The major focus will be on the evaluation of information and multimedia resources available on electronic networks when doing research in an area of one's choice. This information literacy course is designed for students to gain a more in-depth understanding of the information resources available electronically and of how to utilize them more effectively in communicating.
Students will learn how to access and utilize these resources for two-way communications and support for decision making while incorporating selected elements in multimedia presentations of their own design.
Equivalent courses: BE481
Prerequisites: BE/CO/IM101 or prior exposure to word processing and electronic mail
Course Objectives
Students will explore the role of electronic media in acquiring, structuring, analyzing, and synthesizing information. Students will:
- Investigate the culture of the Internet and the social and economic phenomenon that it represents. Issues including but not limited to: freedom of access to information, the right to privacy, gender and equity issues, the ethics of information use, and security.
- Analyze and use the tools and techniques for searching electronic resources effectively.
- Evaluate the validity of various information sources.
- Analyze and synthesize information for distribution by means of a unifying multimedia presentation a) using Course authoring software b) using PowerPoint c) building a website.
Detailed Course Outline
1. Access to the Internet: 1 week
History and evolution of the Internet. How it all works. The value and importance of standards and protocols (TCP/IP, URL, OLE). The development of the required infrastructure.
2. Social Justice and Cultural Issues in Internet Access: 1 week
Patterns of Access to the Internet with particular emphasis on gender and race. How are people getting connected and who will pay? Information rich vs. information-poor. Is there an explicit connection between gender and economic privilege? Impact of multimedia and graphical user interfaces (Netscape vs. Lynx) Impact of the Internet on our personal and professional lives.
3. Critical Evaluation of Information Resources on the Internet: 5 weeks
Students will look at the different information services for quantity, quality, and ease of use as they gather information on a particular issue using the various search tools, including Boolean and probabilistic models, Intelligent Agents, and Knowbots. They will be exposed to the following:
Information Exchange Services. e.g. Mail, Listservers and Usenet. Students will explore the cultural environment as they use mail, listservers, and newsgroups. They will look at flame wars, various forms of bashing, and review netiquette rules. They will evaluate the need for filters and the value added by peer review, digests, and other screening devices. File Acquisitions Services, e.g. FTP sites and Archie. Issues of copyright and intellectual property as well as ethics will be discussed as students learn to download and install files.
Hierarchical Information Services, e.g. Campuswide Information Systems, Gophers and Veronica. Questions of information privacy—how to protect confidential information vs. the right to know. Security issues and the problem of viruses. Freedom of speech vs. pornography and sexual harassment.
Hypermedia Information Services, e.g. World Wide Web. Students will look at the impact and issues involved in commerce on the Internet. How will government tax or indeed regulate this commerce. Fee or free? Who pays? The role of advertising. Have we found another way to exclude the disadvantaged from full participation in our society.
4. Analyzing and synthesizing information for distribution. 7 weeks
A multimedia presentation is to be a vehicle for expressing their views. Students will learn techniques to inform, persuade, advocate, or challenge using different distribution channels, a live audience (presentation), and a cyberspace audience (home page) in order to demonstrate their ability to synthesize critical issues. Students will: Analyze the audience both live and cyberspace. Select from a variety of delivery techniques. Organize their ideas using story boarding. Learn principles of layout and design. Make effective use of sound, graphics animation and special effects to enhance the message. Use various distribution channels, e.g. Presentation Manager software and Home Pages
Evaluation Methods
1. Class activities and assignments — 35%.
There will be at least four hands-on lab projects covering various information services. They will be completed as homework and turned in for grading using the checklists provided. All work is to be turned in to the grading box in Stright 107, the Tompkins Lab, on or before 5 p.m. of the Friday on the week it is due. Late penalties of 10 percent per day will be applied in all cases. Students will read at least one book on the culture or economics of the Internet and will engage in discussions of this material as well as writing several short reaction papers. The book for this semester is The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll, available in the bookstore.
2. Multimedia Presentations: Powerpoint Presentation, Web site — 35%
Students will formulate and make two formal presentations to both a live and a cyberspace audience on an issue of their choice, using materials harvested from the Internet. In PowerPoint, the emphasis will be on the content. In the website, the emphasis will be on the structure, the organization, and the design elements used. The presentation must be made on the assigned date or penalties of 75 percent of grade will be applied. If you wish to change days, it is your responsibility to negotiate this with another student.
3. Exams — 30%
There will be a midterm ( a night exam) and a final where students will be evaluated on their understanding of technology and the social, cultural, and economic issues covered in class and in their readings. These will be short essays on assigned topics.
Grading Scale
The standard grading scale will be used.
90%+ = A
80–89% = B
70–79% = C
60–69% = D
0–60% = F
Attendance Policy:
The attendance policy will conform to the accepted universitywide attendance policy. If you miss more than three classes without an excused absence (a doctor's certificate or a funeral notice is required), you will lose a letter grade.
Required Textbooks
Hofstetter: Multimedia Literacy.
Shelly and Cashman. PowerPoint.
Micco and O'Neil: Using the Internet.
Stoll: Silicon Oil
You will be provided with a CD in the back of the multimedia text. You will also need two HD floppy disks and a headset with a long cord.
Lab Facilities
Class labs will be offered in Stright 220 and have been scheduled on Thursdays unless otherwise indicated. Please refer to the schedule provided. For homework, access will be provided at no cost in all public labs. Netscape 2.1 and PC/TCP are being supported by a site license from ISCC. Please note that the class labs are being used for instruction and guided study. You have been provided with lab manuals to assist your progress. You will not be asked to do anything which is not covered in the manuals. You are expected to complete the assignments outside of class in your own time. Remember practice makes perfect. A checklist has been provided for each assignment. It is to be turned in with the work.
