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Fall 2011 Dr. June Ahn, College of Information Studies & College of Education 2117J Hornbake Blg, South Wing Email: juneahn@umd.edu Office Hours: by appointment
 * LBSC 690: Introduction to Information Technology**

Mondays, 1:00pm - 3:45pm, Hornbake 2119
 * Class Time & Place**

This is a core course in the Master of Library Science (MLS) program. This course provides an introduction to information technology as it is used in libraries, archives, schools, and (increasingly) everyday life. Special emphasis is placed on the design of systems for connecting users with information. The goals of this course are to help students:
 * Description**
 * 1) Understand basic principles behind the operation and design of computers and networks.
 * 2) Understand the role of information technology in libraries, schools, information centers, and society.
 * 3) Develop competence in several topics related to information technology including web development, structured data, programming concepts, and user-centered design principles.
 * 4) Apply information technology and design to solve a practical problem.

Class meetings will typically split into conceptual and lab components. The first part of each class will consist of lectures and collaborative student discussions that focus on the weekly topics (see course schedule). The second part of each class will typically involve a lab where new technologies and programming activities will be introduced.
 * Course Format**

Students are expected to complete all readings of that week **prior** to attending class. I will ask students throughout the semester to lead certain parts of the lecture and class discussions. In addition, each week will involve lab and technology activities. Thus, students should bring their laptops or other computing devices (i.e. netbook, tablet etc.) to the class if they own such a device. If you do not have a laptop, this is alright. We will modify the class lab activities, but you will have to complete your assignments at campus labs or your home computer.

We will be using Twitter as our class discussion space. Please sign up for Twitter and follow your classmates and the class Twitter account @lbsc690.

The required textbook for this class is Understanding Computers: Today and Tomorrow, Comprehensive (2010) by Deborah Morley and Charles Parker (M&P). You can purchase the hard copy, but a cheaper option is to rent the book via Amazon's Kindle Web App. It will cost you approximately $40 to rent the e-textbook until mid-December.
 * Readings and Materials**

All other readings and materials will be provided by the instructor. Please see the course schedule for reading assignments for each week. All readings should be completed **prior to attending class.**

All homeworks, weekly prompts, and final projects are due the day after class, Tuesday by midnight. No late assignments will be accepted. Click here to see info on the course activities and grading.
 * Assignments & Grading**

Click here to see the schedule of topics, readings, and assignments.
 * Course Schedule**

The University of Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student Honor Council. This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all undergraduate and graduate students. As a student you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course. It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit http://www.shc.umd.edu.
 * Academic Integrity**