Course Offerings
Explore the leveraging of data, information, and technology for the greater benefit of society and to help ensure a level playing field for everyone in the information age. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. This course carries the Cultural Diversity in the United States flag. The purpose of the Cultural Diversity in the United States Flag is for students to explore in-depth the shared practices and beliefs of one or more underrepresented cultural groups subject to persistent marginalization. In addition to learning about these diverse groups in relation to their specific contexts, you’ll also reflect on your own cultural experiences.
In this course, we will work to understand and address the challenges of misinformation, disinformation, and strategic manipulation in online environments. First, we will work to develop a deep understanding of the problem space. We will read and discuss existing research (both historical and contemporary) on how and why misinformation and disinformation spread. Next, we will explore the process, both personal and interpersonal, by which these issues can be approached and addressed in our own lives. This will involve reflecting on our own presuppositions, beliefs, and biases about information; and doing a project in which we apply the principles of Human-Centered Design to investigate different design directions for addressing misleading information. Students will gain important contextual knowledge and hands-on design experience that they can take into future professional domains (from education to policy to technology), where they can contribute to building more trustworthy information systems.
Critical exploration of the intersection between digital technologies and information access in emerging economies. Investigate the historical, socio-economic, and ethical dimensions of digital adoption in the Global South, analyzing its impact on governance, economies, cultures, and societal dynamics. Emphasis on critical thinking, ethical considerations, and collaborative approaches to address challenges such as the digital divide(s), data sovereignty, and technology-driven inequality. Through case studies and practical exercises, students will develop skills in digital research, global cultures, policy analysis, and technology innovation with a focus on promoting inclusive and sustainable digital transformation in Global South contexts. Also offered as I 320S.
In this course, we will work to understand and address the challenges of misinformation, disinformation, and strategic manipulation in online environments. First, we will work to develop a deep understanding of the problem space. We will read and discuss existing research (both historical and contemporary) on how and why misinformation and disinformation spread. Next, we will explore the process, both personal and interpersonal, by which these issues can be approached and addressed in our own lives. This will involve reflecting on our own presuppositions, beliefs, and biases about information; and doing a project in which we apply the principles of Human-Centered Design to investigate different design directions for addressing misleading information. Students will gain important contextual knowledge and hands-on design experience that they can take into future professional domains (from education to policy to technology), where they can contribute to building more trustworthy information systems.
No description provided.
This class explores how to make arguments about and through design. The first half focuses on values, criticism, ethics, and analysis of technology, the latter portion aims to help a soon-to-graduate technologist envision positive social impact in a mission-driven enterprise. Students will practice synthesizing ethical tech considerations – as they will have to do for the rest of their careers – and combining this with an organizational mindset. Through exercises, role-playing, discussions, guest lectures from activist technologists, and wide-ranging readings, students will practice connecting broader implications of their designs with technical choices. Design for Social Impact seeks to arm students with diverse ways of reflecting on their authorial relationship to technology, drawing from art and design to political science and anthropology. Course participants will be encouraged to focus on areas of personal interest, enumerating the social, political, and economic parameters of particular technical systems: parameters that are as important as power consumption, usability, or efficiency.
Project-based learning course in which students will apply a combination of research and evaluation methods (scientific, sociological, historical, computational) to identify and explore a research question of community impact. Students will first learn about applied research and evaluation from a team of faculty and community-based nonprofit leaders, then work in small groups apply their knowledge.
In this class, we will explore different strategies for including games in collections across libraries, archives, and museums using case studies of specific institutions. We will also address unique qualities of digital and board games that make them challenging to existing practice in the field. Students will have hands-on experience with games through the semester.
Learning key data wrangling maneuvers in abstract and implementations in SQL, Excel, R Tidyverse, and Python Pandas. Maneuvers in data transformations include Nest, Pivot, Mutate (inc. separate/unite), Group/Summarize and Rectangling. Projects include working with "wild caught" data datasets (usually CSV or JSON) and computational notebook environments (e.g., iPython, Jupyter, Rmarkdown, Quarto). Fall 2024 has changes from previous syllabus now that we have Database Design and Introduction to Programming. Nonetheless, the previous syllabus is still useful as it links to course materials that show the teaching approach and type of assignments. http://howisonlab.github.io/datawrangling/#Schedule_of_classes
Exhibits are a powerful way for libraries, archives, museums, and cultural institutions to engage the public with their collections. This course offers students the opportunity to plan and install an exhibit, focusing on objectives such as: crafting a narrative around physical objects; drafting exhibit text; accommodating media preservation issues; building basic display supports; and publicizing the exhibit. Students will learn about the historical origins of modern-day exhibit practices and will visit and evaluate current exhibits on campus and in the Austin area.