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Syllabus

Overview​

We will begin with the building blocks of the Internet and the World Wide Web, to be certain we understand what the basic tools are doing for us. This will allow us to know how to create well-formed materials to be used on the Web .

We will also introduce concepts and practice skills germane to effective use of the power built into word processing , spreadsheet , and presentation graphics software.

You may use either Google Workspace, or LibreOffice, or Open Office, or Microsoft Office 365 suites of applications. Final files should be converted to Microsoft file formats (.docx, .xlsx, & .ppt) as they will be evaluated using Microsoft Office 365. The basic concepts should provide you with skills that will enable you to be comfortable with all similar packages. Not all packages will offer tools that will meet the course rubrics, so it may be necessary to negotiate rubric adjustments prior to grading. If this is a major concern, it might be best to stick with the Microsft Office Suite which all students may freely use as a registered UNC student.

Learning Objectives​

Module 1: Learn how to use the Internet effectively​

10 grade points

  • become familiar with the Internet and its basic tools
  • be able to use some basic command-line instructions (using either UNIX or LINUX, or both) and
  • to understand the Secure File Transfer Protocol ( SFTP )
  • become conversant with the term Open Source - some of its applications, its promise and its limitations

Module 2: Learn how to use code to design useful Web content​

30 grade points

  • understand the basic tools underlying the web
  • be able to create web pages by using basic HTML , basic CSS , and basic server-side and client-side scripting

Module 3: Learn how to effectively format written documents​

15 grade points

  • understand the underlying power of markup languages in document creation software programs
  • be able to format documents for publication

Module 4: Working with Data​

20 grade points

4a: Learn how to effectively use spreadsheets​

  • be able to format spreadsheets for professional usages
  • understand the vector power of functions and formulas in spreadsheet applications
  • understand how to sort and filter data and create a pivot table
  • understand how to display information in Charts

4b: Learn how to grasp beginning fundamentals of databases​

  • understand the basic Entity Relationship Model ( ER Model )terminology and be able to do basic Structured Query Language ( SQL ) queries

Module 5: Learn how to design and produce effective visual presentations​

10 grade points

  • understand the power of visual language and design
  • be able to design and deliver effective audio/visual presentations

Value Added Components​

15 grade points

  • Demonstrate professionalism in face-to-face and electronic communications with peers and class facilitator/instructor
  • Respond to posts in meaningful ways.
  • Verbally, and semi-formally, and briefly, discuss one of your posts in class during the session.
  • Contribute and be engaged in Zoom meetings.

These points should not be a source of anxiety. Moderately engaged students will have no trouble gaining all 15 points.

Grading​

In INLS 161 you will confirm learning by completing a series of tasks and projects that will be graded. You are responsible for completing the projects and submitting them via the Opal Server, UNC OneDrive shares or Teams assignments. There are no graded quizzes or exams in this class. Any quizzes will be for learning purposes and "pulse" checks to help you understand if you are absorbing critical data. There is no final exam, but you will be required to submit a final presentation project and attend the final exam period to help evaluate your classmate's presentations. This is a powerful form of peer-to-peer learning and is a highly valuable experience not to be discounted.

All classes will be recorded via Zoom and transferred to Panopto. You will need to ensure that you are registered with Panopto in order to view the video recordings.

Attendance​

This is a planned, and structured, synchronous face-to-face class. It differs from an emergency online live class as the instructor has received training and support from the Carolina Office of Online learning prior to teaching the course. The expectation is that you are to attend all classes. If extenuating circumstances prevent you from attending class you will need to watch the class recordings to stay on course.

Other​

All work done in INLS161-001 will be done on your personal computer

There will be no paper products generated in this class and there is no printing requirement. You will be well served to bring your laptops with you to class every day.

More background on INLS161-001​

This is an information tools class, and is part of an information literacy curriculum for Library and Information Science students. As the web has grow over the last decades, information literacy is beneficial to all students in all majors.

According to the American Library Association, Information Literacy

... is related to information technology skills, but has broader implications for the individual, the educational system, and for society. Information technology skills enable an individual to use computers, software applications, databases, and other technologies to achieve a wide variety of academic, work-related, and personal goals. Information literate individuals necessarily develop some technology skills ...

Increasingly, information technology skills are interwoven with, and support, information literacy.

A full information literacy curriculum would include:

Resource literacy - The ability to understand the form, format, location and access methods of information resources

Social-structural literacy - Knowledge of how information is socially situated and produced. It includes understanding the scholarly publishing process

Research literacy - The ability to understand and use information technology tools to carry our research including discipline-related software

Publishing literacy - The ability to produce a text or multimedia report of the results of research

Tool literacy - The ability to use print and electronic resources including software