INFO 281-06
INFO 281-14
Seminar in Contemporary Issues Civic Literacy (1-Unit)
Spring 2022 Syllabus
Other contact information: 202-270-1585
Office location: Baltimore, MD
Office Hours: Office Hours on Zoom 10 AM-Noon PT Mondays or on phone by appointment.
| Syllabus Links Textbooks CLOs Competencies Prerequisites |
Resources Canvas Login and Tutorials iSchool eBookstore |
Canvas Information: The course will be available beginning January 26th at 6 am PT. This one-credit class starts on Wednesday, January 26th, and ends Friday, February 25th.
Course Description
As librarians, we are dedicated to literacy, but have we abandoned civic literacy? We understand civic literacy to be: having the knowledge to act as empowered citizens and residents within the context of democracy. As a community of practice, we will examine our role in educating the community about how to actively participate and initiate change in their local community and the greater society. This course will explore the role that civic literacy plays in our active democracy and how it can enhance the library’s central role in information sharing, convening, and facilitating community engagement.
Course Requirements
Prerequisite: INFO 200, INFO 202, INFO 204
Assignments
Online Discussion for each week
Exercises: Complete Civic Literacy Assessments
Article Reflection for week 2 & 3
Build a personal/professional resource list -myRolodex
Create Information Object for Civic Literacy
Presenting Information Tool & myRolodex to class
Course Calendar
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Week One CLO #1
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Introduction to the course:
Actions: Welcome & Overview Video | Civic Literacy Reading | Introduction | Reflection | Take Civic Literacy Assessment-Part 1 |
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Week Two |
Influence:
Begin exploring civic intentionality & moving beyond providing information to action.
Actions: “Influence" Video | Reflection on Reading & Civic Literacy Assessment | Civic Literacy Reading | Civic Literacy Assessment Part 2 | Post Ideas for final project | Begin my Rolodex |
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Week Three |
Federal Government: More than the President
State Government:
Actions: State & Federal Government Video | Build a resource list-myRolodex | Reflection on Reading & Civic Literacy Part 2 | Final Project Work | |
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Week Four |
Peer Presentation of Final Projects & myRolodex Actions: Submit final project | Submit myRolodex | Discuss Final Project with Group | Discuss myRolodex with Group | |
Grading
Online Discussion for each week 15%
Exercise One: Complete 2 Civic Literacy Assessments 20%
Article Reflection for week 2 & 3 15%
The building of resource list (myRolodex) 20%
Presenting of resource list to class 5%
Create an Information Tool for Civic Literacy 20%
Presenting Information Tool to class 5%
Course Workload Expectations
Success in this course is based on the expectation that students will spend, for each unit of credit, a minimum of forty-five hours over the length of the course (normally 3 hours per unit per week with 1 of the hours used for lecture) for instruction or preparation/studying or course related activities including but not limited to internships, labs, clinical practica. Other course structures will have equivalent workload expectations as described in the syllabus.
Instructional time may include but is not limited to:
Working on posted modules or lessons prepared by the instructor; discussion forum interactions with the instructor and/or other students; making presentations and getting feedback from the instructor; attending office hours or other synchronous sessions with the instructor.
Student time outside of class:
In any seven-day period, a student is expected to be academically engaged through submitting an academic assignment; taking an exam or an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction; building websites, blogs, databases, social media presentations; attending a study group;contributing to an academic online discussion; writing papers; reading articles; conducting research; engaging in small group work.
Course Prerequisites
INFO 200, INFO 202, INFO 204, other prerequisites may be added depending on content.
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Identify one's own level of civic literacy & ways to increase it.
- Explore best practices for local library civic engagement and how it relates to budget, services and resources.
- Analyze non-subscription resources (government and nonprofit) for the ways they can be used to empower individuals to engage in civic processes.
- Create an information product.
Core Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes)
INFO 281 supports the following core competencies:
- D Apply the fundamental principles of planning, management, marketing, and advocacy.
Textbooks
Recommended Textbooks:
- Krug, S. (2014). Don't make me think, revisited: A common sense approach to web usability. Peachpit. Available through Amazon: 0321965515
Grading Scale
The standard SJSU School of Information Grading Scale is utilized for all iSchool courses:
| 97 to 100 | A |
| 94 to 96 | A minus |
| 91 to 93 | B plus |
| 88 to 90 | B |
| 85 to 87 | B minus |
| 82 to 84 | C plus |
| 79 to 81 | C |
| 76 to 78 | C minus |
| 73 to 75 | D plus |
| 70 to 72 | D |
| 67 to 69 | D minus |
| Below 67 | F |
In order to provide consistent guidelines for assessment for graduate level work in the School, these terms are applied to letter grades:
- C represents Adequate work; a grade of "C" counts for credit for the course;
- B represents Good work; a grade of "B" clearly meets the standards for graduate level work or undergraduate (for BS-ISDA);
For core courses in the MLIS program (not MARA, Informatics, BS-ISDA) — INFO 200, INFO 202, INFO 204 — the iSchool requires that students earn a B in the 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 if you wish to stay in the program. 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. - A represents Exceptional work; a grade of "A" will be assigned for outstanding work only.
Graduate Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). Undergraduates must maintain a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).
University Policies
Per University Policy S16-9, university-wide policy information relevant to all courses, such as academic integrity, accommodations, etc. will be available on Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs' Syllabus Information web page at: https://www.sjsu.edu/curriculum/courses/syllabus-info.php. Make sure to visit this page, review and be familiar with these university policies and resources.
In order to request an accommodation in a class please contact the Accessible Education Center and register via the MyAEC portal.
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