Course update

Basic ideas behind the course update:


From students:
Course uses out-of-date materials. Suggest include shopping baskets, ASP.NET
Too much overlap between this course and the one about e-commerce security
Too much coursework
Website coursework is too much work for only 1/3 of coursework grade and takes too long
- particularly relevant for 1 overseas campus where 12 week module is done as a (i think) 6 week intensive course (could be 4 weeks - eep!!)

My thoughts
1. The basics of web design (ie. basic html, javascript) need to be kept in the course
2. A fair number of students come straight in from business courses and have never programmed before
3. Yes, the material is out of date
4. Extension to include dynamic HTML wouldn't actually stretch the beginner students too hard
5. Extension for shopping basket - asp/javascript mix not too difficult for me to learn & possible to include in the website coursework without penalising the non-programmers
6. remove the essay from the coursework - it got the most complaints from the intensive students and the subject areas can go into the exam
7. move the essay % over to the website coursework, but insist on an attempt at a shopping basket
- need to find out about databases & webserver s/w available to the student
8. move the % for the report to the shopping basket in the website marking scheme. 10% too much for simple attempt to make sure students follow instructions, but need to make guide to report idiot-proof to avoid those huge code printouts.
9. areas of overlap with the other course: network infrastructure, internet security, intranets& extranets
10. also drop virtual organisations - if trying to aim course more technically this is a fluffy "so what" topic without proper study of groupware
11. is the module overlap valid for both MSc programs that take this module? NO - so does anything need to be kept (possibly as just a summary - look this exists)?