Worcester Business School / COMP 3121
E-Business Technologies
Module Outline
Semester 1 2011/12
Module Tutor: / Richard Henson
(module leader)
Contact details: Room Number
Telephone
e-mail / Charles Hastings G016
(01905) 85 5397

Time: / Monday 18.15-21.15; Thursday 0915-1215
Venue: / CH 1001 (PC)
Written by: / Richard Henson
Verified by: / Joanne Kuzma
Electronic copy available: /

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What is the aim of this module?

This module takes the business data and process concepts introduced in COMP1111, web-page design concepts from COMP1141, and programming concepts from COMP1131 and COMP2121 to provide the basis of design for web-based front ends that interact with back end organisational information systems for storage, retrieval, marketing, analytical purposes. It also uses server scripting techniques from COMP2121 to explore shopping cart e-commerce systems and implement a client-server system that works via the www.

Existing web development and client-server networking knowledge and skills are extended, also giving an overview of the tools and services required to create and manage an user-updateable and dynamic shopping website. There will be ample opportunity to practice using server scripting technologies, and developing an automated on-line shopping facility for use in B2C e-commerce.

What will I be able to do when I have passed this module?

The intended learning outcomes of this module are to:

  1. Analyse each of the functions of doing business face-to-face, identify and design a suitable cost-effective and marketable on-line equivalent, and assemble the products into a self-contained B2C front-end.
  2. Set up a web server so that information can be stored on magnetic media with no likelihood of a breach of security.
  3. Create server pages for collecting and storing customer and product data, displaying product information/order data so that customers can receive up-to-date information with minimal website maintenance.
  4. Use server pages to create a shopping cart system that will maximise sales opportunities for the vendor and optimise the shopping experience for the customer

How will this module enhance my future employability?

This module will enable you to develop and enhance the following which are highly sought by employers:

  • Application of relevant knowledge: you will be able to create a website and backend that could be used in conjunction with on-line shopping
  • Research and problem solving: you will have to solve practical problems to create a working e-commerce site available through the www
  • Critical Analysis: planning and design of translating the basics of a face-to-face business transaction on a screen interface
  • Self-management: manage time appropriately and plan/implement assignment 2 activities appropriately as a mini-project
  • Use of IT: all the practical sessions and the whole of design/implementation of assignment 2 depends on appropriate use of IT facilities

How is this module assessed?

The assessment for this module is based on two assignments.

1 Essay (40%)

2 Working Product/Report (60%)

Further details of the assessment items and submission requirements will be notified during the module sessions.

Assessment / Learning outcomes assessed / Date of submission
Assignment 1 / 1, 4 / 10th November 2011
Assignment 2 / 2, 3, 4 / 12th January 2012

Specialist Software requirements for assignment 2: the module uses a Windows platform with Visual Studio 2010 and the .net framework, which can all be downloaded for student use from the MSDNAA website. Students who are unfamiliar with any component of this platform may wish to spend extra time in the lab so they understand the interface and environment for the web development component of Visual Studio. Any other software required is all freely available on the www. Further details of the assessment items and submission requirements will be notified during the module sessions.

Sustainability

The University of Worcester is committed to following a complete carbon management programme and reducing its carbon footprint. You are asked to respect this and are encouraged to recycle and minimise the use of disposable items. We aim to reduce paper output and therefore module resources will, where possible, be available in electronic format only.

Indicative Schedule

Session / Week commencing / Lecture / Practical Workshop
1 / 26/09 / E-commerce technologies in context. The business and technical requirements of client-server systems allowing on-line trading through the www / Introduction to software development environments for creating and testing dynamic client-server systems
2 / 03/10 / Web-based networked applications: essential knowledge / Using Visual Web Developer features of Visual Studio for client-side website production
3 / 10/10 / Developing client-side pages and sites & available RAD tools / Focus on using Visual Web Developer for client-server website development
4 / 17/10 / Theory of technologies for developing Server-scripts and Client-Server interaction through the web / HTML pages with server-scripts, web server controls, connectivity strings, and HTML forms
5 / 24/10 / Customer input of data & shopping carts. Securing customer data in line with legal requirements / Introduction to client-side requirements for Shopping Cart software
6 / 31/10 / Learning Week / Practice with using Visual Web Developer to provide webpage-database interaction
7 / 07/11 / Focus on server-scripting using prewritten “server behaviours” in ASP and other formats / Focus on using server-scripting to create components of shopping cart systems
8 / 14/11 / Dynamic Product Pages and Server-side Shopping Carts / Developing a shopping system by engineering available server scripts to work with a local storage cookie
9 / 21/11 / Server-side databases, integrating relational database tables with web pages, SQL, connectivity / Database end of a server-side shopping cart, and interaction with pages & local cookie
10 / 28/11 / Evolution of connectivity software: COM, DCOM, OLE DB, ODBC, specialised web tools etc / Development work on client-server website with shopping cart
11 / 05/12 / Processes involved in real-world Client-Server shopping cart systems / Development work on client-server website with shopping cart
12 / 13/12 / No formal session - revision of previous work expected / Development work on client-server website with shopping cart
13 / 20/12 / Revision of previous work / Development work on client-server website with shopping cart
14 / 04/01 / Complete and hand in assessment
15 / 11/01 / Revision and Assessment Week – no lectures, assignment 2 due
16 / 18/01 / Formal Examination Week – no lectures

What reading should I do for this module?

