Syllabus CIT 48500 Living Lab

General Course Information

CIT 48500  The Living Lab (3 cr.) 

Prerequisite(s): Permission from the instructor(s)

Course Day and Time: Friday in person 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST 

Course Location: ET 007 A and ET 007 B

Contact Information

Instructor(s): Connie Justice & Clay HamptonOffice: N/A
Email: Via CanvasOffice Hours: Upon Request
Response Time: 

Course Materials

Required Material:

There are no required textbook(s); however, the Acceptable Use Policy, Attendance Policy and Living Lab Code of Conduct documents must be printed and signed on the first day of class in order to take this course.

Course Description

The Living Lab allows students to apply networking, security, database, website, application development, computer graphics and multimedia concepts and techniques learned from prior CIT and CGT courses to internal and/or external projects. The Living Lab emulates an industry IT department in which students work on one or more projects as part of an IT team. Independent work is required, and students will report all work to the professor or class IT manager.


Student Learning Outcomes

Course Outcomes  (What are these?)

  • Work on a team in a real world environment (CIT d)
  • Reinforce IT skills and learn new ones (CIT h, j)
  • Design and implement projects to meet client specifications (CIT j, k, l)
  • Learn to consistently meet project deadlines on time (CIT n)
  • Develop and/or improve project management skills (CIT n)
  • Develop and/or improve client management skills (CIT g)
  • Develop and/or improve project presentation skills (CIT f)
  • Understand the need for continuing professional education (CIT h)

CIT Student Outcomes (ABET CAC) (What are these?)

(d) An ability to function effectively on teams to accomplish a common goal. (e) An understanding of professional, ethical, legal, security and social issues and responsibilities

(f) An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences

(g) An ability to analyze the local and global impact of computing on individuals, organizations, and society

(h) Recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in continuing professional development

(j)  An ability to use and apply current technical concepts and practices in the core information technologies

(k) An ability to identify and analyze user needs and take them into account in the selection, creation, evaluation and administration of computer-based systems. 

(l)    An ability to effectively integrate IT-based solutions into the user environment. 

(n) An ability to assist in the creation of an effective project plan

Professional Skills

By the end of this course, students will have:

  • Accountability to professor/clients
  • Worked independently
  • Worked in a real-world environment
  • Reinforced or learned new various IT skills
  • Designed and implemented projects to meet client specifications
  • Learned to consistently meet project deadlines on time
  • Developed and/or improved project management skills
  • Developed and/or improved client management skills
  • Developed and/or improved project presentation skills  
  • Understood the need for continuing professional education

Expectations & Resources

What to expect out of your instructor:

We will communicate with you primarily through the tools within this Canvas course. If you have a personal concern or question you would like to talk about, please send me an email directly. During the workweek, we will respond to personal emails or your posts directed to me within 24 hours. We are unlikely to review communication over the weekend, but we will respond on Monday to most situations. If you do message us, please make sure to be descriptive in your subject line and the body of your message . Please allow a full 24 hours before emailing me again about the same question or issue, and on Monday for inquiries sent over the weekend.

What we expect of you:
  • Ability to be self sufficient in research and problem solving.
  • Attendance is the responsibility of each student. If you have something that comes up let us know in advanced and plan for a day to make up time.
  • To learn new things and have fun
Attendance: 

Required to work 2 days a week for a total of 14 hours each week.

Unless other arrangements have been made with the course instructor, each student is expected to be in class from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM for both their work days. If a student demonstrates poor attendance, points will be deducted from their weekly grade and the student will likely fail the course.  Poor attendance includes but is not limited to tardiness and frequent absences.


Project Information

Project Assignment(s):  The reality of these projects is that they will come in different shapes and sizes and degrees of difficulty. The more difficult projects will be weighted more heavily to balance out the load for each student. This is a rather unique component to this class. The course instructor or IT manager reserves the right to adjust project loads to produce desired results.

Class Assignments:  All class assignments will be project related. Each student will work on one to many projects during the course of the semester. Students may work either on teams or individually.  Some assignments/projects will be given directly by the course instructor or IT manager.

Meetings:  All students are required to attend the first Friday of class regardless of their schedule.   In addition, project status meetings are mandatory each week and attendance is required either in person or on MS Teams or Zoom.   These meetings will be used to report on project status, address issues and concerns, and to share project deliverables with the class.

