Samuel, Alexandra. - Web viewFormal written work must be word processed or typed and reflect ......

College of Computing & Information, University at Albany, SUNYDepartment of Information Studies

IIST 601-0001 (3494)Information Environment (3 Credits)

Spring 2014 Syllabus (16 Pages) Prepared 01/25/2014

Instructor: Frank D’Andraia Class Meets: Thursday, 4:15PM – 7:05PMOffice: 141A Draper Classroom Location: HS 106APhone: 518.442.5118 Email: [email protected]

Office Hours:*By Appointment or

Tuesday, 9:00PM - 3:00PM;Wednesday, 9:00AM - 5:00PM;

Thursday, 9:00AM-3:00PM;

Teaching Schedule:Tuesday-IST 601, Information Environment, 4:15PM-7:05PM, HS106A and

Thursday-IST 614, Administration of Information Agencies, 4:15PM-7:05PM, HS106A.

*PLEASE NOTE: During the spring term I offer directed/independent study and on occasion these students may make an appointment during scheduled office hours. Also, internship site visitations and/or faculty meetings may require scheduled office hours to periodically vary.

For Whom Planned: The course is designed for students currently enrolled in the master’s degree program in Information Studies.

Course Description: This course provides a theoretical background for students entering the information science professions. Through guest speakers, a variety of readings, class discussion, lectures, presentations, and writing assignments, students gain knowledge of the critical themes in the field, such as information seeking, users, environments, policies, and ethics.

Learning Outcomes/Objectives:

By the end of this survey course students should be able to accomplish the following:

Identify the relationships and roles that information centers and professionals fulfill in society throughout history and into the future;

Assess the various dimensions of the profession, including an understanding of the scope and dimensions of your area of interest/specialization and the requisite needs and requirements;

1 IIST 601-0001(3494), Spring 2014 Information Environment

Identify, assess, and use the major sources of information and literature pertaining to information science in class discussions, oral reports, and written assignments;

Formulate personal judgments regarding the profession and develop some facility in expressing these judgments clearly and succinctly in class discussions and oral and written assignments;

Discern current issues facing information professionals and express points of view on these challenges in class discussions, oral presentations, and written assignments;

Develop capacities for research and critical thinking and gain experience in working in teams and in making informative presentations to peers;

Teaching Strategies: The course will be conducted in a discussion/presentation/lecture format which will require active class participation. Students make oral reports, write short essays, prepare annotated bibliographies, create summaries, discuss case studies, and organize presentations. Class sessions will involve discussion of the assigned readings and current issues in administration of information agencies. You owe it to your colleagues to come to class prepared to discuss assigned readings and to provide feedback on class reports.

Attendance Policy/Obligations/Expectations: Students are expected to come to class on time and remain for the entire class session. Students are expected to advise the instructor if there are any accommodations necessary due to disabilities. Absences of two (2) or more without prior permission or reasonable excuse will be considered excessive and will reduce your final grade by ten (10) points. Students are to advise the instructor in advance when it is necessary to be absent from class. Class participation does not mean monopolizing class discussion, but being prepared as well as actively contributing to discussion in a reflective way.

Students are expected to adhere to the Community Rights and Responsibilities and to give proper credit in the presentation of ideas (Graduate Bulletin: http://www.albany.edu/grad/requirements_general_admissions.html#grading_graduate).

Cell Phones: Please turn off your cell phone and pagers during class.

Note Taking: You should take good notes of lectures and discussions. I do not make copies of my lecture notes available. My experience indicates that note taking dramatically increases your recall and keeps you more involved in class deliberations.

Late Submission: Assignments submitted late will be marked down ten (10) points.

Email Communications: The instructor will reply to student e-mail within 48 hours.

Recommended Texts: None

Assignments Format: Papers are due at the start of class. Papers submitted late will be marked down ten (10) points. Papers should be double-spaced, except where noted, (12 point font), paged in the upper right hand corner, stapled in the upper left. A cover page should


include your name, the title of the assignment, the course number and date. No binders, etc. please. Formal written work must be word processed or typed and reflect use of a style manual. There are style guides available in Dewey and on the University Library webpage (Chicago Manual Style Preferred).

