58127 Information Cultures
UTS: CommunicationCredit points: 8 cp
Result Type: Grade, no marks
Requisite(s): 58125 Creative Information Design
There are also course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Handbook description
Students are introduced to the conceptual and methodological tools they need to actively engage with the organisations and communities they will work with in the information, communication and creative industries. They develop a critical understanding of the complex interrelationship between people, information, knowledge and culture and of the central role of theory and research in effective professional practice. The subject introduces students to theories and empirical research from a range of disciplines including information behaviour, communication theory, philosophy and sociology, as well as to a range of research methodologies for exploring and analysing both individual and collective information/knowledge behaviour and practices. Students apply their theoretical and methodological learning to the development of a practice-based pilot research project. In doing so, students develop an appreciation of the importance of practice-based research as the basis for research-based professional practice. Students make further contributions to their ePortfolio.
Subject objectives/outcomes
On completion of this subject students will be able to:
- explain a range of theories of information behaviour
- critically analyse and synthesise theoretical literature
- communicate effectively through writing and other media
- apply appropriate research methodologies in ethical practice-based research
- collaborate in team-based research projects
- constructively reflect on their learning
Contribution to graduate profile
This subject makes a major contribution to students' capacity to apply their knowledge and skills of the theories and principles underlying the complex relationship between people, information, culture and technologies, to think analytically, communicate effectively, work ethically and evaluate their own work. In addition it contributes to the students' capacity for work collaboratively.
Teaching and learning strategies
These focus on interactive and constructive approaches to learning. Each session provides a range of learning experiences that are designed to integrate formal input, personal and professional experiences, discussion, reflection and action. Included in the learning activities are lectures/presentations by the Subject Coordinator and/or guest lecturers, class discussions and exercises designed to develop students' understanding of the theoretical and methodological approaches they will be introduced to. Students learn to communicate effectively by participating in discussion in class and online. Students learn to collaborate in team-based research project by negotiating and implementing a research plan and collaborating in the writing of a final report. Assessment incorporates both individual and group-based work designed to develop students' understanding of how to apply their learning in a range of professional and research contexts.
Content
Theoretical approaches to understanding the complex interrelationship between people, information, knowledge and culture relevant to professional practice in the information, communication and creative industries:
Students will critically review a range of theoretical approaches drawn not only from information/knowledge research but also a variety of other disciplines including philosophy, communication, cognitive science, education/learning theory, and sociology of knowledge. Theoretical works will be supplemented by examination of a range of empirical studies & case studies.
Research methodologies appropriate for exploring & analysing both individual and collective information/knowledge behaviour and practices:
In concert with their examination of the above conceptual frameworks, students will critically examine a range of related research methodologies appropriate for their application in their professional practice, such as Sense-Making, cognitivist, ethnographic, phenomenological and discourse analytic approaches. They will be introduced to a range of research methods, including various approaches to interviewing, participant observation & focus groups. Different approaches to the analysis of empirical research findings will also be examined.
Assessment
Assessment item 1: Reflective Blog
| Objective(s): | a, b, c, f |
| Weighting: | 20% |
| Task: | Students are required to make weekly entries on their UTSOnline blog, reflecting on their learning in relation to the subject. Entries should include discussion of the student's readings of the theoretical literature of information behaviour, as well as insights gained from the lectures and tutorial discussions & activities. Entries may take a variety of forms: critical analysis of key concepts; personal reflections; non-textual elements, such as photos, concept maps, cartoons etc.; questions they are seeking to resolve; discussion of class exercises; hyperlinks to on-line material relating to the topic etc. The reflective blog must be more than simply a summary of the student's reading but rather should reflect their critical engagement with and reflections on their learning. The blog is to be incorporated into students' e-portfolios. |
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Assessment item 2: Critical Analysis Report
| Objective(s): | a, b, c, f |
| Weighting: | 35% |
| Task: | In this assignment students will explore and critically analyse a particular concept (e.g. information need), theory or issue relating to the content covered during the semester, as well as exploring its implications for information research and professional practice. This assignment will assess students' ability to understand and critically analyse the key ideas, issues etc relevant to their topic, focusing particularly on the theoretical literature and empirical research engaged with through the semester. The report is to be incorporated into students' e-portfolios. |
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Assessment item 3: Pilot Research Project (Group)
| Objective(s): | a, b, c, d, e, f |
| Weighting: | 45% (group) |
| Task: | In groups of 3-4, working in a practice-based context, students will use an appropriate research instrument to investigate the information/knowledge behaviours and practices of a particular audience/community before conducting a pilot implementation. As a group, students will develop a report on their research project, describing and justifying their research design decisions, presenting their preliminary findings and discussing their implications for professional practice. |
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Minimum requirements
Attendance is important in this subject because it is based on a collaborative approach which involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the tutor. An attendance roll will be taken at each class. Where possible, students should advise the tutor in a timely manner if they are unable to attend.
