INLS777-001 Fall 2022

Perspectives on information, technology and people

  Value Added

What does "value added" mean in this class? It means several things

First, it involves forming groups

Five percent of the grade for this class will come from the name you select and the logo you create for the groups that you will populate in this class

component what it means
Task We will have formed groups for this semester. Your task is to select a name for your group and to create a logo to brand your group. We will refer to you all by your group names.
Condition Submit your group name and logo as an assignment response by the due date.
Standard This is an easy one. The task is worth 5% of the semester grade.
Do it and get full credit, don't do it and get no credit.

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Second, it involves introducing yourselves individually via a Forum posting.

Three percent of the grade for this class will come from us getting to know you

component what it means
Task Create your first forum posting
Condition

Your initial posting should be a repeat of what you will do in the first lab/recitation session. Include it it at least the following:

  1. your name and the name you prefer to be called
  2. your hometown (in whatever manner you chose to define the word "hometown")
  3. your grad school focus
  4. what you hope to get out of this class
  5. the operating system on your personal laptop
  6. and, the names of the newsletters you have signed up for

Of course, you may add anything else that you wish.

Standard This, too, is an easy one. The task is worth 3% of the semester grade.
Do it and get full credit, don't do it and get no credit.

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Second, it involves introducing yourselves individually via a Forum posting.

Two percent of the grade for this class will come from your subscription to newsletters which will keep you informed about key ideas we will discuss this semester.

component what it means
Task Sign up for the two required newsletters
Condition Include mention of these two subscriptions in your initial forum posting.
Standard This is an easy one. The task is worth 2% of the semester grade.
Do it and get full credit, don't do it and get no credit.
The newsletters will keep you informed about key ideas we will discuss this semester.

Sign up for at least two newsletters

Sign up for at least two newsletters and tell us which ones you subscribed to in your first forum posting.

Required subscriptions

Sign up for these two newsletters

  1. Alertbox: Current Issues in Web Usability. Jakob Nielsen's biweekly column on how to design more usable websites
image of alertbox page
  1. Technology Review: a journal of links to articles about technology developments (in their technical, social, and policy aspects). Subscribe at least to The Download.
image of technology review newsletters signup page

Other newsletters that may be useful

You may, depending on your interests, wish to sign up for one or more of these newsletters, but this is purely optional.

FirstMonday : a peer-reviewed scholarly journal from the University of Illinois, Chicago

image of First Monday signup page

Scout Report: a publication of the Internet Scout Research Group, published every Friday both on the Web and by email subscription, it provides a way to stay informed of valuable STEM and humanities resources on the Internet.

image of Internet Scout Report signup page

How To Geek : an online technology magazine ... How-To Geek has been used as a resource for everything from university textbooks to late-night TV ... an independent company that remains wholly owned by its founders ... built without any outside investment or corporate ownership.

image of How To Geek signup page

Treehugger : a Canadian "modern sustainability site that offers advice, clarity, and inspiration for both the eco-savvy and the green-living novice"

image of Treehugger's signup box

Aeon Magazine : "Fine writing on philosophy, psychology, science, history and the arts" Click on the "newsletter" link

image of Aeon Magazine's signup box

If you have others to recommend, add your recommendation to the task 01.01 forum posting.

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Something to do every session and week

Third, you will add continuing value you add to your peers' experience in this class, based on three things:

  1.  Attendance 
    You are expected to attend all classes and to be in the Zoom session before it starts. You should be ready to start on time. If you need to miss a class, let me know so we can expect that you won't be with us.
  2.  Deportment 
    Be courteous to your classmates. Use your information tools to support current class activities only. Pay attention. Try not to pursue other interests during the class session.
  3.  General Participation 
    Class participation consists of doing the following: being prepared for class, making observations about the readings, asking questions, taking notes, actively working on in-class exercises and actively listening. Everyone will get the chance to participate through:
    • Sharing of interesting items via the Sakai Forum:
      The class Sakai Forum is there to allow us to discuss further things we discuss in class. But it is also a medium to explore other topics of interest to the group. If you have something you wish to share, share it on the Sakai Forum (worth seven points) and see if there is any commentary (worth three points).
    • Generalized discussion:
      While much of class time will be taken up with lecture, there is always to the opportunity to share your thoughts in discussion. Such discussion might be a further exploration of your Sakai Forum posts, a back-and-forth about the topic of the day, or a standalone discussion about something you feel merits the time in class.
    • Starting a class session:
      Everyone will have the opportunity to initiate each class session, starting with session 01
      1. one person will discuss what we watched
      2. one person will discuss what we read
      3. one person will discuss what we might have read - the optional readings
      4. one person will discuss the extra item for each session
      Expect to do this more than once during the semester. You will know which session will be yours by finding your name on a session announcement in the Sakai calendar

These three components will account for the remaining 15% of your value added grade. (seven + three + five)

component what it means
Task In addition to classroom activities, you have an individual task
1. Sharing of interesting items via the Sakai Forum (worth seven points)
2. Commenting on a colleague's forum posting (worth three points)
3. Starting a session with a short talk on the assigned preparations (worth five points)
Condition 1. Since we all may not get an opportunity to present in class, you should plan to do at least one Sakai Forum posting every two weeks. That means you should have something that you feel would be interesting to your peers and post it at least once each four class sessions. We may discuss postings in class, if they generate interest.
2. Since each of you all will be making a number of postings, it should be easy for each individual to have something to say about at least one of their colleagues' postings.
Standard The task is worth 15% of the semester grade.

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Grade expectations

Points earned What it means A description of what it means
14.25 or more You have done a superlative job of adding to your peers' experience in this class You were engaged in class, with pertinent comments and/or questions;
you took the opportunity to comment on the Sakai Forum on topics of interest to you and, in your estimation, to your peers as well;
your review/preview presentations were organized, understandable, relevant, and professional;
and you took the opportunity to discuss a topic with your peers, in an organized, understandable, and professional manner.
14.10 to 14.23 A totally acceptable performance demonstrating an adequate level of adding to your peers' experience in this class. You were engaged in class, with pertinent comments and/or questions;
you occasionally took the opportunity to comment on the Sakai Forum, thus occasionally taking the opportunity to provide feedback and validation to your peers.
13.65 to 14.09 You were engaged in class, with pertinent comments and/or questions, but the quantity and/or quality of your engagement was not as high as hoped for;
you didn't take the opportunity to comment on the Sakai Forum, thus not providing feedback and validation to your peers.
12.90 to 13.64 You were engaged in class, but didn't have much to say, either in class or on the Sakai Forum.
12.30 to 12.89 Not as good as it could have been; but you didn't detract from your peers' opportunities.
11.85 to 12.29 A marginal performance You were disengaged in class, didn't have much to say, either in class or on the Sakai Forum.
C
11.40 to 11.84
You were disengaged in class, didn't have much to say, either in class or on the Sakai Forum;
your attentiveness to the topic of the day was inadequate and detracted from your peers' opportunity to concentrate.
10.80 to 11.39 You were disengaged in class, didn't have much of anything to say, either in class or on the Sakai Forum;
your attentiveness to the topic of the day was inadequate and detracted from your peers' opportunity to concentrate;
and, in general, a sense of negativity from you caused your peers to suffer.
10.35 to 10.79 You were disengaged in class, didn't have anything to say, either in class or on the Sakai Forum; your activities in the classroom detracted from your peers' opportunity to concentrate;
and you were active in your negativity.
9.00 to 10.34 Your presence was a negative factor in the classroom dynamic.
less than 9 For whatever reasons, an unacceptable performance If it's unacceptable, it is unacceptable; it should be as obvious to you as it is to the instructor

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