MBIB4250 Knowledge Management and Information Behavior Course description

This course focuses on individuals' and groups' information-related activities at work as well as tools and strategies by organisations to manage their information resources.

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

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After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

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

General competence

The student has the ability to

• analytically discuss and assess the flow of information at a workplace.
• participate in knowledge management projects at a workplace.

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.

The following coursework requirements must have been approved in order for the student to take the exam:

1. An individually written short paper (between 1,500 and 2000 words, equals with about 3 -4 pages) on freely chosen concepts related to the topics of the course and based on course literature.

All required coursework must be completed and approved by the given deadline in order for the student to take the exam.If one or more coursework requirements have not been approved, the student will be given the opportunity to submit an improved version once by the given deadline.

Assessment consists of a written term paper. The term paper may be written individually (approximately 10,000 words, equals with about 20 pages), or in groups of 2-3 students (approximately 15,000 words, equals with about 30 pages). Font and font size: Arial / Calibri 12pkt. Line spacing: 1.5.

The student may choose English or Norwegian as examination language.

If a term paper is written by a group, all group members are requested a re-examination at fail. Students awarded a fail grade are given one opportunity to submit an improved version of the assignment for assessment.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with

Grade scale A-F

All exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner.

Jannica Heinström