Special Topics & New Courses
Winter 2019
IMT 589 C: Data Ethics
- Instructor: Anna Lauren Hoffman
- 4 credits; standard grading
This course provides an introduction to critical and ethical issues surrounding data and society. It blends social and historical perspectives on data with ethics, policy, and case examples — from Facebook’s “Emotional Contagion” experiment to search engine algorithms to self-driving cars — to help students develop a workable understanding of current ethical issues in data science. Ethical and policy-related concepts addressed include: research ethics; privacy and surveillance; data and discrimination; and the “black box” of algorithms. Importantly, these issues will be addressed throughout the lifecycle of data — from collection to storage to analysis and application.
IMT 598 A: Digital Transformation: Developing Solutions using Cloud's Emerging Technologies
- Instructor: Fawad Khan
- 3 credits; standard grading
This course is going to introduce the concept of Digital Transformation and Cloud's key emerging technologies and how they are forcing companies to review and formulate a digital strategy which affects the bottom line of any company. We will review the key digital transformation strategy pillars and use Cloud's key emerging technologies, including Cognitive Computing, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and IoT to build solutions and applications to help the organizations along this digital journey.
INFO 415 A: Cyber Concepts and Risk Frameworks
- Instructor: Annie Searle
- 4 credits; standard grading
- Counts toward HCI degree option
A course that sets out to blur the distinction between risk and cybersecurity in practice and policy both, in the interest of examining paradigms that exist in both practice areas. We will be reading, writing and presenting on relatively new aspects of existing risk and security methodologies. Expert guest speakers will be featured most weeks, and the final project includes both a long paper and a stand-up executive presentation in just five minutes. Draft syllabus available on request.
INFO 498 A: Time By Design
- Instructor: Batya Friedman
- 4 credits; standard grading
- Counts toward HCI degree option
- Completion of INFO 360 is highly recommended
From issues of shortened attention spans, to interruption, to longer-term perspectives on data curation and archiving and meaning making across generations, time is a crucial element in how we experience our lived lives. Moreover, technology has a critical role to play in that experience. This course examines the relationship between technology and time, with an eye toward how to design information and computing technologies to “humanize” and enhance the temporal element of human experience.
INFO 498 B: Designing for Personal Health and Wellness
- Instructor: Wanda Pratt
- 3 credits; standard grading
- Counts toward HCI degree option
Reviews the state of the art in technology to measure and support personal health and wellness. Students will learn how to improve upon that work to understand and design tools that support people’s needs for health and wellness technologies. Students will learn theoretical and empirical approaches to evaluating their success.
INFO 498 D: Emotion and Design
- Instructor: Margaret Morris
- 3 credits; standard grading
- Counts toward HCI degree option
This course will explore how we relate to technology. We will discuss emotion, emotional intelligence and identity, to set the stage for examining current and emerging technologies. Students will reflect on their own use of technology, interview others and develop ideas for emotionally helpful technologies.
LIS 598 B: Interrupting Privilege
- Instructor: Ralina Joseph
- 1 credit; credit/no credit grading
Most discussions of inequality focus on violence, disproportionality, and discrimination. But what about the concept of privilege? How does privilege — in terms of race, gender, sexuality, and citizenship status — shore up inequality? This seminar engages questions of privilege through facilitated discussions with a classroom community of students and librarians.
This is a 4-day course held Jan 9, Jan 23, and Jan 30 at the Central Branch of the Seattle Public Library and Mar 13 in the Walker-Ames Room in Kane Hall on the UW main campus.
LIS 598 D: Digital Preservation
- Instructor: Nic Weber
- 4 credits; standard grading
Libraries, archives and museums are increasingly charged with the curation and long-term preservation of digital objects – including collections of cultural heritage objects, born-digital scientific data, new digital media (such as video games) and software. This course focuses on tools, techniques and policies for delivering trustworthy preservation in these settings. Practical activities will include the design and implementation of a digital preservation plan, using established frameworks to audit preservation services and learning digital preservation standards such as reference models, file formats, metadata schemas and certifications for trustworthy digital repositories.
