Syllabus

Here is the Markdown format for the syllabus. I have retained the content from the uploaded file for all sections (policies, grading, contact info) and replaced only the Course Schedule with the comprehensive 15-week curriculum generated in our previous discussion.

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ITEC 442: Electronic Commerce

Course Information

• Credits: 3 Credits

• Section: 001

• Time and Place: M: 03:00PM – 04:15PM, Room 271

• Semester: Spring 2026

• Department: Computer Science Department, Frostburg State University

Instructor Information

• Instructor: Zhijiang Chen

• Email: [email protected]

• Office: CCIT 274M

• Phone: [phone]

• Administrative Assistant: Stefanie Boggs (x4364)

• Office Hours:

  • WF: 15:00PM - 16:15PM

  • TuTh: 13:45PM - 15:00PM

  • Other times available by appointment

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Course Summary

E-commerce concepts and terminology. E-marketplaces, E-commerce economic impacts, market research, company-centric B2B, E-supply chain, corporate portals, E-government, E-learning, and introduction to implementing an e-commerce system. ¹⁵

Course Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Understand e-commerce and its categories.

2. Understand e-commerce business models.

3. Recognize the benefits of e-commerce for organizations, consumers, and society.

Activities

• Lectures, discussions, and readings on e-commerce topics and business concepts

• Homework assignments

• Case study discussions

• Group project: develop an e-commerce start-up and website

Assessment

• Relevant exam questions

• Homework assignments

• Graded group project

Textbook(s)

No textbook required, all study materials will be provided.

Attendance

Attendance will be recorded. Experience has shown that poor attendance usually results in poor performance. If you miss a class for any reason, you are responsible for all information, announcements, handouts, etc., presented in the class. Unexcused absences and late arrivals (without excuse) are distracting to the class as a whole and are highly discouraged. Significantly late arrivals (10 minutes or greater) will result in a record of absence.

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Course Communications

Besides in-class communication, this course will also use Email, MS Teams, WebEx, and the Canvas system to communicate course-related information.

Late and Incomplete Course Work

• Strict Adherence: All assignments, labs, and project milestones are due by the date and time specified in the Learning Management System (LMS).

• Penalty Calculation: Late submissions will incur a 20% penalty deduction per day (24-hour period) past the deadline.

• The 5-Day Cutoff: Work submitted more than 5 days after the due date will not be accepted and will receive a grade of zero, as the penalty will have reached 100%.

• Exceptions: Extensions are rare and granted only for documented emergencies (medical, legal, or university-sanctioned events). ³⁴You must contact the instructor before the deadline whenever possible to discuss accommodation.

Class Participation

Class participation is essential in this class. Cell phones and other devices must be put away during class, unless it is a device being used to view an electronic textbook (e-book).

Grading Procedures

The traditional grading scale will be used:

Item	Weight
Attendance/Participation	15%
Assignment	25%
E-Commerce Project/Presentation	30%
Exams (mid-term worth 15%, final 15%)	30%
TOTAL	100%

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Course Schedule

Week	Topic	Description
1	Foundations of E-Commerce & Economic Impacts	Defining E-Commerce vs. E-Business; "New Economy" dynamics, disintermediation, and digital friction reduction.
2	E-Marketplaces and Business Models	Vertical vs. Horizontal marketplaces; Auctions, Portals, and Multi-Vendor Architectures.
3	Market Research and Digital Intelligence	Online consumer behavior, Web analytics (GA4/Matomo), and privacy implications (Cookies vs. Fingerprinting).
4	Company-Centric B2B & EDI	Buy-side vs. Sell-side B2B marketplaces; Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) standards vs. modern APIs.
5	E-Supply Chain Management (e-SCM)	Digitizing the supply chain; Just-in-Time (JIT) inventory, CPFR, and Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM).
6	Corporate Portals and Intranets	Enterprise Information Portals (EIP); Knowledge management; Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and SSO.
7	E-Government and Public Sector Identity	G2C and G2B models; Digital voting/tax systems; High-assurance Identity Verification (NIST) and Section 508 compliance.
8	Midterm Exam	Essay and Scenario-based analysis (e.g., comparing security requirements of B2B vs. E-Gov).
9	E-Learning and Knowledge Systems	LMS and MOOCs; Gamification; Scalability in video streaming; SCORM and xAPI standards.
10	Security & Compliance	Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability; SSL/TLS certificates, PKI, and the checkout "Chain of Trust."
11	Electronic Payment Systems	Credit card processing, Digital Wallets, ACH, Cryptocurrency; PCI-DSS requirements for merchants.
12	Implementing E-Commerce: Planning	Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) for commerce; Buy vs. Build decisions; RFP creation.
13	Implementing E-Commerce: Architecture	Platform selection (SaaS vs. Custom); Hosting environments (IaaS/PaaS); "Right-sizing" architecture.
14	Implementing E-Commerce: Launch & Ops	Testing strategies (UAT, Load Testing); SEO basics; Disaster Recovery; Managing the "Day 2" problem.
15	Capstone Project Week	Final Presentations: The Request for Proposal (RFP) & System Design (Business Case, Architecture, Security Strategy).

