Social informatics can be defined as the study of the production, distribution, and consumption of information from social and organizational perspectives. In this course, students will analyze systems of information in context to gain insight into the basic principles of social informatics, as well as relevant social and moral issues.

This course satisfies the capstone requirement of the Information Studies Minor.

• Identify the core concepts associated with social informatics
• Apply principles of social informatics analysis to current issues
• Use oral communication techniques effectively to present an analysis of a topic pertaining to social informatics
• Apply knowledge gained from coursework to analyze an emerging issue from a social informatics perspective using a social science research process
• Be able to identify an information need, find and evaluate information, and use information for a specific purpose

See the Classroom Activities page for details on what we did in class.

Aug. 27

• Course introduction

Sep. 3

• Defining information and social informatics
• Reading for today
  • Clark, Donald. “Understanding and Performance.” Big Dog and Little Dog’s Performance Juxtaposition. 15 Nov. 2010. Web. 24 Aug. 2015.
  • Rosenbaum, Howard. "Social Informatics." Berkshire Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction. Ed. William Sims Bainbridge. Vol. 2. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing, 2004. 633-637. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
  • Schement,Jorge Reina. "Information." Encyclopedia of Communication and Information. Ed. Jorge Reina Schement. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2002. 421-426. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 24 Aug. 2015.

Sep. 17

• Introduction to social science research
• Homework due
  • On the "Glossary" page of the course blog, write a definition of one of the terms. If you are unable to edit the "Glossary" page, then write your definition as a blog post
• Reading for today
  • Kling, Rob. "What Is Social Informatics and Why Does It Matter?" Information Society 23.4 (2007): 205-220. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Sept. 2015.
  • Sawyer, Steve. "Social Informatics: Overview, Principles and Opportunities." Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 31.5 (2005): 9-12. ABI/Inform Global. Web. 3 Sep. 2015.

Sep. 24

• Scholarly communication & discourse
• Developing your research topic
• Reading for today
  • Bradley, Megan. "Journal Articles." Cyberlab for Psychological Research. 2000. Web. 17 Sep. 2015.
• Video viewing for today (watch BEFORE class starts)
  • UNC Library. "Research Tutorial: Building Your Knowledge Base." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 21 May 2014. Web. 17 Sep. 2015.

Oct. 1

• Social science research
  • Research questions
  • Literature reviews
• Elements of social informatics research: information and communications technologies (ICTs)
• Reading
  • Card, Noel A. "Literature Review." Encyclopedia of Research Design. Ed. Neil J. Salkind. Vol. 2. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Reference, 2010. 725-728. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.
  • Julien, Heidi. "Use of Information." Encyclopedia of Communication and Information. Ed. Jorge Reina Schement. Vol. 3. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2002. 1051-1056. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.
  • Race, Richard. "Research Question." Encyclopedia of Research Design. Ed. Neil J. Salkind. Vol. 3. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Reference, 2010. 1261-1262. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

Oct. 8

• Strategies for narrowing a topic and developing a manageable research question
• Social science research methods
  • Qualitative vs quantitative research
  • Types of qualitative research
• Reading
  • "Social Sciences, Qualitative Research in." The SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods. Ed. Lisa M. Given. Vol. 2. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2008. 826-831. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 1 Oct. 2015.
  • Arora, Payal. "Digital Gods: The Making Of A Medical Fact For Rural Diagnostic Software." Information Society 26.1 (2010): 70-79. Library & Information Science Source. Web. 1 Oct. 2015.

Oct. 15

• Video to watch before coming to class
  • North Carolina State University. "Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students." 
• Midterm consultations start
• Elements of social informatics research: the individual
• Working with sources: the BEAM model

Oct. 22

• Elements of social informatics research: social, institutional, and organizational context
• Credibility of sources
• Critical literature reviews

Oct. 29

• First group presentations
• Interpretation in research
• Google Hangout test

Nov. 5

• Class meets online from 6:05 pm - 7:15 pm (Google Hangout)

Nov. 12

• Reading:
  • Go to the SAGE Research Methods database, search for "literature review" and read three articles you find there. Be prepared to discuss them in class.
• Using data sources (e.g., Pew Research Center, EDUCAUSE, etc.)

Nov. 19

• Research ethics
• Problem solving using a SI perspective

Dec. 3

• Critical literature review due

Dec. 10

• Final group presentations

Dec. 17

• Final exam from 6 pm - 8 pm in room 135