LIS 598 G: Visual Research Methods
- Instructor: Jaime Snyder
- 4 credits; standard grading
As a result of increasingly powerful and available digital tools, visual methods are being used with increasing frequency in information science and related domains of research. In order to train students in appropriate, effective and ethical use of these methods, this seminar course offers an explicitly cross-disciplinary perspective on theoretical and practical dimensions of visual research methods in social science. Through interactive seminar discussions and self-directed research projects students will develop critical frameworks and practical skills for working with both qualitative and quantitative visual data.
Material covered includes 1) visual theories; 2) qualitative and quantitative approaches to visual representation; 3) visual techniques for data elicitation, collection and analysis including photo and video documentation, data visualization and participatory elicitation techniques; 4) assessing, evaluating, and interpreting visual evidence; and 4) ethical issues related to visual approaches to empirical research. Exploring these topics will enable students to build an understanding of technical, analytic and ethical factors that influence image-centered research practices.
LIS 598 I: Leadership for the Future of Libraries
- Instructor: Harry Bruce
- 3 credits; standard grading
Students completing this course will realize a heightened sense of optimism and passion for the future of libraries. They will have developed a deeper understanding of themselves as leaders and confidence that they can actively participate in "making" a desired future for libraries.
LIS 598 J: Indigenous Art is Indigenous Knowledge
- Instructor: Miranda Belarde-Lewis
- 4 credits; standard grading
This course examines the relationship between Indigenous art and Indigenous Knowledge (IK) with an emphasis on tribal groups in North America. How have Native artists documented oral history, cosmologies, maps and plant knowledge through art? How are the customary forms of art evolving to keep up with the needs of contemporary Native peoples? This course draws on theory from Indigenous Studies, Information Science, Art History and, visual and museum studies to unpack the intention, purpose and interpretation of Indigenous art and artifacts.
In this course, students will be asked to explore: the concept of Indigenous Knowledge; the role of the arts in Native communities in ancient times and in the present-day; the complicated colonial legacy between museums and Indigenous peoples; and, the push by Native peoples to be consulted with and their views respected about objects from their home communities that reside in museum collections. In addition to engaging with research, theory and the practices related to the study of Native art, Native history and IK, students will be asked to complete an in-depth research project about a particular group of art works, a community-based effort to maintain the transfer of IK through Indigenous art, or, the presentation and incorporation of IK through a museum exhibit.
Autumn 2018
INFO 498 B - Tech Startup Launch Lab
- Instructor: Jacob Colker
- 3 credits, credit/no credit grading
Most first-time entrepreneurs have no idea what's involved. It's a long journey from the day you quit your job to the day you buy your yacht. Working in a hands-on team-based environment, this course provides an overview of the major aspects of entrepreneurship and a blueprint for how to properly build a startup company, using modern innovation methods.
Students will learn how to identify a problem, test solutions, conduct research using qualitative and quantitative methods, and do customer discovery.
Students will also learn the basics of a go-to-market strategy, a fundraising strategy, and how to avoid many of the pitfalls of entrepreneurship.
Throughout the course, we will also take several field trips to innovation labs around Seattle to meet with entrepreneurs and other notable members of the startup community. Students will need to provide their own transportation.
INFO 498 C - Introduction to Digital Humanities
- Instructor: Sarah Ketchley
- 3 credits, standard grading
This course will explore current Digital Humanities methods, tools, topics and debates. Students will have a unique and exciting opportunity to investigate the hands-on application of digital tools to primary source material, using computational methodologies to answer a range of humanities research questions.
LIS 598 A - Participatory Design in Libraries
- Instructor: Jason Yip
- 4 credits, standard grading
Design is a traditional part of librarianship, and yet only has been explored more recently. Given the importance of “design thinking” in libraries, this course explores the notion of participatory design, a method focusing on engaging users in the design process, and emphasizing a democratic and collaborative relationship between users and designers to create new technologies and learning activities. There is rich work around how to interact with stakeholders together in the co-design space, the role of design techniques in co-design, and the different stages and phases of co-design.
