Get Started with ISM 427 Systems Integration

Welcome to ISM 427 -- Systems Integration. The course will teach you how to connect enterprise systems and integrate databases using web services, the foundation of cloud computing.

To get started, here is a list of basic necessities:

1. UA Zip ID, via which you can access campus resources such as downloading licensed software (e.g., visual studio at https://azureforeducation.microsoft.com/devtools) or accessing campus systems (e.g., Microsoft Teams apps, WebEx apps, and brightspace.uakron.edu).
2. Student Account at ecourse.org (go to https://www.ecourse.org to signup if you do not have one yet), via which you can manage your assignments, download course materials, take exams, track performance, and access a lot of learning resources. After signup and login, you can use Xess code (MFCX0B2HHU) to connect to your course using the link "Enroll Directly" (see below)

Due to the hands-on nature of this courses, a good computer with Windows 11 operating system and at least 8GB RAM, 128GB hard drive, and Pentium i5 CPU.  If you are using Mac computer, you can install Parallel software to allow dual booting to Windows.  The following software must be installed:

• Google Chrome (free download at google.com) and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint)
• Microsoft Teams app (login using your UAnet ID and password) for instructor provided software and some other large files.
• Notepad++ or Atom or Visual studio Code (open source text editor)
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 or 2019 (follow https://ecourse.org/news.asp?which=5040 for instructions). 
• Oracle database client or MS SQL Server client

Review C# for Prerequisites:

1. Short Free Videos on Basic Visual C# Programming at eduonix.com: https://www.eduonix.com/courses/Software-Development/Learn-C-Sharp-Programming-From-Scratch (Recommended Use: watch the videos and follow the hands-on exercises along the videos)
2. Short Tutorials on Visual C# Programming with Quiz Questions at TutorialsTeacher.com: https://www.tutorialsteacher.com/csharp (Recommended Use: take quizzes and tests to check your skills and understandings)

Learning Tips:

1. This is a hands-on course. Practice is the key to success.
2. Be persistent. Try and try again. If it is hard, it is hard for others too.
3. Go over video tutorials or ISM 315 Lesson recordings on C#.
4. Form a study group via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. You may optionally include me into your groups (I didn't actively use Facebook but can take it up if you need. My Facebook email is liu@acm.org). 

If you are given permission to take some classes online, read here. Online learning comes with some pros and cons in comparison with onsite classes. Its obvious disadvantage is the loss of our personal contact with peers and the professor, but it has some advantages such as avoiding physical trips to the campus and learning without time and space limitations. This is the first time professors are trying online classes with systems development or integration courses, and I believe they will learn what works or not works along the way. To minimize the impact of sudden transition to online classes, here are my suggestions for this class:

1. Treat online classes as regular ones: take notes, ask questions, report attendance, and submit homework on time. 
2. Participate in live lectures in WebEx: I will record and upload the recordings to brightspace, but your need to participate in the live classes.
3. Put your hands on the computer to follow my demonstrations. 
4. At the end of each online session, wrap all your notes, completed class examples and programs into a zip file to submit to ecourse.org as your proof of attendance. This allows you instructor to keep record of your classroom performance for future references.