Recommended Web Sites: ACM: http://www.acm.org/; ALA: http://www.ala.org/; ARL: http://www.arl.org/; ASIS&T: http://asis.org/; EDUCAUSE: http://www.educause.edu/; IFLA: http://www.ifla.org/; MLA: http://www.mlanet.org/; OCLC: http://www.oclc.org/global; SAA: http://www2.archivists.org/; and SLA: http://www.sla.org/

Recommended Text: Rubin, Richard E., Foundations of Library and Information Science. 3rd ed. New York: Neal Schuman, 2010. A copy of Rubin has been placed on reserve for your use.

In addition, you are expected to delve further into the literature on various topics.

Grading and Due Dates Summary: There is no final examination in this course. You are graded on weekly class participation and the completion of oral and written assignments that have specific due dates and they are as follows:

Activity/Assignment Weighting Due Dates

Class Participation………………………………..…20%.........WeeklySpeaker summaries and discussion assignments, while not graded in themselves, will be used in determining the final assessment for the class participation component of the final grade.

Assignments

1. Professional Publications………………….…….….10%........February 112. Team Presentations Associations (Begins)...20%........February 25 3. Team Presentation Info Policy (Begins)………20%........March 254. Annotated Bibliographies (Begins)……….....…10% .……March 255. Reaction Essay………………………………………......20%........April 226. Speaker Summaries (See class participation)…...March 4, April 8; & 297. Citation/Quote from Above the Fold……………… ………..April 29

Letter Grade A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D EScale 95-100 90-94 86-89 83-85 79-82 75-78 71-74 68-70 60-67 0-59


http://www.sla.org/

http://www2.archivists.org/

http://www.oclc.org/global

http://www.mlanet.org/

http://www.ifla.org/

http://www.educause.edu/

http://asis.org/

http://www.arl.org/

http://www.ala.org/

http://www.acm.org/

Course Outline

January 28 (Week 1): Orientation & Scholarly and Professional Journals Introductions Syllabus Review Scholarly and Professional Journals Teamwork

February 4 (Week 2): Information Environment: The Profession, UA and You – Part I Due Today

n/a Readings:

---Rubin, pp. 77-102 (Chapter 3) Teamwork

February 11 (Week 3): Information Environment: The Profession, UA and You – Part II Due Today

---Assignment #1: Professional Publications Readings:

---Rubin, pp 103-119 (Chapter 3)---Rubin, pp 173-215 (Chapter 5 (types of libraries))

Teamwork

February 18 (Week 4): Information Environment: Socialization and Career Development Due Today

n/a Reading Assignment : ---Ensign, Rachel Louise. “Is The Paper Resume Dead?” W all S treet J ournal , January 24, 2012.---Miller, Marc. “Is the Resume Still Relevant” Personalbrandingblog 22 December 2013. http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/is-the-resume-still-relevant/--- Samuel, Alexandra. Do You Need a Résumé in the LinkedIn Era? HBR Blog Network 5 August 2013. http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/08/do-you-need-a-resume-in-the-li/ Teamwork

February 25 (Week 5): Information Environment: Perceptions from the Field & Professional Associations

Due Today ---Assignment #2: Purple Team Professional Associations Presentation

Guest Speaker: Deanna DiCarlo ‘12, eLibrarian, Albany Public Library (Speaker and Date subject to change). Ms. DiCarlo will talk about her new position at APL and on what skills have served her well. Also, you will have an opportunity to ask her questions about how she leveraged her time in the program to her advantage. NOTE: Speaker may assign readings.


http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/08/do-you-need-a-resume-in-the-li/

Reading Assignment:---Seale, Maura. (2008, v.9 no. 1 (Spring)). “Old Maids, Policemen, and Social Rejects: Mass Media Representations and Public Perceptions of Librarians.” E- JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship--- Wingfield, Nick. A New Group Aims to Make Programming Cool.” New York Times, 22 January 2013---Rubin, pp 441-448 (Chapter Appendix A)

March 4 (Week 6): Information Environment: Professional Associations Due Today:

---Assignment #2: Yellow Team Professional Associations Presentation---Assignment #6: DiCalro Summary

Guest Speaker: Benjamin Himmelfarb, MSIS Students and Information Studies Student Association (ISSA) Co-President (Speakers and Date subject to change). Himmelfarb will talk on opportunities to participate in various IST student organizations.

