LIBR 246-01
Information Technology Tools and Applications - Advanced
Topic: Web 2.0 and Social Networking Tools
Spring 2009 Greensheet

Debbie Faires
E-mail
Phone: 408-924-2498
Office: Clark Hall 418-A
Office Hours: Online by e-mail, IM, and web conference (Elluminate); in person by appointment

Class begins January 22 on ANGEL. Students will receive the access code via MySJSU messaging by January 16 and should enroll in the course site before January 22.

Course Description

This course is focused on developing the skills and knowledge of how to design, create, and maintain online communities. Such communities have rapidly become a regular part of a web site in corporate and non-corporate environments.

While it is arguable what the actual definition of Web 2.0 is the general implication is that there is a change in "idea" behind the Web; it has gone from being a model for publishing (referred to now as Web 1.0) to a model of participation (Web 2.0). This rearranges the view of how both organizations and customers or patrons utilize the web.

With online tools it becomes much easier to discover, form, and manage relationships, as well as interact, collaborate and interface across them. However though the software tools have become easier, the knowledge of how to use them effectively and properly is getting more complex.

Course Prerequisites: LIBR 202 required; prior experience with HTML highly recommended.

Course Objectives

Student Learning Outcomes

• Identify and implement social technologies for information collection, management, dissemination and collaboration;
• Explain what Web 2.0/Library 2.0 is and how it is differs from the “regular” WWW, and why that shift is important to libraries & librarians;
• Demonstrate knowledge of the impact of social technology on information services and instruction for diverse audiences;
• Generate ideas for the use of social software and programs at libraries and information agencies to improve services

LIBR 246 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

• design, query and evaluate information retrieval systems;
• demonstrate proficiency in the use of current information and communication technologies, and other related technologies, as they affect the resources and uses of libraries and other types of information providing entities;
• understand the system of standards and methods used to control and create information structures and apply basic principles involved in the organization and representation of knowledge.

In addition, this section supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

• demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations

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Course Requirements

Assignments

• Eleven Weekly Assignments (55 points)
  Weekly assignment are due on Wednesdays. Each assignment is worth 5 points.
• Tool report (10 points)
  Select, learn about, and use an online tool and report to the class about it and its possible applications in an organization or online community. Reports will be in podcast and vidcast format.
• Participation (15 points)
  This course focuses on social software and the development of online communities. Your active and thoughtful participation in our online community is required.
• Final Project (20 points)
  You will complete a final project demonstrating your understanding and application of the tools and philosophies studied in the class. The project will be determined in consultation with the instructor.

Course Calendar
(subject to change with fair notice)

Late Assignments
Assignments that are up to one week late will only receive half credit. I will not accept any assignment more than 1 week late. I will not accept late final projects. Procrastination and late work will severely hurt your grade in this class.

Incompletes
Incompletes will not be given in this class except in the case of substantiated medical need or personal/family tragedy

Textbook

Required Textbooks:

• Farkas, M. G. (2007). Social software in libraries: Building collaboration, communication, and community online. Information Today. Available through Amazon: 157387275X.

Grading Scale

The standard SJSU School of Information Grading Scale is utilized for all iSchool courses:

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;
  For core courses in the MLIS program (not MARA) — 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 the following semester. 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.

Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).

University Policies

General Expectations, Rights and Responsibilities of the Student

As members of the academic community, students accept both the rights and responsibilities incumbent upon all members of the institution. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with SJSU's policies and practices pertaining to the procedures to follow if and when questions or concerns about a class arises. See University Policy S90-5 at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S90-5.pdf. More detailed information on a variety of related topics is available in the SJSU catalog at http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/catalog/departments/LIS.html. In general, it is recommended that students begin by seeking clarification or discussing concerns with their instructor. If such conversation is not possible, or if it does not serve to address the issue, it is recommended that the student contact the Department Chair as a next step.

Dropping and Adding

Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drop, grade forgiveness, etc. Refer to the current semester's Catalog Policies section at http://info.sjsu.edu/static/catalog/policies.html. Add/drop deadlines can be found on the current academic year calendars document on the Academic Calendars webpage at http://www.sjsu.edu/provost/services/academic_calendars/. The Late Drop Policy is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/policies/latedrops/policy/. Students should be aware of the current deadlines and penalties for dropping classes.

Information about the latest changes and news is available at the Advising Hub at http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/.

Consent for Recording of Class and Public Sharing of Instructor Material

University Policy S12-7, http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S12-7.pdf, requires students to obtain instructor's permission to record the course and the following items to be included in the syllabus:

• "Common courtesy and professional behavior dictate that you notify someone when you are recording him/her. You must obtain the instructor's permission to make audio or video recordings in this class. Such permission allows the recordings to be used for your private, study purposes only. The recordings are the intellectual property of the instructor; you have not been given any rights to reproduce or distribute the material."
  • It is suggested that the syllabus include the instructor's process for granting permission, whether in writing or orally and whether for the whole semester or on a class by class basis.
  • In classes where active participation of students or guests may be on the recording, permission of those students or guests should be obtained as well.
• "Course material developed by the instructor is the intellectual property of the instructor and cannot be shared publicly without his/her approval. You may not publicly share or upload instructor generated material for this course such as exam questions, lecture notes, or homework solutions without instructor consent."

Academic integrity

Your commitment, as a student, to learning is evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University. The University Academic Integrity Policy F15-7 at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/F15-7.pdf requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The Student Conduct and Ethical Development website is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/studentconduct/.

Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 at http://www.sjsu.edu/president/docs/directives/PD_1997-03.pdf requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the Accessible Education Center (AEC) at http://www.sjsu.edu/aec to establish a record of their disability.

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