Just Differently Intelligent...

KMD1000 Blurb

[This is the first public posting of the full year grad course I'm teaching this fall. Anyone crazy enough to take it? Dave Goulden has worked with/for both Ron and I, and he thinks it is just a scary combination.]

Catalog Description
This state-of-the-art survey reviews the emerging field of knowledge media design, and the use of new media for communication, collaboration, and coordination. Lectures by faculty who are leading research in the design of knowledge media will explore the boundaries between traditional domains of knowledge, and inquire into the ways in which these domains intersect in the design of knowledge media. Course readings address leading-edge theoretical, conceptual, methodological and research issues across the cross-disciplinary spectrum, including: human-centred design; knowledge media technologies; the cultural and social implications of knowledge media; use of knowledge media for learning; applications and examples of knowledge media; and the future of knowledge media.

Lectures will include issues such as: design methods, quantitative and qualitative methods for evaluation, and the implications of knowledge media for learning, culture and society. We will introduce specific examples of knowledge media, such as instant messaging, CVEs (Collaborative Virtual Environments), digital libraries, video conferencing, ubiquitous computing, and webcasting. We will also examine a number of key application areas such as information exploration, policy formation. Alongside faculty lectures, students will be expected to present their work to the class.

This course is open to members of the University of Toronto graduate community. Students enrolled in the KMD collaborative program will be given priority placement. For information on the KMD collaborative program visit http://kmdi.utoronto.ca/ and for more information on KMD1000Y contact Ron Baecker (rmb@dgp.utoronto.ca) or Jason Nolan (jason.nolan@utoronto.ca)

Course Objectives
KMD1000Y has been designed with the objectives of:

• introducing and exploring key issues in knowledge media design;
• helping students become familiar with the literature of knowledge media design;
• demonstrate concepts, strategies, and techniques for designing knowledge media;
• providing students with the opportunities to develop concrete experience in thinking critically about, designing and evaluating knowledge media.

Evaluation
Knowledge Media Use, Evaluation, Comparison, and Critique (20%)
This assignment will entail students gaining hands-on experience working with a number of simple and popular information and communication technologies. The learning outcomes will centre around students using this experience in order to develop familiarity and literacy in the diversity of technologies, start to develop skills in reading these spaces as Knowledge Media tools, assess features and options, and speak critically on explicit, hidden, and null design issues.

Knowledge Media Design, Prototyping, and Evaluation (25%)
This assignment will give students experience understanding and applying user needs to situate, design, prototype, and evaluate a novel knowledge medium of their own conception. The design project will be spread over 11 weeks.

Scholarly Research Project (25%)
The topic will be negotiated between the student and one or both of the faculty members. One heuristic for choosing a topic is to think about an issue in the use of some kind of knowledge medium by some group of human or humans in some application, situation, task, and/or locale.

Oral presentation(s) (10%)
Class participation (10%)
Test (10%)