Week 3

10/12:  Technology & People*class starts at 12:15

This assignment also available as a Word document.

Readings - available on Electronic Reserve

Download a cleaner scan of pp. 24-25.

Bruce, H. (2002) The User's View of the Internet. Chapter 2: Technology and People (pp. 19-29).

Activity

Research for discussion one of the following theories.  Please prepare a 10 minute overview of the theory, its usefulness for human information behavior, and how it informs our broader understanding of the social aspects of information technology.  Develop (in advance) a small set of discussion questions for the class, and be prepared to lead class discussion. Please note that you will have to read more broadly than the articles listed for this week.

 Create a short bibliography of suggested resources for your colleagues.

10/14:  Theoretical Frameworks for Human Information Behavior

This assignment also available as a Word document.

Readings - available on Electronic Reserve

Please read in the suggested order:

1. Bruce, H. (2002) The User's View of the Internet.  Chapter 3.  A Focus on Usings (pp. 31-67).

2. Bates, M. (1999) Information science: the invisible substrate, http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/research/bates1.html.

3. Pettigrew, K. E. and McKechnie, L. (2001) The use of theory in information science research. Journal of the American Society for Information Science. 52(1):62-73.

4. Dervin, B. and Nilan, M. (1986) Information needs and uses: a conceptual and methodological review. Annual Review of Information Science and Technology. 21: 3-33.

5. Wilson, T. D. (1984) "The cognitive approach to information-seeking behavior and information use." Social Science Information Studies 4:197-204.

Activity 

For the next two sessions we will be discussing theoretical frameworks and models.  Several of you will research for discussion one of the following frameworks.  Develop (in advance) a small set of discussion questions for the class, and be prepared to facilitate class discussion.   Please note that you will have to read more broadly than the articles listed for this week.

Please prepare a 10 minute overview of the framework with a view to the broader question, and create a short bibliography of suggested resources for your colleagues.

Does Information Science have successive, defining theoretical models and frameworks?

I would like you to be able to describe the theoretical framework and how it helps information scientists to study human information behavior.