Students who fail to attend 85% of classes may be refused to have their final assessment item assessed (see Rule 3.8).
To pass in this subject, students must submit all components of assessment and reach a satisfactory level overall.
Indicative references
Brookes, Bertram (1980) The foundations of information science. Part 1: Philosophical aspects. Journal of Information Science 2: 125-133.
Brown, John Seely and Duguid, Paul (1991) Organizational Learning and Communities-of-Practice: Towards a Unified View of Working, Learning and Innovation Organization Science 2 (1), 40-57.
Bryman, Alan (2004) Social Research Methods, 2nd Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford UK.
Buckland, M. (1991) Information as Thing. Journal of the American Society for Information Science. 42 (5), 351-360. Available On-line at http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/~buckland/thing.html
Chatman, E. (2000). 'Keynote Address: Framing Social Life In Theory And Research.' Information Seeking in Context: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Research in Information Needs, Seeking and Use in Different Contexts; 2000 August 16-18; Gotheburg Sweden. L. Hoglund.
Choo, C-W. (2007). Information seeking in organizations: epistemic contexts and contests Information Research, 12(2) paper 298. Available at http://InformationR.net/ir/12-2/paper298.html
Davies, E. & McKenzie, P. J. (2004) 'Preparing for opening night: temporal boundary objects in textually-mediated professional practice' Information Research, 10(1) paper 211 Available at http://InformationR.net/ir/10-1/paper211.html
Dervin, B. (1992). From the Mind's Eye of the User: the sense-Making qualitative-quantitative methodology. In: J. Glazier & R. Powell. Qualitative Research in Information Management. Englewood, Co.: Libraries Unlimited: 61-84.
Dervin, B. (2003) "Human studies and user studies: a call for methodological inter-disciplinarity" Information Research, 9 (1) paper 166 Available at http://InformationR.net/ir/9-1/paper166.html
Olsson, M. (2004) 'Understanding Users: Context, Communication and Construction'. ALIA 2004 Biennial Conference Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, Queensland, Australia, 21 -24 September 2004. Available at http://conferences.alia.org.au/alia2004/pdfs/olsson.m.paper.pdf
Olsson, M. (2007) Power/Knowledge: the Discursive construction of an Author. Library Quarterly. 77 (2), 219-240.
Pettigrew, K.E., Fidel, F. & Bruce, H. (2001). Conceptual frameworks in information behavior. Annual Review of Information Science and Technology: 43-78.
Poster, Mark. (1995) The mode of information and postmodernity. The second media age, Polity Press, Cambridge, MA., 57-77.
Savolainen, R. (2004) "Enthusiastic, realistic and critical. Discourses of Internet use in the context of everyday life information seeking." Information Research, 10(1) paper 198. Available at http://InformationR.net/ir/10-1/paper198.html
Savolainen, R. (2007) Information Behavior and Information Practice: Reviewing the 'Umbrella Concepts' of Information-Seeking Studies. Library Quarterly. 77 (2), 109-132.
Williamson, K. (2002) Research methods for students, academics and professionals: information management and systems, 2nd ed., Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, N.S.W.
Wilson, T. (2000). Human Information Behaviour. Informing Science 3 (1), 49-55.