Particularly recommended:

NORTHRUP T & SNELL M / MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-515): Web Applications Development with Microsoft .NET Framework 4 / Microsoft Press
RANDOLPH, N., GARDNER, D., ANDERSON, C & MINUTILO M, 2010 / Professional Visual Studio 2010 / John Wiley & Sons

Other important reading

ANDERSON R, / 2008 / Security Engineering: A Guide to Building Dependable Distributed Systems (2nd Edition) / Wiley
CHAUDHURY A & KUILBOER J, / 2001 / E-Business and E-Commerce Infrastructure: Technologies Supporting the E-Business Initiative / McGraw-Hill
DARIE, C, / 2008 / Build Your Own ASP.NET 3.5 Web Site Using C# & VB (3rd Edition) / Sitepoint
DARIE, C & WILSON K, / 2009 / Beginning ASP.NET E-Commerce in C#: From Novice to Professional (Expert's Voice in .NET) / Apress
EVANS, STEPHENS, KERR, / 2004 / “Constructing Usable Shopping Carts: Designing and Building Great E-Commerce Applications”, / Apress
Ford W & Baum MS, / 2000 / “Secure Electronic Commerce Building the Infrastructure for Digital Signatures and Encryption”, / Prentice Hall
HASSLER V, / 2000 / Security Fundamentals for e-commerce / Artech
Kaufmann J, Spencer K, / 2003 / Beginning ASP.NET Databases / WROX
RUVALCABA Z, / 2004 / Build Your Own ASP.NET Website Using C# and VB.NET (Build Your Own) / Sitepoint
SHARP, J., / 2010 / Microsoft Visual C# 2010 Step by Step / Microsoft Press
SNELL, M. and POWERS L, / 2010 / Microsoft Visual Studio 2010
Unleashed. / Sams.
THANGARATHINAM, T, / 2007 / Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Databases (Wrox Professional Guides) / WROX
WATSON, K.et al / 2010 / Beginning Visual C# 2010 / Wrox
Academic Journals: / Harvard Business Review
Journal of Information Technology
Computing
Sloan Management Review
Information Systems Journal
Websites: / These are possible starting points for your research – not reference sources in themselves!
Many web sources cover ASP.NET, and C#. Examples:



FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: How do I contact the module tutors?

A: The module tutor(s) will be more than happy to answer questions about learning and assignments. The most appropriate method to contact the module tutor(s) isto email the module leader and, provided you have emailed from your university address you should expect to receive a reply within 3 working days. If this is not the case, please email to chase your enquiry.

Q: How will this module be taught?

A: Most class sessions will consist of a range of tutor and student inputs and demonstrations, followed by a workshop. These may include: group discussions, presentations, practical activities, reflective summaries, peer and tutor feedback. In addition, use of the Blackboard Learning System will enable discussion outside the formal class hours and also form a repository for all module materials. You will be expected to practice the skills learned and participate in private research between the formal sessions. There will be tutorial sessions where guidance can be sought.

Q: What equal opportunities arrangements are available?

A: If you have any particular or additional learning needs, please feel free to speak with the module tutors, who will be pleased to help you. University of Worcester is committed to ensuring that disabled people, including those with learning difficulties, are treated fairly. If you are a disabled person, please ensure that we know what you need so that we can make the necessary reasonable adjustments to help you succeed. Should you have any disability or condition that the tutor should know about, tutors will make every effort to accommodate any particular needs, so long as they are made aware of them.

Q: Why is it important to attend ALL sessions for this module?

A: Attendance and participation are essential elements of ‘being a student’ and there is a very high correlation between high levels of participation and achievement, consequently, the following requirements operate.

  • You are expected to attend and participate in every session.
  • An attendance register will be taken at each session
  • If you cannot attend for any genuine reason (e.g. illness) you are expected to e-mail the module tutor
  • Persistent non-attendance will require an explanation, in person, initially with the module tutor.

Q: What will I be expect to do for this module?

A: In addition to the formal contact hours you will be expected to engage in approximately six hours of independent study each week for this module. This is an essential part of your degree. In this module this will typically involve:

  • Reading for lectures, case study work, reading for seminars, or other activities set by the tutors
  • You must do any pre-set work for seminars – if you do not do this you may be excluded from the seminar which will then count as a non-attendance
  • You should include time to produce your assignments including - planning, drafting, consulting with your tutors or other students (if a group assignment), writing-up/production, confirming sources and references (to avoid any possibility of plagiarism), checking and finalising your work for submission.
  • It is essential, therefore, that you plan time in your weekly schedule for independent academic study and assignment preparation.