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Academic Policies

Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty is defined to include any form of cheating and/or plagiarism.

• Cheating includes, but is not limited to, such acts as stealing or altering testing instruments; falsifying the identity of persons for any academic purpose; offering, giving or receiving unauthorized assistance on an examination, quiz or other written or oral material in a course; or falsifying information on any type of academic record.

• Plagiarism is the presentation of written or oral material in a manner which conceals the true source of documentary material; or the presentation of materials which uses hypotheses, conclusions, evidence, data, or the like, in a way that the student appears to have done work which he/she did not, in fact, do.

In cases involving academic dishonesty, a failing grade or a grade of zero (0) for either an assignment and/or a course may be administered. ⁴²Students who are expelled or suspended for reasons of academic dishonesty are not admissible to other institutions within the University System of Maryland. ⁴³ Suspension or expulsion for academic dishonesty is noted on a student's academic transcript. (FSU Policy Statements).

Computer Misuse and Dishonesty

The University considers any misuse of its computer system to be a serious offense. A student may not attempt to degrade the performance of the computer system, to seek to penetrate its security, or in any way deprive other users of resources or access to the computer. ⁴⁶ Further violations include, but are not limited to:

• (a) using a computer account belonging to another individual without the explicit permission of that individual;

• (b) tampering with the operation of the University's computer system including both its equipment and its programs;

• (c) using the system for commercial purposes;

• (d) inspecting, modifying or copying programs or data without authorization from the owner;

• (e) using the electronic formats to send abusive, obscene, or otherwise harassing communications.

Note to the Student

This syllabus will be adhered to as much as possible. However, the instructor reserves the right to alter its contents (including the course offerings, coverage, and date of tests) based upon the experience level(s), progress, and attitude of the class. ⁵³Each student is responsible for all class notes, announcements, assignments and other information presented in class or through other appropriate channels such as e-mail and Blackboard.

Reporting of Child Abuse

Please be aware that according to state law in Maryland, educators are required to report current and past child abuse and neglect even when the former victim is now an adult and even when the former alleged abuser is deceased. If you disclose current or past abuse/neglect in class, in papers, or to me personally, I am required by law to report it. Please see me if you are interested in more information about this law.

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University Information

University Calendar of Events

Please refer to the master calendar: http://events.frostburg.edu/.

Public Health

We all have a role to play in preventing the spread of disease. We are all required to comply with institutional health and safety protocols. ⁶⁰If you are sick, symptomatic, or test positive for a contagious illness, you should not come to in-person class meetings, faculty offices, or departmental class/lab spaces. ⁶¹Be sure to consult with your professors regarding missed/late work (see Absences for Health Issues, Bereavement and Other Emergencies in the Undergraduate Catalog).

Given how rapidly COVID-19 situations change, updates to this policy will be posted on Canvas and at https://www.frostburg.edu/COVID19/. Please note: While this statement mentions COVID, it addresses illnesses in general.

Hate/Bias Statement

Frostburg State University and its faculty are committed to maintaining a campus environment that supports diversity and respect for individuals who represent that diversity. Fostering a community that values diversity and respect for differences is a fundamental goal of higher education and ranks among the highest priorities of this institution. To meet our commitment to supporting diversity, in all its forms, FSU has an established Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

In addition, the University has a committee of faculty, staff, and students to continually monitor the campus climate and to recommend changes to policies and processes. FSU citizens (faculty, staff, students, and visitors) are expected to act with decency and mutual respect. The university has mechanisms for reporting and investigating hate and bias incidents.

To report issues of hate or bias, please go to the following link:

https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?Frostburg State Univ&layout id=1

For more information about FSU's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, please visit:

https://www.frostburg.edu/student-life/campus-services/center-for-student-diversity-equityand-inclusion/Office-of-Diversity-Equity-and-Inclusion.php