In this particular course, we will work with children and librarians in public libraries as an example of participatory design in context. Specifically, participants of this course will have a chance to engage in KidsTeam SPL (Seattle Public Library), an intergenerational co-design team of children (ages 7 – 12) and design researchers in public library settings.
On Monday afternoons, we will hold discussion groups on readings and concepts in participatory design. On Wednesday afternoons, students will travel to The Seattle Public Library together with Dr. Yip to run participatory design sessions with children and stakeholders in the library. Activities of this class will include interacting as an adult design partner with children in co-design, working with researchers on a single project involving children and design, and running overall logistics to support the intergenerational design team.
This course is well suited for librarians, educators, HCI researchers, and designers interested in understanding in design processes.
LIS 598 B - Leadership for the Future of Libraries
- Instructor: Harry Bruce
- 3 credit, standard grading
Libraries face a future greatly influenced by accelerating technological innovation, rapid social change, and complex community needs. Some voices doubt that there will be a place for libraries in the future, while others claim that libraries will be more crucial than ever. Strategic envisioning for the future of libraries is essential, and this will depend upon effective leadership to identify a desired and relevant future, and to facilitate actions to achieve that vision. With this course, each student will develop the self-awareness to understand their leadership style and the competencies that they need to bring to the question of the future of libraries. Students will learn to think like a futurist and to use multiple resources for strategic envisioning and scenario development. They will also explore the actions of leadership that will facilitate achieving their vision for the future of libraries.
LIS 598 C - Grant-Writing Workshop
- Instructor: Stephanie Gerding
- 1 credit, credit/no credit grading
Would you like to know how to plan and write grant proposals?
Are you new to library grant work or do you want to update your skills?
Would you like personalized advice and best practices for grant writing from an expert?
In this course, you will discover the confidence, knowledge, and skills you need to win library grants with instructor Stephanie Gerding, grants expert and an author of Winning Grants. This course will cover all aspects of grant work, including understanding the process, planning, developing grant project ideas, finding the best funding sources and grant opportunities, and writing winning grant proposals. Learn an easy-to-follow grant process cycle and receive practical advice, including valuable time-saving strategies. Learn exactly what grant reviewers are looking for and how to bring clarity and professionalism to grant proposals. You will apply the concepts learned to discover grant opportunities, create a grant project, and get personalized feedback from an expert grant reviewer. When you complete the course, you'll be excited, motivated, and ready with the knowledge you need to win library grants!
LIS 598 D - Information and Migration
- Instructor: Ricardo Gomez
- 3 credit, credit/no credit grading
Graduate reading seminar about the intersection between human migration and information practices and behaviors. What are the particular needs, behaviors and practices of migrants, in the US or abroad? How is migration changing social movements? How do refugees, undocumented migrants and DREAMers in the US change the discourse about immigration?
Summer 2018
INFO 498 A - Administration of Relational Database Systems
- Instructor: Randal Root
- 5 credits, standard grading
Deeper investigation into construction and administration of high-volume, robust database systems from conception through deployment. Topics include Enhanced ERDs, explicit transaction-management (control-of-flow, error-handling and concurrency control), definition and coding business rules, troubleshooting/optimization of database processes. Investigation of disaster recovery, security, high-availability and scalability solutions as well as data warehousing topics.
INFX 598 A and INFX 598 B - Information Architecture
- Instructor: Mike Doane
- 4 credits, standard grading
This five-day intensive course covers many key elements of Information Architecture (IA) and provides hands on training and experience in many IA activities. We will first discuss and define the history and value of IA and where the field is going. We will then learn how to understand users’ information needs in order to provide the most usable and useful information experiences to support those needs. Along the way, we will hear from guest lecturers with different areas of information architecture expertise related to our studies. Also scheduled are practice information architecture activities with practical exercises to complete. At the end the week with group presentations based on teachings and experiences from the class. And overall, we will learn from each other and enjoy discussion and debate on the ever changing world of information architecture.
