Week 3 Hardware and Software

This week's lecture is on hardware and software in IS. The objective of this lesson for me is to introduce system architecture. I managed to show IS architecture and also do an IS architecture with the student. The reason I'm doing this is because tutorial this week is on IS architecture. Students need to draw the system architecture.

IS architecture

This is an example of IS architecture. It is drawn in many ways. Nonetheless, the fundamentals are the same which is to depict the interconnectedness of IS elements e.g hardware, software, people, database etc.

Next week, we will cover database. But next week is CNY. So, I need to prepare like a self-instructional module for the students. Still on the works.

Week 2 Overview of IS

 Today I covered the second half of the topic which is Competitive Advantage and Careers in IT. Alhamdulillah. I managed to finish off Topic 1 in 2 weeks. 

I asked students to do a reflection of Topic 1. The students submitted their reflection on OneNote. This for extra marks. I guess that is the only way students to give me good reflection. From the reflection, I noticed students need two things

1. More explanation on competitive advantage and how IS brings this to organization. Perhaps I don't explain good enough on the value of IS to organization.
2. More real life examples. 

But even with these two comments, I feel that overall students understood what information system is.

Topic 2 which is on Hardware and Software will be covered in Week 3

Week 1 Overview of IS

 Class starts at 8am. More than half was there which was good. The class had no lights. It was in the lab. Why give a lab for a venue. And it has no lights! Okay. Adapt. Move next door, got lights but no HDMI cable. Adapt again.

This week, I gave an overview on the class, ice breaking and also an overview of information system. I wanted to explain to the students that IS more than just the app that you see on your mobile phone or desktop. It encompass the whole 6 components of IS. Hardware, Software, Network, Database, People and Policies. I showed them the IS architecture. I am guessing that some of the components are not familiar e.g router, switch etc. But generally the rest was okay.

I also explained data, information and knowledge. What are the differences between them. I think this more like a refresher. Information derives from data. Is it true if you have bad data, you will get bad information? Yes of course. 

I don't have the time to do some assessment. But I am able to recap. These are it

1. Course overview, the CLOs, the assessment and the expectation
2. Ice breaking using OneNote
3. What is Fundamental of IS? e.g the building block of IS, the essential components, the core, the basis etc
4. What is IS? the mixof interrelated components. I explain those components are how it is related to one another through an IS architecture. The intention is to show the components and also to tell the difference between IS and application.  

Will start Week 2 with a quiz or a reflection. 

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