Electronic Government (University of Münster)

Programme of Studies.- Department offert . ITM, WWU Münster

 

Name of the course unit .-  Electronic Government

 

Type of course (e.g. major, minor, elective) .- Elective

 

Level of the module /course unit (e.g. BA, MA, PhD) .- BA

 

Prerequisites 

 

Number of ECTS credits.- 6 ECTS (average student working time: 180 hours)

 

Competences to be developed

 

1          Presenting information visually and orally

2          Information Technology Law

3          Accessing legal texts

4          Interpretation of legal texts in context

5          Application of legal texts in context

 

Learning outcomes

Educational activities

Estimated student work time in hours

Assessment

To understand the underlying principles of e-government

Lectures.-

Introduction to the electronic administration:

• History and development
• Basic concepts and policies
• Relate basic principles of governance as for example ‘transparency’ to the specific needs of e-governance
• Advantages, benefits and risks
• Policies and strategies. Overview on the management of e-government on national and EU-level by reference to a specific country and the policy of the European Commission.

5 hours

Students must do a written exam and a practical work

-The grade is between 1 and 10, passing who obtains five points at least

-The grade is the average of the written exam, the oral presentation of the practice and the written work on the practice, being indispensable to pass the written exam

-The written exam consists on two questions about the program

-The practical work consists on the evaluation of an electronic government website

-The minimum extension of the written work on the practice is 5000 words 

Reading assignment on the lectures

5 hours

Working in small group

3 hours

Personal reflection  of themes presented in the lectures: What constitutes good governance? What would constitute good e-governance in particular?

When is a country ready to be e-governed?

10 hours

To classify and distinguish the different aspects and applications of electronic government services

Lectures.

Outline on the different fields of application/problem areas of e-government:

• e-government and democracy: e-voting and e-justice
• e-administration and citizenship relationship management
• e-procurement by public services
• digital signatures/procedural problems
• Technical problems

5 hours

Reading assignment on the lectures

5 hours

Working in small group

3 hours

Personal reflection  of themes presented in the lectures:

What are the limits of e-government?

Risks of abuse?

Is every field of administration equally fit to be e-governed?

10 hours

To obtain the necessary legal background to analyse measures of e-government

Lectures.-

e-democracy from a constitutional point of view

The law of data protection and security measures in

• Citizen relationship management
• e-voting
• security of electronic communications
• consent and computer specialist activities
• Practice codes

10 hours

Reading assignment on the lectures

5 hours

Working in small group

3 hours

Personal reflection  of themes presented in the lectures:

Is the present legal framework sufficient ?

5 hours

To research and evaluate information on e-government

Lectures.-

• Analysis and discussion of specific examples of e-government: Case study in class
• Documenting the environment and the socio-political and juridical frames
• Elaboration of a model for analysis and evaluation of e-government websites
• Application of this model to portals and services

10 hours

Reading assignment on the lectures

10 hours

Working in small group

3 hours

Personal reflection  of themes presented in the lectures, comments on the model elaborated in class

20 hours

To know the state of development of e-government and to develop it actively based on the knowledge gained in the lectures before

Lectures.-

Outlook in the future

• Which legal developments are to expect?
• M-government?

5 hours

Reading assignment on the lectures

5 hours

Working in small group

3 hours

Personal reflection  of themes presented in the lectures:

Which legal developments are desirable?

10 hours

15 panels on presentations of different cases of electronic government

30 hours

Preparation of the final written report

10 hours

Preparation of the final exam

5 hours

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