Reading Assignment: n/a

March 11 (Week 7): Information Environment: Professional Conferences & Information Policy Due Today:

---Assignment #2: Gold Team Professional Associations Presentation Reading Assignment:

---Rubin, pp 173-224 (Chapter 5)

March 18 (Week 8) Classes Suspended

March 25 (Week 9): Information Environment: Policy Due Today:

---Assignment #3: Yellow Team Information Policy (Copyright) Presentation ---Assignment #4: (Yellow Team EXEMPT) – A/B on Copyright

Reading Assignment: ---Rubin, pp 332-348 (Chapter 8)

April 1 (Week 10): Information Environment: Policy Due Today ---Assignment #3: Gold Team – Information Policy (Confidentiality/Ethics) Presentation---Assignment #4: (Gold Team EXEMPT) – A/B on Confidentiality/Ethics Guest Speaker: Carol Lee Anderson, Reference Librarian University at Albany Libraries

(Speaker and Date subject to change). Ms. Anderson will speak on the redefining of her professional activities in light of impact of technological changes on the information environment. NOTE: Speaker may assign readings.

Reading Assignment:---Rubin, pp 312-332 (Chapter 8)---Rubin, pp 415-435 (Chapter 10)


April 8 (Week 11): Information Environment: Policy Due Today:

---Assignment #3: Purple Team - Information Policy (Intellectual Freedom) Presentation---Assignment #4 (Purple Team EXEMPT) A/B Intellectual Freedom---Assignment #6: Anderson Summary

Reading Assignment:---Rubin, pp 309-332 (Chapter 9)---Rubin, pp 375-401 (Chapter 9)

April 15 (Week 12): Classes Suspended

April 22 (Week 13): Information Environment: Impact and Implications of Technological Change

Due Today: ---Assignment #5 Reaction Essay

Guest Speaker: Lisa Trubitt, Assistant CIO University at Albany (Speakers and Date subject to change). Trubitt will talk about the need for continuous learning after earning the degree and securing your first professional positions. NOTE: Speaker may assign readings.

Reading Assignment: ---Rubin, pp 225-263 (Chapter 6)

April 29 (Week 14) Impact and Implications of Technological Change Due Today:

---Assignment #6 Trubitt Summary---Assignment #7 Citation/Quote

Reading Assignment: --- Above the Fold: A weekly newsletter for the changing world of libraries, archives and museums:

http://www.oclc.org/research/publications/newsletters/abovethefold/2014-01-23.html

May 5 (Week 15) Wrap-up Due Today:

TBA Reading Assignment:

TBA

Assignments

Assignment #1, Professional Publications Paper: due February 11


Objective: The purpose of this assignment is for you to become familiar with professional and scholarly publications in your area of interest and/or specialization. Be prepared discuss your publications in class.

Required: Select two publications from the information sciences field that are relevant to your studies and interests (Archives; Cyber Security; Libraries; Programing; etc.)

1. Review a variety of past and current issues (print or online)2. Provide a brief history of each publication3. Compare and contrast the publications, and indicate how they are similar or not 4. Address how you would characterize the articles that appear in each publication, that is

are they scholarly (or not) and on what basis did you make your determination5. Your paper may not exceed five pages

Evaluation: Papers will be evaluated on the basis of content (clarity, organization, originality, ideas developed); composition (use of appropriate sources, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and attribution); and the level and completeness and thoroughness of the required analysis.

Assignment #2, Group Presentations on Professional Associations: begin February 25

The class shall be divided into groups or teams; the exact number in a group depends upon the class size. The team led discussions are scheduled, throughout the term on designated dates found in the syllabus. Groups, topics, and presentation dates are randomly selected.