LIS 598 A - Genealogy Library Services
- Instructor: Lisa Oberg
- 3 credits, credit/no credit
In this courses students will learn the basic methods and resources used for conducting genealogical research as well as explore opportunities for developing and managing genealogy services programs in libraries. Students will learn how to record genealogical information, develop genealogical research questions and formulate strategies for locating information. A variety of genealogical sources including census records, vital records, archival sources and newspapers will be discussed. The course will also explore library services and programs relating to genealogy including genealogical libraries, repositories, and other specialized institutions; conducting genealogy reference service; collection development; and planning, marketing, execution, and assessment of genealogy programs.
LIS 598 B - Digital Media, Social Activism, and Information Systems
- Instructor: Negin Dahya
- 4 credits, standard grading
The focus of this course is to explore the role of digital and social media in the global exchange of information. How do particular forms of digital media, ranging from blogs and wikis to social media sites, inform, mobilize and challenge social and political norms, expectations and practices? The course will draw on theory from media and cultural studies, information science, visual culture, and education with a strong slant towards feminist theory, anti-capitalism, and critical race studies.
In this course, students will be asked to explore and critique the role of viral videos and their associated campaigns, trends such as ‘clicktivism,’ the social impact of crowdfunding, the role of serious games for learning, and the ways digital celebrity culture interacts with humanitarian campaigns. In addition to engaging with research and theory related to digital media and technology in the spread of information that changes the world (for better or for worse), students will be asked to complete an in-depth research project about a social issue, campaign, or politically relevant digital tool.
Spring 2018
IMT 558 A - Leading and Managing Enterprise Information Security
- Instructor: Vanessa Pegueros
- 4 credits, standard grading
Examines the elements of managing and leading enterprise information security programs from a leadership perspective. Students review real world scenarios and explore challenges facing information security leaders. Develop an information security plan and program that meets the culture and goals of a company to address the challenging threat environment.
INFO 402 A - Gender, Equity, and Information Technology
- Instructor: Negin Dahya
- 4 credits, standard grading
INFO 415 A - Web Application Security
- Instructor: Andrew McKenna
- 5 credits, standard grading
- Prerequisites: CSE 143, INFO 310, INFO 343 or CSE 154. INFO 344 is also recommended but not required.
This course will cover the components of web application security from the perspective of the developer, the administrator, and the attacker. It will cover common vulnerabilities such as Cross-Site Scripting, Cross-Site Request Forgery, Sensitive Data Exposure and SQL Injection, as well as provide an introduction to advanced topics such as hash length extension attacks, cookie tossing, and specialized vulnerabilities against common web frameworks.
The goal of this course is to both familiarize students with how to recognize and demonstrate common web vulnerabilities as well as to develop skills in remediation and secure development in order to properly mitigate threats. There will be a large emphasis on hands-on learning and students will be expected to think creatively as they face common defenses and work with unfamiliar frameworks and environments.
INFO 498 A - Rapid Prototyping
- Instructor: Brian Fling
- 5 credits, standard grading
In this hands-on and fast-paced class, you and your team will research, concept, design, prototype and test a new consumer product… in just first two weeks! From there you will rinse and repeat the process using an agile methodology to iterate and refine your product based on your learnings, mistakes and a lot of real user feedback.
By the end of the class you will have a portfolio-worthy product, a deep understanding of how to manage and prioritize product features, how to run an agile team, and how to include user feedback through a rapid process. Not to mention strong experience using industry leading design and prototyping tools.
INFO 498 C - Designing for Evil
- Instructor: Alexis Hiniker
- 4 credits, standard grading
- Prerequisites: INFO 360
What does it mean for a technology to be evil? What, if any, responsibility do designers and developers have to create systems that serve the greater good? In "Designing for Evil," we explore frameworks for considering these questions, tease apart moral panics from credible threats, study manipulative, addictive, and exploitative interfaces, critique existing designs, and create the evil--and not so evil--technologies of the future.
