SLIS 202: Introduction To

SLIS 202: Introduction to

Information Literacy & Technology

South Carolina University – Winter 2018

Online

Instructor: Dr. Darin Freeburg

Office: Davis College, 214

E-mail:

Office Hours: I can be contacted via the above email at any time. We will use Adobe Connect for virtual office hours on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12-2 pm EST all semester. This link will be in Blackboard. Alternatively, set up appointment via email to meet with me online, by phone or in the office if you’re in Columbia.

*Instructor reserves the right to modify the syllabus

I. Required Text:

The required text for this course is available for free under a creative commons license. You can download it from Blackboard. It will not be available, then, in the bookstore.

Bobish, G. & Jacobson, T. (Eds). (2014). The information literacy user’s guide: An open, online textbook. Geneseo, NY: Open SUNY Textbooks.

Other readings/videos as noted in Other Required Materials. These other materials will be assigned throughout the semester and will be made available to students via class, Blackboard, or University Libraries’ electronic resources.

Style Manual:

Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. 6th edition. APA, 2009.

There should be no need to purchase the print manual for this course, as resources are available online or in Ready Reference at Thomas Cooper Library. The APA has a website for citing electronic information (http://www.apastyle.org/apa-style-help.aspx) and Thomas Cooper has an APA guide (http://guides.library.sc.edu/content.php?pid=8141&sid=51889). Additional help can be found at Purdue Owl (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/).

II. Course Description

· Introduces students to the basic information technologies used in all types of information organizations and the essential concepts and skills needed for information literacy.

· Intended audience: Students in the Bachelor of Science program in Information Science as well as other undergraduates interested in information literacy and technology.

ENHANCED DESCRIPTION

In this course, students will be exposed to the basic components of information literacy: the ability to determine what information you need, where it is, how to get it, how to organize it, and how to present it. Yet, the goal of the class is to create better decision makers and advocates. Better decision-making means learning how to create new information when existing information is insufficient or non-existent. It means learning how to work without precise and perfect directions. It means reflecting on existing assumptions and beliefs to determine potential barriers to accepting new information. Advocacy requires a recognition that information literacy also creates opportunity gaps. Not everyone has the same opportunity to take a course like this. It means reflecting on what it’s like for people who lack these skills and awareness in contexts ranging from health and politics to finances and media consumption. It means using your skills and awareness to step in and make a difference in these contexts to improve society. This course is about the development of a passion for information, understanding how to find, create, use, and share it in ways congruent with an underlying social mission.

III. Course Goals and Learning Outcomes

Goals:

· To introduce key concepts and issues related to information sources;

· To determine the nature and extent of information needed;

· To identify and access sources of information applicable to the need;

· To evaluate information and its sources for credibility, reliability, bias, and currency;

· To employ appropriate conventions for integrating and citing sources ethically and legally;

· To use, manage, and communicate information using appropriate technology to accomplish a specific purpose; and

· To provide with the basic knowledge and skills needed to understand information environments.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

· Understand the difference between data, information, knowledge, and wisdom;

· Describe the concept of information literacy and illustrate how it relates to information use in different information settings;

· Assess and explore information needs and develop research questions regarding information needs;

· Evaluate different types of information resources (government sources, libraries, Internet, etc.) for content, reliability, and applicability;

· Search effectively in online catalogs and databases, Web and print resources;

· Apply the tenets of information literacy to specific tasks and demonstrate the correct use of information in the resulting outcomes;

· Construct a repertoire of search strategies for organizational/content management; purposes;

· Critically evaluate search results and adjust as needed;

· Identify and describe the operations of a basic computer and a computer communications network;

· Construct basic electronic documents, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, and a database using appropriate software to disseminate information;

· Identify and describe the roles of current technologies for the handling of information in information organizations;

· Define information literacy and then describe the negative and positive effects on individuals and society in general for both high and low levels of information literacy; and

· Consider and respect the intellectual property rights of those who create information and knowledge they are using.

IV. Course Policies

1. Expectations

· You will need to log into Blackboard multiple times each week.

· No late work will be accepted.

· Students are expected to treat others in the classroom with respect and dignity, even with online communication.

· Check assignments and email regularly.

2. Teaching approach and delivery:

This course is entirely web-based, relying on 100% asynchronous content delivery. In order to achieve the above listed goals and outcomes, the instructor will foster an open learning environment that combines pre-recorded lectures with Blackboard posts, worksheets and other activities. Students will contribute to the success of the course through active participation, formal presentations with written assignments (research reports, etc), and thoughtful class involvement.

Students are advised that, although online classes offer freedom over traditional classes, they often take more time. Students are expected to devote significant time each week on this course. This includes time spent viewing and reflecting on lectures, writing blogs, responding to blogs, writing worksheets, researching and writing papers, etc.

100% Asynchronous means:

Each week, the instructor will provide a pre-recorded lecture providing a quick overview of the topic for the week. The pre-recorded lecture will be made available to students on Monday of each week. Links to the pre-recorded lectures will be provided in Blackboard under each week.