Weekly Status Reports:  All status reports should be submitted weekly before the required time. Status reports should be brief and concise. The status report will be submitted via the Living Lab website per instructions received the first day of class. The weekly due date for the weekly status report will be announced each semester. Status reports will have the following elements included:

  • Time/Hours worked. Report hours worked on Living Lab tasks each week. 
  • List (by project or topic):
    1. What you have accomplished,
    2. Challenges encountered, and/or
    3. Change(s) in direction.


Reflective Journal:  
Each student is responsible for keeping a weekly journal.  The journal is to be turned in at midterm and the completion of the course.

  • For the purposes of the Living lab you will create a journal entry after each day. As you are writing in your journal, think about how you organized your thoughts and how you worked out and solved the IT problem. Think about the courses or experiences that prepared you to be able to solve this issue/problem on your own.
  • The goal of a reflective journal is to get you to think about how you are learning and develop the skills necessary to become a life-long learner. You will pull from various course experiences as well as your hands-on experience and apply to the current situation (experience). The journal will help you gain knowledge or your own thinking processes and helps you to be able to control and manage your learning processes.

Progress: Each student is expected to create a project plan for each project and in that plan notate actual progress in comparison to the initial plan as the project evolves weekly.  Progress is expected of each student for every project he or she is assigned. Project plans should clearly reflect progress on the project(s) assigned, or a clearly documented reason for lack of progress along with a plan for corrective action to get the project back on schedule. Demonstration of the ability to make successful progress and/or demonstration of adaptability to changes in project(s) and taking initiative to remodel a project outcome will be measured throughout the semester.

Simon Mock Interview: Each student is required to participate in a mock interview with a Simon employee. The process will include coordinating a mock interview time with the designated Living Lab staff member. Interviews will be approximately 30 minutes each. Prior to the interview day, at a time to be announced in class, students will email their chosen job description and resume to the interviewer. The purpose of this assignment is to provide each student with the opportunity to improve their resume and interviewing skills.


End of Semester Deliverables

Details and/or examples of the deliverables listed below are provided in Canvas Files>>Deliverables and Samples.  Project and Documentation deliverables may vary from one project/assignment to another to project as these deliverable items are custom to your Living Lab assignment.

  • Presentation:  Prepare and present a 10-minute presentation summarizing your project or body of work during the semester. All materials will be ready and copied on the classroom presentation computer at least 30 minutes prior to start of presentations. Required dress is business casual. The presentation date will be on the last day of class; with the date to be announced. Attendance is mandatory for all students!  Any student who does not have his or her presentation copied to the presentation computer 30 minutes prior to the start of presentations will receive a zero (0) for his/her presentation grade.
  • Cumulative Weekly Status Report: Each student’s electronic submission from the Living Lab website will be evaluated.  Students do not have to include this in Canvas and Google Drive .
  • Reflective Journal: Each student is responsible to keep a weekly journal and turn it in at the completion of the course.
  • Project Work Report: Each student will submit a project work report. This is a detailed multi-page comprehensive report. It is not advisable to wait until the last week or two of the semesters to start this report. See the Work Report Guidelines document in Files>>Deliverables and Samples for instructions.
  • Poster: Each student will present a poster at the end of the semester in electronic form (a printed poster is NOT required). The poster should also be incorporated into the PowerPoint presentation. A poster template is provided in Files>>Deliverables and Samples.
  • Documentation:  Documentation associated with all project work, in a format that enables future student(s) to continue your work must be provided in electronic form. This includes a complete copy or set of all materials associated with but not limited to files, research, references, end-user guide, hardware documentation and/or actual full set of code related to or produced for the project.  Code files may be compressed.

All end-of-semester deliverables must be complete and uploaded to the Google drive and Canvas Assignments, if applicable that has project documentation that must be turned in prior to presentation day (last day of class).

Do not postpone this task until the morning of presentations.  There will be no time allocated to address deliverable issues on Presentation Day.

EACH STUDENT MUST TURN IN ALL SEMESTER END DELIVERABLES ON BOTH Canvas and Google Drive. UPLOAD THEM PRIOR TO FINAL PRESENTATION DAY.

