Course Title: Information and Knowledge Environments 1

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Information and Knowledge Environments 1

Credit Points: 12


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

BUSM2389

City Campus

Undergraduate

620H Business IT and Logistics

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009

ISYS2438

City Campus

Undergraduate

620H Business IT and Logistics

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011

Course Coordinator: Bernadette Welch

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 5827

Course Coordinator Email:bernadette.welch@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 108.17.70


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

Information and Knowledge Environments 1 is the compulsory foundation course that introduces the concepts, contexts and terminology for the study of information and knowledge management. You will use problems solving, case study and group work approaches to examine this area. The course also focuses on introducing the range of work in the information profession and the activities and contexts of that work. It introduces the concepts of information and knowledge organization, examines the data-information-knowledge continuum, the effective evaluation of information as well as searching and retrieval skills. The foundation skills and knowledge studied here will be reinforced in studies in Information and Knowledge Environments 2, Investigation and Intelligence and The Intelligent Organization.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

The development of the Information Literacy Capability is the core discipline area for the Information and Knowledge Management student. It is expected that you will begin to think about capability development in this course as the foundation of your development as a student. Specifically, the course will offer opportunities to develop communication skills, written, verbal and graphic. Also offered will be opportunities to develop IT skills in searching and retrieval of information, particularly in the electronic environment. The development of these skills will take place within a context of learning about the information and knowledge professions and the development of critical and reflective thinking skills.


At the conclusion of this course the student should have the abilities in Information and Knowledge Management to:

  • Identify sound information and knowledge management practices;
  • Communicate information in oral and written modes;
  • Evaluate website content using specific frameworks for evaluation;
  • Search for, retrieve and evaluate information for specific purposes using a wide range of databases;
  • Organize information in meaningful and value added ways;
  • Self reflect on their learning;
  • Develop a portfolio that reflects progress in thinking about the information profession and their place in this profession;
  • Manage information relevant to their courses and the program;


Overview of Learning Activities

The learning activities are based around a series of weekly lectures and tutorials and the materials provided through the website at RMIT Online. Lectures provide some of the theoretical and contextual frameworks for study in this area and the tutorials provide time for group work activity, including discussion, debate and individual practical exercises as well as student presentation of assignment work. Participation in these tutorial activities and the preparation through reading of presecribed material is expected. There will be a number of guest speakers in the lectures times and attendance at professional seminars will be encouraged.  


Overview of Learning Resources

Students will have access to extensive course materials on the course site in the RMIT Online Learning Hub, including links to electronic readings, lecture notes, discussion board, tutorial activities, detailed study program, external Internet links and access to RMIT Library. electronic resources. Hardcopy resources will also be available throughout the course. An extensive reading list will also be made available.


Overview of Assessment

Students will demonstrate the capacity for critical thinking in their case study assignment work, their analysis of reading material and choice of cases for the discussion board. Students will be asked to demonstrate oral presentation skills and to reflect on their work in the course. Students will be required to demonstrate basic mastery of electronic search and retrieval skills through a tutorial test. Working collaboratively will also be emphasised through group work assessment tasks and in tutorials as well as through the Discussion Board activity. Students will be expected to demonstrate their knowledge of the course work, its place in the program and the other compulosry aspects of the program through a hurdle test.