Information School (iSchool)
The iSchool serves the ever-changing needs of information professionals through its two master's degrees (delivered entirely online).The iSchool participates in an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program and boasts a faculty of world-renowned researchers and is the largest graduate program at Kent State University.
LIS 60705. Museum Origins.
While the collecting of objects can be found as far back as ancient times in various parts of the world, the birth of the modern museum finds its roots in Europe. In the context of today’s world, students will “go back in time” to understand the origins of Western museums and the creation, use, and meaning of publicly shared collections over time. Students will explore the history of the modern museum and spend time visiting actual sites and collections that played a role in this history. Exploring the past in this way is geared specifically to help today’s museum workers gain a better understanding of their own role and purpose in their community, society, and nation. In the past, students have traveled to London, Oxford and Florence.
Prerequisite: graduate standing and special approval. (3 credit hours) Cross-listed with LIS 80705.
LIS 60030. People in the Information Ecology.
Takes a user-centered approach in exploring the information needs and behaviors of people (as individuals and in groups, communities, and institutions) in relation to the larger information ecology that surrounds them. Topics covered include an overview of information ecology; the user-centered paradigm; major information needs and information behavior theories, models, and findings; the landscape of information sources and services for users; factors that influence people’s information needs and behaviors; and user empowerment, information ethics, information fluency, and related issues.
Pre- or co-requisite: LIS 60010 (The Information Landscape) (2 credit hours)
NEW for Fall 2017: LIS 61095. Special Topics Course: Information Services for Diverse Populations.
Deals with the topic of social justice and serving traditionally marginalized populations, including immigrants and migrants, ethnic and cultural minorities, persons with physical and learning disabilities, and LGBTQ+, homeless and incarcerated persons.
KM 60316. Organizational Culture Assessment.
Examines different types of cultures and how each type influences a knowledge organization - how virtual organizations are covered. Students conduct an organizational culture assessment. culture influences the way knowledge workers work, how they make decisions and how they behave, the internal cultures of groups and communities, the cultural attributes of knowledge workers which may impact their knowledge behaviors. Organizational cultures of multicultural, global and virtual organizations are covered.
Prerequisites: graduate standing and pre- or corequisite KM 60301, Foundational Principles of Knowledge Management. (3 credit hours)
KM 60305: Communities of Practice.
Explores collaboration and communities from both a theoretical and a practical perspective. The theory includes structural elements (defining a community identity, scoping the domain, defining practice), and natural lifecycles, and best practices for cultivating communities. On the practical side, students explore strategic placement of communities, the community development process, community design and implementation, and measuring the impacts of communities on intellectual capital creation. Communities of practice are also discussed in the context of digital ecosystems (Web 2.0 and Web 3.0). Utilizes readings and reviews of real life case studies of communities of practice in education, health care and nursing, disaster management, military sciences, and hobbies and craft circles. Students also complete a course project pertaining to community of practice evaluation.
Prerequisite: KM 60301 (Foundational Principles of Knowledge Management) and graduate standing. (3 credit hours) Cross-listed with KM 80305.