Q: What advice do you have about how to write, reference and present my work in order to obtain the best possible grade?

A: You will be graded on the quality of your writing as well as the content. This will include

  • The ability to present your material in an appropriate format (report, essay etc)
  • The ability to present your work in grammatically correct English (sentences, paragraphs, apostrophes etc)

The correct use of references based on the Harvard system – see guide available at A hard copy of this guide is available in the Library.

Poor English and referencing can lose you up to two grade points per assignment (this will not apply to students having support from the Disability & Dyslexia Service).

Help with academic writing is available to all students from the Writer in Residence (see or Blackboard for details). International Students can also contact the Language Centre (see )

You will also find helpful guidance from attending the Study Skills Workshops or accessing the Study Skills Advice Sheets (including on referencing) - see

Q: Why is it important to reference?

A: It is important that work you submit is entirely your own. This is why you must clearly identify all sources, including the internet, and communicate your thoughts in your own words/diagrams/images rather than reproducing the material of others. Failure to do so may lead to an allegation of cheating. The use of online collaborative encyclopædias such as Wikipedia is not acceptable.

Q: What resources are available to support this module?

A: The range of sources include:

  • Richard Henson’s website: This is updated after each teaching session.
  • The Blackboard Learning System – You will find two folders which should be checked regularly:
  • A Module Folder where you can access all module materials and view any announcements from module tutors.
  • The Business School Folder containing course information and ILS One Stop where you will find resources and guidance on how to use them
  • Software – see page 2.
  • Library Resources - The University of Worcester’s Library resources provide you with free access to unique, full text, quality content that you will not find through a freely available search engine, such as Google. It is important that you access these resources and read them critically, so that you are informed about, and can debate, key academic arguments. Used wisely and appropriately, Library resources, both print and electronic, will enhance your learning and help you improve your results. Make sure you use them!

Q: Why is it important that I hand my work in on time?

A: It is essential that you submit your work, in order to be able to pass the module. Work which is submitted late will be subject to grade penalties:

  • Late but within 5 days of the due date - the grade will be capped at the minimum pass grade (unless a claim of mitigating circumstances is made and upheld).
  • Later than 5 days but within 14 days of the due date - work will not be marked unless a claim of mitigating circumstances is made and upheld
  • Non-submission of work– will result in the overall module being failed. You will not be permitted a reassessment opportunity and will be required to retake the module (with attendance and incurring a fee)

Q: How will I get feedback about my work?

A: You will receive feedback throughout the module via comments from the tutor, email, and comments in connection with your assignments. Marks and comments on your coursework assignments are normally provided within 20 working days of hand-in date. It is vitally important that you access this feedback in order to optimise your learning.

Q: How can I communicate my views about the module?

A: You can do this in a number of ways. During each module you will be asked to give your opinion on how the module is going. You will also be asked to complete a survey at the end of each module. The results of these will influence how the module is run and suggestions, as well as praise, are always welcomed. Previous feedback from this module indicated in the section below. There will also be a Course Management Committee meeting each semester including student representatives, teaching staff, and Information and Learning Services (ILS) advisers. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss issues related to the course and receive comments from students. The minutes are posted on Blackboard.

Q: Where can I find Student Handbooks?

A: The most useful handbook is your Course Handbook to which you can link directly from your SOLE page. Other handbooks which you may find useful include:

  • The University Student Handbook (via SOLE)
  • The Overseas Exchange Handbook (via SOLE)
  • The International Student Handbook (via SOLE)

Assignment Support and Contacting Your Tutor

The module tutor(s) will be more than happy to answer questions about learning and assignments. The most appropriate method to contact the module tutor(s) is to email the module leader and, provided you have emailed from your university address you should expect to receive a reply within 3 working days. Specific support for your assignments is also provided.

Student Feedback

During each module students are asked to give their opinion on how the module is going. They are also asked to complete a survey at the end of each module. The results of these will influence how the module is run and suggestions, as well as praise, are always welcomed. Previous feedback from this module generated the following action plan:

Action Point / Progress
Issues from previous iterations of the module mainly related to client-side problems with poorly configured machines &server-side problems with external web hosting / The move to a new campus has enabled a completely new client-end environment to be available to students, to allow software development using a recent version of Microsoft’s Visual Studio suite. External hosting has also been reviewed
Some students were concerned and demotivated by the complexity of the practical work / Work towards developing a bespoke working e-commerce system has been divided into a number of discrete stages, giving rise to a sense of achievement at each stage
In a previous year, some students were concerned that they were unable to use feedback from assignment 1 in time to help with assignment 2. This was repeated in feedback from 2010-11. / This was resolved for 2010-11 by bringing forward the deadline for assignment 1. This was only partially successful so the hand-in date is now just after learning week, to ensure availability in time to be of assistance to students working on assignment 2.
Some students did not see how this module helped make them employable / The practical work will more explicitly be related to business requirements, and software development jobs in the real world.

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