LIS 588: Special Topics in Library and Information Science

Explore how information technologies from the emergence of the use of symbols, through the development of the book, to today's Web 2.0 shape our lives and our culture. We will explore the benefits and the possible dangers of new and emerging information technologies. We will approach these and other issues from a multidisciplinary perspective, looking at the insights into our information age that can be provided by such areas of inquiry as history, linguistics sociology, political theory, information science, and philosophy. The course will not only critically analyze new information technologies, it will use such technologies to deliver the course--providing opportunities for active reflection on the ways in which technology shape learning and social interaction. The goal of the course is to equip students with the conceptual tools to understand, engage, and critique the evolving infosphere in which we live. Graduate-level requirements include weekly reflections and discussions.