3. Technology Requirements

Students are expected to have basic computer skills including using the Internet, specifically, the Web. They are expected to log into the course multiple times a week. Students should be able to interact with the course site and resources in Blackboard (posting to Blackboard discussion board, submitting assignments, etc). Students will also make use of Adobe Connect. Students will be expected to use presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint for purposes of preparing and presenting reports. Additional technology requirements for this and other SLIS courses can be found at: http://www.sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/cic/library_and_information_science/distributed_learning/technology_requirements.php

4. Blackboard problems

If you experience difficulties with Blackboard, consult the list of Frequently Asked Questions available at http://www.uts.sc.edu/faq/index.shtml#blackboard, or contact Computer Services at (803) 777-1800 or https://helpdesk.uts.sc.edu/

5. Language Usage

It is recommended that both instructor and students should strive for gender-neutral and culturally-sensitive language in both written and oral speech. For example, "humanity" or “people” is preferred over "man” or “mankind.” This reflects the concern for the inclusion of all peoples within this class and our community. In addition, any derogatory comments based on racial, ethnic, religious, sexual or other categories should be avoided with the exception of being used within the context of analysis. Please strive for awareness and sensitivity in your course assignments in this regard. There are several resources that are available to help you in avoiding these problems. These include:

Schwartz, Marilyn. Guidelines for Bias-Free Writing. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1995.

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/14/. Avoiding Bias.

(Online Writing Lab at Purdue University)

American Psychological Association. Removing Bias in Language. http://www.apastyle.org/race.html.

6. Writing/Editing Assistance

The Writing Center (with a main office in the Humanities Classroom Building, Room 014, and satellite centers located in Bates House, Columbia Hall, Sims Hall, and the Thomas Cooper Library) offers free writing assistance to USC students. Call (803)777-2078 to schedule an appointment.

7. Academic Honesty

Assignments and examination work are expected to be the sole effort of the student submitting the work. Students are expected to follow the University of South Carolina Honor Code and should expect that every instance of a suspected violation will be reported. Students found responsible for violations of the Code will be subject to academic penalties under the Code in addition to whatever disciplinary sanctions are applied. Cheating on a test or copying someone else’s work, will result in a 0 for the work, possibly a grade of F in the course, and, in accordance with University policy, be referred to the University Committee for Academic Responsibility and may result in expulsion from the University.

Plagiarism is one clear violation, which, according to the Honor Code, is “Unauthorized use of another person’s work without proper acknowledgment of source.” This includes copying text without using quotes and in-text citations. It also includes paraphrasing someone else’s work without both in-text citations and a citation at the end of your paper in a works cited section. Examples of plagiarism go beyond this, and it is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are in compliance.

The University of South Carolina Honor Code and the Carolinian Creed will be followed in this course. The Honor Code states, “It is the responsibility of every student at the University of South Carolina Columbia to adhere steadfastly to truthfulness and to avoid dishonesty, fraud, or deceit of any type in connection with any academic program. Any student who violates this Honor Code or who knowingly assists another to violate this Honor Code shall be subject to discipline.” More information of the University’s Academic Honesty Policy can be found at http://www.sc.edu/academicintegrity/honorcode.html & http://www.sa.sc.edu/creed/.

All work submitted must be the student’s original work and done for this class. Do not submit work done in other classes.

8. Accommodations

It is the policy of the University of South Carolina to make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Students with certified eligibility through the Office of Student Disability Services who need accommodations to participate fully in all class activities and fulfill class requirements should see one of the instructors as soon as possible. Any other students with documented disabilities should contact the Office of Student Disability Services at 777-6142 to make arrangements for appropriate accommodations

9. Communication Policy:

Please use the professor’s email () for email communication. DO NOT use Blackboard internal email—it will not be checked. Face-to-face meetings are preferred during office hours or by appointment.

10. Attendance:

In a traditional (face-to-face) environment, USC attendance policy states that “Absence from more than 10 percent of the scheduled class sessions, whether excused or unexcused, is excessive and the instructor may choose to exact a grade penalty for such absences.” This being an online class, attendance will primarily be determined through completion of “Lecture Response Questions.” This shows attendance at each lecture. You can miss 3 lecture responses for the entire course without additional penalty beyond the grade of the lecture response questions themselves. Missing a 4th time will result in a deduction of letter grade and the 5th miss will result into deduction of two letter grades. Beyond that, I consider students to have missed too much of the class sessions and may not be assigned a grade in accordance with USC’s attendance policy.

11. Equality and Diversity

The instructor and students in this course will act with integrity and strive to engage in equitable verbal and non-verbal behavior with respect to differences arising from age, gender, sexual orientation, race, physical ability, religious preferences, and individual perspectives and viewpoints. Our goal is to create a supportive and inclusive class environment conducive to open discussion, learning, and achievement.

12. Assignment Submission

Assignments should be submitted through SafeAssign in Blackboard. Assignments are due at 11:59 pm EST on the designated day. See the Course Calendar for due dates. Late assignments are not accepted.

If there are extenuating circumstances for which you require an extension, please arrange an appointment to discuss this with me prior to the due date. Extensions will not be granted on the due date of an assignment.

Students will observe legal and ethical practices of information collection and use (e.g. copyright) when completing all assignments. Detailed information regarding each assignment can be found in Blackboard, in the Assignments section.

V. Course Requirements and Assignments

Guidelines for Written Assignments

All written submissions must:

· Be submitted via Blackboard in Microsoft Word

· Display your name and course title

· Utilize double spacing

· Be written in APA style, with proper citations

· Align with required font and format: 12-point, Times New Roman, double spaced, 1-inch margins.

V. Course Requirements and Assignments

Grading Philosophy: Students are required to meet the minimum criteria in order to receive a “C” grade. Students who meet the minimum criteria and demonstrate a thorough grasp of the material and excellence in preparation will receive a “B” grade. Students who meet the criteria, demonstrate a grasp of the material and excellence of preparation, and move beyond the scope of the material presented, demonstrating critical thought and contributing new insights will receive an “A” grade.

Grade Scale

Incompletes will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Students will need to provide documentation for any extenuating circumstances when an Incomplete is requested.

Final letter grades are awarded as follows:

900 -1,000 points = A

850 - 899points = B+

800 – 849 points = B

750 – 799 points = C+

700 – 749 points = C

650 - 699 points = D+