MBIB4250 Knowledge Management and Information Behavior Course description

This course focuses on individuals' needs for information and their information seeking behaviour.

The teaching language is in English when there are foreign exchange students present.

No prerequisites.

Knowledge

The student has

• advanced knowledge of information needs as well as of use of information and knowledge in different contexts such as everyday life, working life, research and education, etc.
• good overview and specialized knowledge of the role of various channels for satisfying the information needs and their prominence for seeking and sharing information and knowledge
• advanced knowledge of the theoretical models for understanding seeking and sharing of information and knowledge
• advanced understanding of the relationship between human information behaviour and methods of information and knowledge management

Skills

The student is able to

• use empirical and theoretical models on information behaviour and information mediating institutions' role in information seeking processes to design research projects
• reflect upon how information needs and information use is affected and changed by political, demographic, cultural and technological changes, the emergence of new forms of learning and experience, etc.
• plan, develop and lead information and knowledge management in practice with reference to in-depth knowledge of information needs and information seeking behaviour

The course is organized as a series of three three-day sessions.

The course is given either in Scandinavian languages with occasional English contributions, or exclusively in English.

No course requirements.

Assessment consists of a written term paper and a and a three-day written home examination. The term paper may be written individually (approximately 15 pages), or in groups of 2-3 students (approximately 20 pages).

Exams are assessed separately. Both exams must be passed for an approved grade for the course. The term paper counts for 75 percent and the unsupervised examination for 25 percent of the course grade. The grades for both exams are specified in the course certificate.

Students who have failed the regular examination are entitled to sit a new examination for parts not approved. If a term paper is written by a group, all group members are requested a re-examination at fail.

All examination support materials are permitted. However, sources must be stated in accordance with applicable rules for source references.

Letter grading A-F.

Both exams are assessed by an internal and an external examiner.

Katriina Byström