The purpose of this assignment is to allow you to become familiar with a variety of professional associations in the information field. Each Group is responsible for leading a fifteen to twenty (15-20) minute compare and contrast discussion on two professional association.

Required: 1. Each group is responsible for how they use their allotted time. The following web site

may be of assistance in planning an approach:presentationsoft.about.com/od/classrooms/tp/student_tips.htm

2. Include in your presentation one or more of the following points:a. Brief history and focus of the organizationsb. Data on or about the associations (membership/divisions/etc.)c. Significant accomplishments of the associationsd. Membership opportunities, value, and benefits e. Individual membership costsf. Other pertinent information that may warrant attention (for example, does the

organization have regional affiliates or offer student rates)3. The Monday before the class meets, e-mail your classmates and instructor one page

document that includes (a) brief summary of each association’s focus and a bibliography of sources consulted.


Evaluation: The team report is graded on the diversity and use of sources--- including professional literature; quality of the team’s thorough grasp and analysis of the assignment; delivery (including clarity), creativity, originality, accuracy, and organization of ideas; and the level of thoughtful evaluation and reflection used in addressing the assignment and answering questions from peers.

Each team member is required to complete and return to the instructor a survey form (see end of syllabus). The form is due the week following the presentation. The self-assessment survey is part of the evaluation process.

All members of the groups receive the same grade.

Presentation Assignments: Purple Team 1: EDUCAUSE and SAA; Yellow Team 2: ASIS&T and ALA; and Gold Team 3: ACM and IFLA

Assignment #3, Team Presentations: begins March 25

The class shall be divided into groups or teams; the exact number in a group depends upon the class size. Each team is responsible for leading a fifteen to twenty (20-30) minute discussion on a current information policy trends/issues. The team led discussions are scheduled, throughout the term on designated dates found in the syllabus. Groups, topics, and presentation dates are randomly selected.

Required: Each team is responsible for how they use their allotted time. The following web site may be of assistance in planning an approach: http://presentationsoft.about.com/od/classrooms/tp/student_tips.htm

Each group presents on a single theme. One of the main elements of this assignment is that need to undertake research. This assignment emphasizes the ability of the groups to evaluate, synthesize and communicate information. Rubin may be of assistance in addressing this assignment.

1. The team is responsible for researching the topic and selecting content for presentation;2. Students are to use a variety of sources, on-line sources, and scholarly and professional

journals. On the Monday prior to each groups presentation, teams are to distribute (print or online) to classmates a one (1) page summary of key points to be made. This sheet should include a bibliography of sources used to develop and frame the discussion;

3. Each team is expected to answer questions from the class;4. When presenting, each group member must identify one meaningful sentence or

passage from a used source and explain what they found meaningful about it; and5. Each group is required to clearly communicate what you read and what you learned


Objective: The intended objectives are as follows: learning about current trends/issues; sharing your new knowledge; understanding group dynamics; encouraging active learning, improving communication skills, and engendering a higher level of class engagement.

Evaluation: Group presentations are evaluated on appropriateness of content shared; sources selected; quality of the presentation discussion; ability to communicate information clearly and concisely to your peers; and level of collaboration; and on the “required” elements noted above.

Each team member is required to complete and return to the instructor a survey form (see end of syllabus). The form is due the week following the presentation. The self-assessment survey is part of the evaluation process.

All members of the groups receive the same grade.

Presentation Assignments: Purple Team: Intellectual Freedom; Yellow Team: Copyright; and Gold Team: Confidentially/Ethics

Assignment #4, Annotated Bibliography: begins March 25

Find three (3) articles from professional or scholarly journals on the issues of confidentially/ethics, copyright and intellectual freedom. Articles selected must be three pages or more in length. Annotated bibliographies should not exceed five (4) pages in length. Annotations may be singled space.

A/B EXEMPTIONS: Purple Team ---Intellectual Freedom; Yellow Team ---Copyright; and Gold Team ---Confidentially/Ethics

Objective: The purpose of this assignment is fourfold: first, to allow students to become familiar with current trends and issues; second, to insure students become accustomed to using appropriate professional and scholarly publications; third, to enhance and encourage class discussion; and lastly, to develop and strengthen student intellectual and research skills and abilities.

