COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN ARCHITECTURE STUDIES

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
ARCH 504	D	8	3	0	0	3	6

Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Elective
Classroom and Meeting Time:
Course Description:	The E-Commerce Architecures seminar will explore the information architectures of virtual spaces. This seminar provides an academic as well as practical approach to architecting e-Commerce systems, with special emphasis on the fast emerging web-based education market. The course will investigate e-Learning systems from a business, policy, technical and legal perspective. The issues presented shall be tackled by discussion of the design and structure of the various example systems. The connection between information architectures and the physical workplace of the users will also be examined. There course will be comprised of readings, discussions, guest speakers and group design sessions. Laboratory sessions will be focused on implementation tools and opportunities to create one's own working prototypes.
Course Objectives:	Students will learn to describe information architectures using the Unified Modeling Language (used to specify, design and structure web applications) and XML (to designate meaningful content). A cross-disciplinary approach will be taken; students with background in architecture, urban planning, law, cognition, business, digital media and computer science are encouraged to participate. No prior technical knowledge is necessary, though a rudimentary understanding of web page creation is helpful. The final project may be a paper or computer implementation.

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	Introduction
2	Introduction to eLearning and other Multi-User Environments
3	Run Through Example E-Commerce and E-Learning Sites: Discerning the Architecture and Business Model
4	Design: Defining Requirements and Determining Form Introduction to Modelling tools
5	"Politics of Search Engines"
6	Knowledge Management and Intellectual Property
7	Legal Issues: Payment/Security options, Authentication/Privacy
8	Workplace/School place of the Future: Relationship Between Physical Space of Virtual Environments
9	Midterm Week
10	Coming to Agreement/Agreeing to Disagree: How to Manage Relationships Online
11	User Interface Revisited: Using Underlying Architecture to Support and Reflect Business and Design Goals
12	Final Presentations
13	Final Presentations
14	Final Presentations

Prerequisite(s):
Textbook:	Mitchell, William J. City of Bits. Mitchell, William J. E-Topia. Norman, Donald A. Invisible Computer.
Other References:	Software Requirements Weigers, Karl. The Essential Software Requirement. Kovitz, Benjamin L. Practical Software Requirements. Fowler, Martin. UML Distilled. User-Centered Design Norman, Donald A. The Invisible Computer. Constantine, Larry L. Software for Use. Rubin, Jeffrey. Handbook of Usability Testing. O'Reilly. Web Navigation.
Laboratory Work:
Computer Usage:
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES (Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Integrated second cycle study program in Architecture (5 years) Program

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Presentation	1	20
Project	1	40
Term Paper	1	30
Attendance		10
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	3	48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	14	4	56
Mid-terms			0
Assignments	1	30	30
Final examination			0
Other	1	16	16
Total Work Load:			150
Total Work Load/25(h):			6
ECTS Credit of the Course:			6