IMPORTANT: All deliverables will be turned in or student will fail course.


Course Management & Policies

Administrative Withdrawal

A basic requirement of this course is that you will participate in class and conscientiously complete writing and reading assignments. You’re expected to attend all of your classes and complete all required course activities and assignments. Keep in touch with me if you are unable to attend class or complete an assignment on time. If you miss more than half of required activities during the first 25 percent of the course without making prior arrangements with your instructor, you may be administratively withdrawn from the course. If you’re administratively withdrawn, you’ll receive a W grade on your transcript.Administrative withdrawal may have academic, financial, and financial aid implications. Administrative withdrawal will take place after the full refund period, and if you are administratively withdrawn from the course you will not be eligible for a tuition refund. If you have questions about the administrative withdrawal policy at any point during the semester, please contact me.

Make sure you officially  drop a course (Links to an external site.)  if necessary, rather than just not attending classes.

Academic Integrity Statement

Cheating is absolutely not tolerated at IUPUI!

The IUPUI Code of Ethics is based on the need for trust in an academic community.  IUPUI’s system is developed by and maintained for the welfare of its students, and all students should make sure that they read and understand the provisions outlined in the Student Handbook.  The code, which is available in the Office of the Dean of Students and in all school office, spells out what constitutes unacceptable behavior and the procedures to be followed when there are alleged cases of misconduct.  The dean of students also has some very brief pamphlets on key areas of the code.  The link that follows is not the code but rather abbreviated and paraphrased statements on key elements of the code: academic and personal misconduct as well as a section on what students should do if they believe that other students, faculty, or staff have violated their rights.  The code also explains the procedures employed and how students may appeal decisions.  For more information, consult the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct as well as brochures located in the Office of the Dean of Students.

Any form of cheating/plagiarism on an assignment, homework or quiz will result in both a zero score for the assignment, and a one-letter grade penalty in the course.  The case will be reported to the Chairman of the Department of Computer, Information & Leadership Technology and a letter describing the infraction will be placed in your student file.  Further disciplinary action will be pursued according to university policy  as described in Part III of the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct (Issued August 15, 1997).  Cheating, or helping another student to cheat, are considered equal cases of academic dishonesty and will be dealt with as noted above.

 What constitutes cheating?

Giving another student access to your computer account, or negligently permitting another student to access your computer account constitutes cheating on your part if that other student copies any files that become implicated in a cheating case. Protect your account as if your academic career depends on it!

Giving another student your code “just to look at” has resulted in serious problems for both students in the past-even with the best of intentions.  Do not give your code to other students.

Note: When creating graphics or Web sites, treat Web content as you would treat content from a published article or book.  Please see below for what is considered “Acceptable” and “Cheating“.

AcceptableCheating
Including a brief quote from a web page with the source cited.Copying entire pages or paragraphs and republishing it as your own.
Using graphics from a free clip art or graphic site.Using someone else’s graphics without permission.
Discussing an assignment with another student.Copying another student’s work.
Looking at code samples to help you figure out what to do.Copying entire code segments and submitting it as your own.

If you are confused as to the difference between helping each other (which is encouraged) and plagiarism (which will not be tolerated), please ask me.


