Last updated: 8/27/00
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Syllabus, AGS 3360 eCommerce: Using the Web to Find and Service Customers

eCommerce, AGS 3360, for Fall 2000 is a course with eight course meetings and substantial online work using the course web site for handouts, a computer conference for class discussions, and email for submitting and returning assignments. The major assignment is, working with a team, to establish an eCommerce web site for an imaginary online business.

Content and Overall Schedule. For detailed assignments and schedules, see the "Assignments" page on the course web site.

1. Week 1. Overview
   1. There is an initial class meeting to demonstrate the course web site and computer conference and to go over the assignments and content of the course.
   2. The initial session will also cover what is meant by eCommerce, the advantages of using the web for business, and establish the requirements for an eCommerce web site.
   3. Students will also look at several eCommerce web sites.
2. Week 2. Creating Web Pages and Setting up Teams
   1. An overview of web server operation, HTML including form elements, and CGI programs including iHTML.
   2. Establishing course teams and team officers, and registering an imaginary product and a business plan.
3. Weeks 3 through 5. Designing a business process and initial web pages
   1. Create a personal web page.
   2. Teams will design their business process; that is, decide how to accomplish each step in the chain of doing business over the web.
   3. Teams will create web pages describing their products. During the class meeting, simple graphics will be created.
   4. The details of iHTML authoring will be presented.
4. Weeks 6 through 8. Establishing the initial web site.
   1. Teams will complete the initial development of their web sites, including accepting orders.
   2. Privacy and security issues will be presented and discussed in class.
   3. Web server logs and their analysis using Microsoft Access will be presented.
   4. The process of responding to customers will be presented.
5. Weeks 9 through 11. Responding to customers
   1. During this period, teams will develop their online system for responding to inquiries, orders and complaints from customers.
   2. Major alternatives to the online systems used in this class will be presented.
   3. Teams will review and critique the work of other teams.
6. Weeks 10 through 15. Final adjustments to web sites, preparation of team reports.
   1. Each team will review the comments of the other teams, review their web site, and make final improvements.
   2. Each team will prepare a report describing their business and product, their web site, the process of creating the web site, and the role played by each member.

There is a separate detailed Assignment Schedule on the course web site. This schedule is subject to changes during the semester. Changes will be announced on the course web site, and on the course computer conference. It is your responsibility to keep up with any changes.

Instructor and Office Hours

The Instructor is David Bowen / Interdisciplinary Studies Program / Science and Technology Division.

Grading

The course grade will be calculated as follows:

Grading Scale

The "-" range for a grade is the lower three points, and gets averaged at the middle. For example, A- is 90 to 92 and gets averaged as 91. The "+" for a grade is the top three points, and gets averaged at the middle. For example, B+ is 87 to 89 and gets averaged as 88. A grade of 100 is an A+. Note that the highest grade recognized by the University is A.

On-line Grade Reports

There will be a link on the course web site for on-line grade reports. These reports will let you look at your line in my grade book. If you want to have this available to you, for the on-line information form:

• Choose "yes" for the item on-line grade reports
• In the associated text box, enter a password for your grade reports.

To get an on-line grade report, you will enter your first and last names, and this password.

Course passwords

You will have several IDs and passwords for this course:

1. Your UserID and password for your Internet Service Provider
2. Your UserID and password for the computer conference
3. Your password for on-line grade reports, if enabled
4. Your UserID and password for uploading files to your personal web site
5. Your Team ID and password for uploading files to your team web site

It can a problem to keep all of these straight. Be aware that you can choose #2, #3 and #4 to match #1, if you want. Ask me for details.