Required:1. Prepare a brief introductory paragraph that defines the focus of your selections;2. Consult scholarly or professional journals3. Follow the Cornell guidelines for annotated bibliographies as a template (see below)

As the Cornell Library guide on annotated bibliographies noted, “Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the article. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.”


Sample Annotated Bibliography for a Journal Article:

Goldschneider, F. K., Waite, L. J., & Witsberger, C. (1986). “Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults.” American Sociological Review, 51(4), 541-554.

The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the national Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams, cited below, shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.

Evaluation: Annotated bibliographies will be evaluated on the basis of content and on clarity, organization, originality, ideas developed; composition (use of appropriate sources, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and attribution); and the level of analysis, synthesis, and interpretation and succinctness, as well as your ability to follow instructions. This specific assignment will not be graded, although your selections and annotations will be used to assist in determining the final assessment for the class participation component of the final grade

Be prepared discuss your annotations in class.

Assignment 5, Reaction Essay: due April 22

You are to listen to two recently broadcast interviews about the future of libraries and you are to prepare a five page reaction essay. “Reaction” means do you agree or disagree with the positions taken and why. The interviews are as follows:

National Public Radio “On Point” – “What Can Libraries do to Survive in the Digital Age?” Aired on May 7, 2013. (Approximately 45 minutes), SEE:

http://onpoint.wbur.org/2013/05/07/future-of-libraries

AND

Minnesota Public Radio News “The Daily Circuit” – “The Future of Libraries.” Aired February 18, 2013 (Approximately 40 minutes), SEE:

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2013/01/14/daily-circuit-future-of-libraries


http://www.mprnews.org/story/2013/01/14/daily-circuit-future-of-libraries

http://onpoint.wbur.org/2013/05/07/future-of-libraries

Objective: The purpose of this assignment is formulating personal judgments regarding the profession and developing some facility in expressing these judgments clearly, succinctly, persuasively, and developing capacities for research and critical thinking.

Required: Your review/analysis is not to exceed five (5) pages in length. Please do not concentrate on relating what your sources said. Instead, concentrate on developing your reactions to the topic. At a minimum, you need six (6) citations from six (6) different sources). Analysis, synthesis, and interpretation should be stressed.

Evaluation: Papers will be evaluated on the basis of content (clarity, organization, originality, ideas developed); composition (use of appropriate sources, grammar, spelling, punctuation and attribution), persuasive argument, and the level of analysis.

Assignment #6, Speaker Summaries: due March 4, April 8; & 29

Objective: The purpose of these assignments is a practical exercise to hone your synthesis and thinking skills while enhancing your writing abilities.

Required:1. Students are to hand in a brief two page summary of each guest’s comments;2. Resist the temptation to embellish, focus on the main points made by speakers;3. Do not include any biographical information about the speaker in your summary;4. Be critical in in your analyses of their remarks5. Speaker analysis are due the week following the presentation.

Evaluation: Speaker Analysis, while not graded in themselves, are used in determining the final assessment for the class participation component of the final grade.

Assignment #7, Citation/Quote from Above the Fold : due April 29

Objective: The purpose of this assignment is to become familiar with current trends in the information profession.

Required: On April 29 you are to bring to class a citation for and a meaningful quote from a recent issue of Above the Fold, (2013 –present) an OCLC publication. Be prepared to do the following:

1. Discuss your selection2. Select a meaningful sentence or passage from the article and be prepared to share the

specific sentence or idea and explain what you found significant about it. 3. Agree or disagree with the author4. Relate your comments to the focus of the course5. Citations and selected quotes will be collected 6. Citations and quotes should reflect use of a style manual


Evaluation: This specific assignment will not be graded, although your selection and verbal analysis will be used to assist in determining the final assessment for the class participation component of the final grade.