INFO 498 D - Population Health Informatics
- Instructor: Mike Freeman
- 5 credits, standard grading
- Prerequisites: INFO 201
Introduces applications of Informatics skills to evaluating public health. Students will learn how to leverage their programming and data competencies towards measuring and describing the health of a population. Students will learn about and compute metrics of population health, and leverage visualization to communicate statistical insights to broad audiences.
INFX 508 A - Reading Seminar: Humanitarian Information Activities
- Instructor: Ricardo Gomez & Sara Vannini
- 2 credits, Credit/No Credit grading
Information about this course is available on the following Canvas page: https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1209475.
INFX 598 A & INFX 598 B - Advanced Data Curation
- Instructor: Nic Weber
- 4 credits, standard grading
- Prerequisite: INFX 551
This course examines a broad range of practical and conceptual issues in the emerging field of data curation. It focuses on recent advances and challenging problems in the curation of research data across disciplines and new trends in open data resources and services for the general public. The course will draw on research, case studies, and current initiatives to examine key challenges in the field and and practical solutions applied by data professionals. In-depth study of topics will be driven by student interests and their contributions to the course through presentations, discussion facilitation, and a final project.
INFX 598 I & INFX 598 J - Digital Preservation
- Instructor: Nic Weber
- 4 credits, standard grading
Libraries, archives, and museums are increasingly charged with the curation and long-term preservation of digital objects – including collections of cultural heritage objects, born-digital scientific data, new digital media (such as video games), and software. This course focuses on tools, techniques, and policies for delivering trustworthy preservation in these settings. Practical activities will include the design and implementation of a digital preservation plan, using established frameworks to audit preservation services, and learning digital preservation standards such as reference models, file formats, metadata schemas, and certifications for trustworthy digital repositories.
INFX 598 K & INFX 598 L - Information Beyond Borders
- Instructor: Karen Fisher
- 3 credits, Credit/No Credit grading
To date over 65 million people are forcibly displaced by war and persecution worldwide, over half of whom are children, marking the worst global humanitarian crisis since World War II. The UNHCR reports that the vast majority of refugees (86%) remain in low to middle income countries close to situations of conflict. The aim of this course is to learn methods for understanding and supporting the vast and complex information worlds of refugees. Sophisticated methods supported by extended engagement with refugees and stakeholders and triangulated data are required to understand subtleties across populations, and the implicit, hidden roles played by different people such as youth, elders, and mentors in refugees’ social networks and their effects across wider society. Such understandings can be linked to broader economic, education and environmental outcomes. Indeed, based on extensive fieldwork, Fisher (Forthcoming, 2017) identifies the following topline field and design insights for engaging in with displaced people by conflict zones—need for humanitarian research; the disruption of social fabric; closed, low resource environments; building capacity for all; the differing ubiquity of time, place and gender; iterative long-term, social engagement; universal design archetypes; youth as ICT wayfarers; connected learning; and innovating futures.
INFX 598 M & INFX 598 N - The Internet and the Future - Challenges and Opportunities
- Instructor: Ron Johnson
- 3 credits, standard grading
Explore current issues such as network neutrality, digital divide/broadband access, ’end of the public internet’, network based censorship, privacy issues, the internet of things, smart cities, libraries and the internet, internet (in)security, regulatory environment, metro networks, content/media consolidation etc. Students will learn how ‘the internet’ really works and is operated, what it can do, and what some of its limitations are. Each student may choose a topic of personal interest as their project for the quarter in any of a very wide range of policy, practical, or technical areas. Grades will be based on that project plus constructive class participation.
