IMS1102

Information management 2

F Morrissey

6 points - 6 hours per week - Second semester - Caulfield

Objectives At the completion of this subject, students should have knowledge of the forms recorded information takes, specifically as records of activity, documents as information products and as infotainment; the characteristics, properties and behaviour of particular forms of recorded information; the emerging forms in the internet environment, including document-like-objects and other hybrid forms; and the relationship of emerging forms of recorded information to more traditional forms. They should have an understanding of the different purposes served by particular forms of recorded information; the impact of technology on forms of recorded information; the Internet environment and its impact on society, organisations and individuals; and the role and operation of information discovery and retrieval tools in the internet environment. They should have the skills to develop HTML documents; retrieve, manipulate and use a variety of forms from the World Wide Web and Internet environments; distinguish between the roles of various forms of recorded information; and assess and select appropriate forms for specific objectives. They should also have developed attitudes which enable them to appreciate the need to manage in a volatile climate of change in the information professions, and to explore with curiosity the developing information forms.

Synopsis This subject explores the nature of the forms of recorded information with particular emphasis on the digital forms currently evolving in the internet environment. It introduces students to concepts of recorded information as stored, accessible and effective resources. It provides a framework for analysing the impact of the available technology on the forms taken by recorded information. It examines the properties and characteristics of information, paying particular attention to the importance of contextual understandings of the environment and role of the document. The evolution and underlying purposes of forms of recorded information are explored, using the specific environment of the World Wide Web in particular. Students are introduced to the complexity of the Internet, its interfaces and the way it supports social, organisational and individual action.

Assessment Examination: 50% - Assignment work: 30% - Practical work: 20% - Students must gain at least 40% in each assessment task and pass the subject overall to complete the subject successfully.

Recommended texts

Feather J The information society: A study of continuity and change 2nd edn, Library Association, 1998
Jones B Sleepers wake! Technology and the future of work 2nd edn, OUP, 1995
Krol E and Ferguson P The whole internet for Windows 95: User's guide and catalogue Australian edn, O'Reilly, 1997

Back to the 1999 Information Technology Handbooks