IST 601, Spring 2014: Group/Team Survey

Last Name: _________________________________________ Assignment #:___ Group: ___

1. How were decisions made in your group? Please check all of the statements with which you agree. ______ Vote ______ One person usually made the decision and the others agreed to it ______ Decision making tool (i.e., coin toss, rocks-paper-scissors, etc.)______ Other (please describe: ___________________________________________________________________)

2. Below, I have listed 7 statements reflecting attitudes about working in groups or behaviors that reflect such attitudes. In the blank beside the statement, please enter the number from the scale below that best represents how strongly you agree.

1----------2----------3-----------4----------5Disagree --- Neutral --- Agree

______ In group discussions, I always tried to participate. ______ I feel that I would be able to work well in any group. ______ Cooperation among all group members was necessary for us to accomplish our objectives. ______ In our group, my contributions were taken seriously. ______ I was expected to make an equal effort toward our group project as all other group members. ______ I took on the role of facilitator to move ideas forward or to relieve frustrations. ______ At times, I purposefully did not participate in group discussions.

3. In your opinion, how do the following behaviors influence a team’s ability to be productive? In the blank beside each statement, please rank the order of influence (1=lowest; 5=highest). . ______ Members that express their ideas clearly and listen well ______ Members that have strong leaders ______ Groups that are good at brainstorming ______ Members that do what they are told to do______ Groups that divide the work and members work by themselves______ Members that are creative ______ Groups that get along well

4. Given the option, I would prefer to work on a project independently rather than in a group. (Circle your answer).

Yes --- No5. In my group work, there has been significant conflict between students in the group.

(Circle your answer).Yes --- No

If you answered YES to question 6, please express your measure of agreement or disagreement with the following statements:

These conflicts have been resolved (Circle your answer).

a. Using my own strategies

b. By discussing the problem as a group


c. The conflicts have not been resolved

6. Did you find the reference to information about “Working in Groups” useful?


7. Please suggest any ideas which you think could improve this assignment:

Your responses to the questions on this survey will remain confidential.

Each team member is required to complete and return to the instructor a survey form. The form is due the week following the presentation. The self-assessment survey is part of the evaluation process.


IST 601, Spring 2014: Group/Team Survey

Last Name: _________________________________________ Assignment #:___ Group: ___

1. How were decisions made in your group? Please check all of the statements with which you agree. ______ Vote ______ One person usually made the decision and the others agreed to it ______ Decision making tool (i.e., coin toss, rocks-paper-scissors, etc.)______ Other (please describe: ___________________________________________________________________)

2. Below, I have listed 7 statements reflecting attitudes about working in groups or behaviors that reflect such attitudes. In the blank beside the statement, please enter the number from the scale below that best represents how strongly you agree.

1----------2----------3-----------4----------5Disagree --- Neutral --- Agree

______ In group discussions, I always tried to participate. ______ I feel that I would be able to work well in any group. ______ Cooperation among all group members was necessary for us to accomplish our objectives. ______ In our group, my contributions were taken seriously. ______ I was expected to make an equal effort toward our group project as all other group members. ______ I took on the role of facilitator to move ideas forward or to relieve frustrations. ______ At times, I purposefully did not participate in group discussions.

3. In your opinion, how do the following behaviors influence a team’s ability to be productive? In the blank beside each statement, please rank the order of influence (1=lowest; 5=highest). . ______ Members that express their ideas clearly and listen well ______ Members that have strong leaders ______ Groups that are good at brainstorming ______ Members that do what they are told to do______ Groups that divide the work and members work by themselves______ Members that are creative ______ Groups that get along well

4. Given the option, I would prefer to work on a project independently rather than in a group. (Circle your answer).

Yes --- No5. In my group work, there has been significant conflict between students in the group.


If you answered YES to question 6, please express your measure of agreement or disagreement with the following statements:

These conflicts have been resolved (Circle your answer).

a. Using my own strategies


b. By discussing the problem as a group

c. The conflicts have not been resolved

6. Did you find the reference to information about “Working in Groups” useful?


7. Please suggest any ideas which you think could improve this assignment:

Your responses to the questions on this survey will remain confidential.

Each team member is required to complete and return to the instructor a survey form. The form is due the week following the presentation. The self-assessment survey is part of the evaluation process.


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