UW launches justice-focused endorsement for computer science teachers

Thursday, September 17, 2020

University of Washington researchers and teacher educators are launching a new partnership to prepare computer science teachers who position young people to understand and shape the impacts of computing on their communities. The UW will create the first justice-focused computer science endorsement program for aspiring and practicing teachers in the state with funding from a $1 million National Science Foundation grant to the UW’s College of Education, Information School and Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. The team will work closely with Shoreline and Highline s

Ricardo Gomez inspires online teaching toolkit

Wednesday, September 9, 2020

The University of Washington houses hundreds of world-class instructors and faculty members who have mastered the art of teaching face-to-face. Yet in March, when the UW was suddenly forced to shut down and switch to remote instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they unexpectedly found themselves pushed to their limits. For many instructors, up was down and down was up. They were presented with new challenges and could not rely on traditional teaching methods as they adapted to the online space. This was especially the case for those were asked to teach online for the first time without

iSchool takes action on diversity, equity, inclusion

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

The University of Washington Information School has several ongoing diversity initiatives and is home to many individuals who are passionate about the value of a diverse faculty, staff and student body. But it hasn’t had a structure in place to ensure action and results. That changed recently with the creation of a new leadership position, associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Wanda Pratt, a professor in the school, took on the role this summer and will serve on an acting basis for 2020-21. Pratt, who has been on the iSchool faculty since 2002, is starting with a li

Jason Yip wins grant to explore kids' 'invisible work' online

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

As the world grows more complicated for teens and tweens, so do the chores they do with and for their families. Young people, especially those whose parents are immigrants or refugees, are increasingly tasked with finding crucial health and financial information online. But the tools they’re using — search engines and technological platforms — are designed for adults. iSchool Assistant Professor Jason Yip has often wondered how they can do a better job for younger users. He recently was awarded a five-year CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to look into this “in

Tanu Mitra adds to 'powerhouse' studying misinformation

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

When Tanu Mitra saw a faculty job posting at the University of Washington Information School late last year, the computer scientist said that she was instantly drawn to it.  “This is the powerhouse,” Mitra said of the iSchool, where she recently started as an assistant professor with expertise in social computing, computer-supported cooperative work and online misinformation.  “What better place to be?” she said in a recent interview, pointing out that the UW’s Center for an Informed Public, where she was recently named a faculty member, was also a particular draw.&nb

iSchool expands access to MSIM, offers fully online options

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

The University of Washington Information School is increasing access to its world-class Master of Science in Information Management (MSIM) degree. Beginning in 2021, the iSchool will offer fully online options for its three program tracks: Early-Career, Early-Career Accelerated and Mid-Career. Admissions and graduation requirements for residential and online students are identical, and all graduates earn the same Master of Science in Information Management degree. Read the full press release. By offering its MSIM degree options online, the iSchool increases access to transformational educat

Ph.D. candidate investigates inclusion on Christian dating sites

Friday, August 28, 2020

Online dating companies eHarmony and Christian Mingle — two of the most popular websites for Christian singles — initially refused to offer same-sex matchmaking, conceding only after settling separate lawsuits. Even then, the companies did so grudgingly: eHarmony created a separate site called Compatible Partners, and Christian Mingle allowed users to view same-gender profiles but wouldn’t identify who else was seeking gay users. How have these companies evolved their approaches to same-sex matchmaking? What does this mean for LGBTQ+ Christians looking for lasting relationships? Wh

IMLS awards $1.5 million to iSchool-led research projects

Friday, July 31, 2020

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded a total of more than $1.5 million in funding for four projects led by the University of Washington Information School. The projects span several initiatives to benefit libraries and their users: making libraries more inclusive for children with autism, using open data to serve library users, managing post-traumatic stress among library staff, and supporting teen and young-adult patrons of rural libraries. Two of the awards are part of the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program: Autism-Ready Librari

Seattle teacher adopts Center for an Informed Public's mission with 'MisinfoDay Jr.'

Thursday, July 30, 2020

Shawn Lee and his AP U.S. History students at Seattle’s Ballard High School were gearing up to attend MisinfoDay at the University of Washington in March when concerns over the coronavirus forced the Center for an Informed Public to rethink its planned in-person event. “We were all ramped up and ready,” Lee said in a recent interview about MisinfoDay, an event first held in 2019 and designed to educate high school students, teachers and librarians about how to be better information consumers and less likely to share misinformation. Just as the CIP had to shift gears with MisinfoD

New way to dig into data on access to information

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Meaningful access to information around the world can be studied at a national and regional level by exploring trends in key indicators related to Connectivity, Freedom, and Gender Equity, according to researchers at the Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA) at the University of Washington Information School. A new set of data-visualization dashboards allows users to explore TASCHA’s research and see how each nation stacks up. The dashboards offer visual displays that allow users to compare each country with regional averages, and they explain how the data relates to meaningful ac

Justin Wadland, '03, honored with UW Distinguished Librarian Award

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Justin Wadland, who earned his Master of Science in Library and Information Science in 2003 at the University of Washington Information School, was honored this past spring with the UW Distinguished Librarian Award for his work at the UW Tacoma Library, where he has worked extensively with digital scholarship and helped established the UW Tacoma Digital Commons, the campus institutional repository. This annual award recognizes a librarian whose contributions advance the mission of the libraries and the university in the areas of teaching, learning, research and innovative approaches to

Ph.D. candidate named Graduate School Presidential Dissertation fellow

Monday, July 20, 2020

J. Elizabeth Mills, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Washington Information School, has been selected for the 2020 Graduate School Presidential Dissertation Fellowship for her research, which explores the nature and role of reflection in public library storytime assessment. The Graduate School Presidential Dissertation Fellowship assists Ph.D. candidates in the final stages of writing their dissertations, enabling them to work on their dissertation full-time for one academic quarter. The 2020-21 fellowship includes one quarter of UW state tuition and fees, health insurance, and a

Ph.D. graduate named Eugene Garfield Doctoral Dissertation fellow

Friday, July 17, 2020

Lassana Magassa, a recent Ph.D. graduate of the University of Washington Information School, has been selected for the Eugene Garfield Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship for his dissertation, “‘I am Not Computer Savvy’: A look into the Everyday Digital Literacy Levels of Formerly Incarcerated People Using a Novel Holistic Digital Literacy Framework.” Established by the Beta Phi Mu International Library and Information Studies Honor Society, the Eugene Garfield Doctoral Fellowship is a prestigious award that consists of a $3,000 cash award to doctoral students who are working on th

iSchool’s Chirag Shah authors 'A Hands-on Introduction to Data Science'

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Chirag Shah, an associate professor at the University of Washington Information School, has authored a new academic textbook, “A Hands-on Introduction to Data Science.” Shah sees data science as an interdisciplinary field where many solutions to problems extend beyond statistical and computational modeling and require people from different fields and backgrounds to work together. “It is not just doing the programming, algorithms and data analysis, but also trying to understand data problems in context,” he said. With the rapid growth of technology over the past decade and

3 iSchool students awarded ALA Spectrum Scholarships

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Two continuing University of Washington Master of Library and Information Science students and one incoming student are among the 61 winners of 2020-21 Spectrum Scholarships, the American Library Association has announced. Jacqui Howell is heading into her third year as an online student, living in Snohomish County. Howell changed careers after working in marketing and said she was drawn to the community-building aspects of public librarianship. “I realized then, ‘You know what, I think the library is the place that does all of these things.’ They show films, they have communit