the end the problem gets solved. It is a very creative task that will require to make your own decisions. While all participants have individual tasks, some of them are related; if you wish, you can work in team with those of your colleagues that work in a similar context.

Example: create a web based information system for a given case study using HTML, XML, XSLT

Grades

The grading system is closely aligned to the assessment methods. The scale is non-linear, rather representing different levels of achievement:

  • under 50%      5 (fail)
  • under 60%      4
  • under 75%      3
  • under 90%      2
  • 90% or more   1
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Prerequisites for participation and waiting lists
  • Courses: GK1 Grundzüge der ITK
  • Administrative: Registration in the LPIS

Falls Sie eine gültige LV-Anmeldung haben, aber an dieser Lehrveranstaltung nicht teilnehmen können, melden Sie sich bitte während des Anmeldezeitraums über LPIS wieder ab, damit Ihr LV-Platz anderen Studierenden zur Verfügung steht.

Die Platzvergabe während der Anmeldefrist verfährtim „first-come, first-served Prinzip“.

Nach Ende der Anmeldefrist werden verfügbare LV-Plätze den Studierenden der Warteliste, die noch keine gültige Anmeldung zum Planpunkt haben, gereiht nach Studienfortschritt (Härtefallprinzip) vom Vizerektorat für Lehre und Studierende zugeteilt, nicht nach Wartelistenplatz.

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Recommended previous knowledge and skills
  • You should have a basic understanding of the role of information systems in organisations (in general).
  • Having an understanding of relational databases would be helpful.
  • You should be open to learning about technical issues and willing to try them out yourself (even if you think that you are not technical).
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Availability of lecturer(s)

Lecturer:   Helena Lovasz-Bukvova

E-Mail:      helena.lovasz-bukvova@wu.ac.at

Room: D2.2.078 (Building D2, entrance C)

Schedule appointment: http://www.meetme.so/helenabukvova

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Is this for me?
This is a course for everyone who not only wants to know about data and information structuring, but who actually wants to be able to sit down to a computer and apply the new-learned knowledge. The course welcomes participants from very different backgrounds (with existing IT skills or even totally without), as it provides a very very flexible learning structure. Participants should take into account the high learning effort that is associated with this course as well as the fact that it requires you to learn and work autonomously. Those who are not afraid to invest their time and get their hands dirty can expect to gain an array of new skills, and even discover their hidden IT talent.
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Unit details
Unit Date Contents
1 General information (1 hour)
2 Lab
3 Lab
4 Lab
5 Lab
6 Lab
Last edited: 2017-01-17



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