LIBR 200-12 Information Communities

LIBR 200-12
Information Communities

Spring 2015

Dr. Michael Stephens
Office Hours:
Virtual office hours by appointment (BB IM, etc)


 

Course Description

Examines information users and the social, cultural, economic, technological, and political forces that shape their information access and use. The different resources and services that information professionals provide for their user communities will also be addressed as well as ethical/legal professional practice. LIBR 200 meets SJSU’s graduate writing assessment requirement.

Note: iSchool requires that students earn a B in this course. If the grade is less than B (B- or lower) after the first attempt you will be placed on administrative probation.  You must repeat the class the following semester. If -on the second attempt- you do not pass the class with a grade of B or better (not B- but B) you will be disqualified.

Course Requirements

Complete LIBR 203 Online Learning: Tools and Strategies for Success
This is a mandatory 1 unit course that introduces students to the various e-learning tools used in the iSchool program.  For more information, see: http://ischool.sjsu.edu/current-students/courses/core-courses-and-electives

Writing Requirement
If the instructor finds that a student’s writing is unacceptable, the instructor will require the student to sign up for online writing tutoring.  The student will ask the tutor to confirm with the instructor that he or she is attending sessions.

Blog Reports
Students will perform a series of activities relating to their community group (i.e., describe and evaluate a service, interview a community member about his or her use of new social media, etc.) and report their findings on their blog.  Students will be expected to read and comment upon the blogs of other students. (SLOs 14567)

Book Review

Students will read a book from a list provided on the course site and write a 350 word reflection or create a media-based presentation relating the topic and focus of the book to information communities, libraries or information environments, technology, community information systems and any topic that is relatable to course content. Students will publish the report as a post on their blog. Use images, video, and other media to enhance your submission.

Literature Review
Students will write a literature review based on 10 to 12 peer-reviewed books and articles about the community they’ve chosen to study.  The literature review will assess the current research on the community by identifying the most influential authors and publications, major theories and findings, and continuing gaps. Students will publish the review as a post on their blog. (SLOs 1,2,3)

Information Sources Survey
Using LIS guides, databases, and other relevant professional resources, students will locate and describe 10 information sources created for and used by the community they are studying. The survey will include a critical description of each source and an assessment of its value to the community. Students will publish the survey as a post on their blog.(SLOs 1,5)

Research Paper
Students will write a final paper based on their reading in the scholarly and professional literature and the data collected for each blog report.  The final papers should include a literature review and critically assess the findings of their blog research. The paper should be a minimum of 4000 words in length, the reference list should have at least 20 sources, and the formatting should follow the APA Publication Manual style (6th ed.).  (SLOs 1,2,3,4)

Grading

Assignment Points
8 Blog Posts 40 points
Literature Review 10 points
Information Sources Survey 10 points
Book Review 10 points
Research Paper 30 points

Assignment Deadlines
All assignments are due on Sundays and must be turned in by 5 p.m.  Late submissions
will be reduced by 20% of the total points possible for that assignment.

Calendar  

Week Topic/Module Assignment
1 Information Communities and the
Social Construction of
Knowledge: Introduction
Reflection Blog: Personal
Introductions
2 Information Users and
Information-Seeking Behavior:
Theoretical Overview
3 Information Seeking and
Information Communities
Reflection Blog: Information
community choice
4 Researching Information
Communities
5 Connecting Information Users
with Information: Research-
Based Information Sources and
Services
Reflection Blog: Report on the
information-seeking behavior and
information needs of chosen
community
6 Community-Generated
Information Resources and
Services
Literature Review Due
7 User Experience Reflection Blog: Report on your
community’s perceptions of
information services
8 Ethical Issues and Information
Communities
9 Intellectual Freedom and
American law
Reflection Blog: Report on an
ethical or legal issue pertaining to
your information community
10 Community Informatics Information Sources Survey
Due
11 TBA Reflection Blog: Topic of Choice
12 Teaching and Learning
13 Emerging Technologies Reflection Blog: Report on your
community’s use of emerging
technologies
14 Creation Culture
15 Course Wrap Up Final Reflection Blog: Personal
reflection on information
communities
16 Research Paper Due

Other Relevant Information:

Students will also be expected to use the course Web site multiple times a week to stay up to date with readings, assignments,  and blogging. This is also a way for students to experience the emerging social nature of the web – similar systems are being used in library settings all over the world. Librarians are working, writing and sharing in open, online systems created for interaction with each other and with library users. The course site utilizes the WordPress software package to create an open, interactive environment for sharing and discourse. You must create an account on the site and publish an open blog but  no one in class is required to share their full name, photo or any other details. The use of avatars and aliases is acceptable.