Campus Services

 TCM Writing CenterNeed or Want Help with Your Writing or Speaking Assignments?The TCM Writing Center, located in ET 232, offers free tutoring to E&T students on their writing and speaking needs. I encourage you to use the Writing Center’s services. Information and tutoring hours are available on the TCM Writing Center  website  (Links to an external site.). You can sign schedule an appointment there as well.  If the tutor is not working with another student, walk-ins are also welcome. Call 317-278-9946 if you have questions or would like more information.
University 
Writing Center
The University Writing Center (UWC) is a free service available to all IUPUI students, faculty, and staff, at both the graduate and undergraduate level. It is a place where students can go for help with writing assignments and projects. The UWC offers students the opportunity to work one-on-one with experienced readers and writers. To better serve the IUPUI community, the UWC offers two convenient locations: Cavanaugh 427 and University Library 2125. Both centers are staffed with the same experienced faculty and student tutors. Visit  http://www.iupui.edu/~uwc/  (Links to an external site.) for more information.
Adaptive Educational ServicesAdaptive Educational Services (AES) provides accommodations for students with special challenges or disabilities that may affect their classroom performance. If you are eligible you may register with AES by calling 274-3241. Visit  http://aes.iupui.edu/  (Links to an external site.) for more information. 
Student Advocate
Office
The Student Advocate Office will answer your questions, direct you to the appropriate departments and people, familiarize you with university policies and procedures, and give you guidance as you look at ways to solve problems and make choices. For more information, visit them in UC002 or contact them at 274-4431, at stuadvoc@iupui.edu, or at https://studentaffairs.iupui.edu/advocacy-resources/refer-student.html (Links to an external site.)
CAPSIf you find that life stressors are interfering with your academic or personal success, consider contacting Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).  All IUPUI students are eligible for counseling services at minimal fees. CAPS also performs evaluations for learning disorders and ADHD; fees are charged for testing. CAPS is located in the Walker Plaza, Suite 220,  719 Indiana Ave. For more information, see the  CAPS website  (Links to an external site.) or call them at 274-2548.
Disruptive 
Students
Disruptive students may face disciplinary action according to University policy. Visit the  Student Code of Conduct  (Links to an external site.) page for more information.

Make-up assignments are only given in extenuating circumstances with verified documentation, and then only if advance arrangements are made before the exam is given to the class.Collaboration on homework, studying and labs outside of class is encouraged.Students are responsible for material covered in class. If you must be absent, please find another student to share their notes with you. It is also important to view recorded Adobe Connect meetings if you miss those. 


Grading Policies

Hopefully the opportunity for experience will provide enough motivation for all students to do well. Qualitative measures include the timeliness and the quality of your work. Your client’s satisfaction is the number one criterion for success in the real world and in this course. If you think you are in danger of not passing this course, you will need to talk to the course instructor or IT manager as it is your responsibility to complete the work required.

Grade Weighting:

Assignment(s)Weight
Assignments (100pts)10%
Project plan / Progress / Status Reports (400pts)40%
Final Deliverables:
Reflective Journal (100pts)
Project Work Report (100pts)
Documentation (150pts)
Presentation (100pts)
Poster (50pts)
50%
Total Points Possible / Weight1000 pts / 100%

CIT Grade Standards

ARepresents the highest grade possible and indicates outstanding achievement.  This grade is not automatically given to the top student performance but instead indicates student work which demonstrates complete mastery of course learning objectives or evinces a level of creativity or originality which far exceeds course expectations.  The grade indicates the student works independently and with strong initiative, seeking knowledge outside the normal framework of the course.
BRepresents achievement considerably above expectations.  Student performance demonstrates thorough understanding of course learning objectives and a high level of creativity or originality. 
CStudent performance meets designated course requirements and demonstrates understanding of the course material and attainment of the course learning objectives. This is the grade that may be expected of a student who puts forth a reasonable amount of time and effort and completes all requirements.
DThis grade denotes substandard work and indicates incomplete and inadequate understanding of the course learning objectives.  It indicates work which may not satisfy all requirements.
FThis grade indicates serious deficiency in understanding course learning objectives and failure to complete requirements of the course.

Grading Scale

Letter GradePercentage
A+100 %to 97.0%
A< 97.0 %to 93.0%
A-< 93.0 %to 90.0%
B+< 90.0 %to 87.0%
B< 87.0 %to 83.0%
B-< 83.0 %to 80.0%
C+< 80.0 %to 77.0%
C< 77.0 %to 73.0%<– Minimum to pass CIT course
C-< 73.0 %to 70.0%
D+< 70.0 %to 67.0%
D< 67.0 %to 63.0%
D-< 63.0 %to 60.0%
F< 60.0 %to 0.0%

CIT email Listserv & Discord Groups

Want to receive email notices of CIT news, activities, job opportunities and other CIT-related announcements?

Join the CIT Students listserv!

How to Join

Send an email from the email account at which you want to receive messages to listserv@iupui.edu. The body of the email should contain the following line (substituting your name for lastname firstname).

subscribe cit-students lastname firstname

CIGT Discord: 

https://discord.gg/WhxbUAP (Links to an external site.)

CIT Cyber Security Club Discord: 

https://discord.gg/YxWpRyX (Links to an external site.)