INFX 598 O & INFX 598 P - Cloud Computing
- Instructor: Fawad Khan
- 4 credits, standard grading
- Prerequisites: Basic IT course or any programming course
This course is going to introduce the concept of Cloud Computing and how it is transforming and evolving the IT industry and the developer ecosystem, as we move away from on-premises to Cloud-based infrastructure and app development scenarios. Discussion of Cloud services models including SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS. Review of Cloud services usage and migration scenarios considering business goals and objectives along with developing a Costs/Benefits Analysis model. Understand primary business consideration for migrating to cloud services including cost, security, compliance, fault tolerance, backup, disaster recovery and monitoring. Learn about the most popular and consumed services including deploying, managing and maintaining a VM network infrastructure, developing Cloud-based App solutions and Identity & authentication. Discussion of on the horizon key Cloud services in the new digital transformation age including Big Data, Machine Learning and IoT.
INSC 598 A - Current Perspectives in Game Studies
- Instructor: Jin Ha Lee
- 3 credits, Credit/No Credit grading
Seminar on video games and interactive media in information science, focusing on areas of game information organization and access, user behavior related to games, and use of games for informal learning in venues such as libraries and museums. Explores key readings in the domain, and students get opportunities to present and receive critical review of their game-related work throughout the quarter.
LIS 552 A - Critical and Existential Perspectives on the Information Society
- Instructor: David Levy
- 3 credits, standard grading
The course will explore different conceptions of what it means to live in an “Information Society.” Drawing upon readings in information science, history, philosophy, psychology, and anthropology, students will learn to unpack, problematize, and critique current conceptions of the role of information in society.
Please note: this course was originally listed as LIS 598 C.
LIS 553 A - Information and Social Justice
- Instructor: Ricardo Gomez
- 3 credits, standard grading
Information technologies have the potential to help improve the quality of life of marginalized, underserved and impoverished communities around the world, and to promote social justice and inclusion. This course critically explores the intersection between information technologies, social change, and social justice.
Please note: this course was originally listed as LIS 598 B.
LIS 556 A - Information Ownership and Control: Intellectual Property, Privacy, and Freedom of Speech
- Instructor: Adam Moore
- 3 credits, standard grading
Concepts, processes, and issues related to the larger social context within which information and knowledge is owned, controlled, and accessed. Discussion topics include the ethics of copyright,, patent, and trade secrets; intellectual freedom and access to information; privacy and the control of personal information; miss-information and “fake news.”
Please note: this course was originally listed as LIS 598 A.
LIS 598 D - Cultural History of Children's and Young Adult Literature
- Instructor: Michelle Martin
- 3 credits, standard grading
This historical overview of children's and young adult literature studies the evolution of the genre written in English. It examines the influence of movements such as Romanticism, Rationalism, and postmodernism, and considers texts about minoritized children from a wide variety of cultures.
LIS 598 E - Prejudices and Power: Exploring Bias in Knowledge Organization and Access
- Instructor: Allyson Carlyle
- 1 credit, Credit/No Credit grading
Briefly introduces knowledge organization with an emphasis on the bias inherent in subject headings lists and classification systems. Seminar style in which students select a particular subject heading list, thesaurus, classification, information system, topic, or reading to explore and share with the class.
LIS 598 G - Inclusive Practices in Contemporary Librarianship
- Instructor: Negin Dahya
- 4 credits, standard grading
What does it mean to adopt inclusive practices in the varied demographic and cultural landscapes of contemporary libraries? Libraries are critical public institutions and serve a wide variety of patrons ranging from young people to the homeless and undocumented people to the elderly. Engaging in practices that support “inclusion” across gender, sexuality, race and legal status, culture, class, and ability in librarianship requires in depth understanding of historical and contemporary issues related to equity in learning, community engagement, and information systems. In this course, students will explore three related areas of study: (1) critical and radical pedagogies from the field of education, including the works of Paolo Friere and bell hooks, among others; (2) applications of inclusive practices and critical pedagogies that relate directly to the contemporary landscape of librarianship; and, (3) the equity and inclusion in the online domain of information and information systems, such as Wikipedia and Facebook, as they relate to the work of today’s libraries and information professionals. Students will engage with theoretical and historical research and theory pertaining to these topics and be invited to contribute to the class with project work that will align these larger topics to their own, more specific areas of work. Final projects will be focused on taking theory, applying and analyzing it in relation to student’s own areas of work and interest.