Recognize and understand the role of civility.
Introduction, Share Thoughts, and Make a Plan
Goal: The goal of this forum is to introduce yourself to the class and discuss what it takes to create an online learning community.
Course Objective(s):
CO1 Explain the need for accurate and responsible information literacy in the contemporary digital world.
CO7 Recognize and understand the role of civility.
Welcome!
Welcome to the class and the week one forum! COMM120 Information and Digital Literacy is usually the first class students take at APUS and because of this students often ask, “what are forums?” Let me answer that for you!.
Forums are the best way we have to replicate conversations among students in a brick and mortar classroom.
It is a way to engage with your fellow classmates and your instructor.
It is a way to share your perspective and insights and learn from the perspectives of others.
In the forums we encourage you to open yourself to the experience and challenge you to expand your knowledge.
Keep in mind that getting an education and earning a degree are processes, not events.
We hope you will take a lot of knowledge from the forums.
Please answer both prompts:
1. Introduce yourself. Please introduce yourself in a professional manner to the class and to me.
What are your educational goals? Please also share something you consider interesting about yourself.
What do you think will be the most challenging thing for you as an online student? How will you overcome that challenge? What do you hope to gain from this class?
Just for fun, you might also add an image or hashtag that represents who you are and where you are in the educational process.
2. Share your thoughts about how we create an online community.
What key elements do you think supports our ability to build an effective learning community?
Share your ideas, perspectives and thoughts. How can we use this platform to evolve as learners?
Introductory Forum Requirement:
The Introductory Forum topic serves as your official entry into the course. The Introduction Forum must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. ET on Sunday the first week of the course to maintain your course enrollment. Students who do not post to this forum before this deadline will be automatically dropped from the course. NO EXCEPTIONS.”
Forum Guidelines:
Three posts minimum.
The initial forum response is due by Thursday at 11:55 p.m. EST and must be 250+ words in length.
For peer replies, respond to at least two of your classmates by Sunday at 11:55 p.m. EST and they must be 100+ words in length.
Before you post, please thoroughly edit your writing to ensure it is professional and academic. For more details about the initial post and peer replies are graded, see the attached grading rubric.
COMM120 Information and Digital Literacy
Week 2 Discussion
Recognizing Fake News and Disinformation
Goal: The goal of the week’s forum is to evaluate information that allows for the recognition of fake news and disinformation.
Course Objective(s):
CO3 Define and illustrate fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.
Description:
The Week 2 Lesson has two parts, exploring types of digital information and sources and fake news and disinformation. One of the most important skills we learn as adults is information literacy and the ability to evaluate sources and recognize if these sources are accurate.
For this week’s forum, we are exploring websites that check information for bias, misinformation, and possible fake news misinformation. Go to the following websites and review the methodology they use to test information for accuracy.
Our Process at FactCheck.org
Methodology at Media Bias/Fact Check
Transparency at Snopes.com
After you have looked over these websites and reviewed the methodology of each website, please first choose one of the 4 groups below (a maximum of 5 people per group) and answer the following:
Which website do you find has the best way to review information for accuracy?
Do any of these websites have any gaps in their methodology?
Why is it important for everyone to be able to evaluate information?
Once you post your answers within the group you’ve chosen, watch for peers to post within your group and create a conversation. The idea is to talk about the analysis, the websites, our experiences and observations, etc. Let’s have an enriching conversation this week!
COMM120 Information and Digital Literacy
Week 3 Discussion
Ethical and Legal Issues When Working with Digital Information
Goal: The student will review examples of real world plagiarism and their ethical ramifications.
Course Objective(s):
CO4 Demonstrate knowledge of ethical and legal restrictions of published and copyrighted material and how to use information to avoid plagiarism.
Description:
Plagiarism is not something that just might occur in college papers; there are social and financial consequences to plagiarism in the real world. Please review the following plagiarism cases:
– Jayson Blair and the New York Times.
– Jonah Lehrer and the New Yorker.
– “Surfin’ USA” and “Sweet Little Sixteen.”
Choose one of the above examples, select the group titled with the example you’ve chosen, and answer the following:
– Describe the plagiarism that occurred.
– What are the ethical issues related to this plagiarism?
– Find another example of real world plagiarism and share it with the class.
Within your selected group, you’ll be able to chat about the exploration of plagiarism with your group mates, including the new example you’ve shared. Note: No more than 10 people per group for this discussion, so if there are already 10 people discussing one article, select a different article and group.
COMM120 Information and Digital Literacy
Week 5 Discussion
Using and Synthesizing Information
Goal: The goal of this forum is to synthesize information about a specific topic and discuss this topic with peers.
Course Objective(s):
CO1 Explain the need for accurate and responsible information literacy in the contemporary digital world.
CO8 Synthesize information from multiple scholarly sources and communicate information with clarity and depth via a multimedia project.
Description:
Information and digital literacy impacts the decision-making process in multiple ways from academic research to personal interest. More than ever before, information is at our fingertips and coming at us with lightning speed. How do we sift and use this information? Step 4 of the Big 6 model relates to our use of information and the process of engaging and extracting relevant information. Next, Step 5 of the Big 6 approach focuses on synthesis of information.
I’ve set-up four (4) conversation groups this week in which you will select one or more topics to discuss which are of high interest to you.
Health and Wellness
Buying a Car
Hobbies
Vacations
To begin engaging in this forum, choose one of the conversation groups. Select a topic reference source from the web, which you deem credible and reliable. Read the source, extract the information and consider how you will engage your group members in the topic and information from the source. Be sure to include source attribution. As you are reading your source, consider the following:
How will you synthesize and present the content of the source to share?
What do you want your group members to know, and what do they need to know?
How will you share the information so that the content is clear and concise?
This is an opportunity for you to practice use of information and synthesis as you share with one another your own knowledge combined with a supporting source.
At a minimum, participate in one group, although you are welcome to participate in all group threads. Once the conversation is flowing, participate substantially with your peers to teach one another. Max of 7 people per group.
COMM120 Information and Digital Literacy
Week 6 Discussion
Digital Footprint: Privacy vs. Security
Goal: The goal of this forum is to discuss contemporary privacy and security issues.
Course Objective(s):
CO6 Describe the concept of a digital footprint for individuals and organizations and the positive and negative consequences on privacy and security issues.
Description:
In the news we are constantly hearing about security breaches, invasion of personal privacy, and the increasing prevalence of our digital footprint. The increased availability of digital information presents concerns and challenges of privacy, accuracy, intellectual property rights, security, and censorship. As a global citizen, you need to be aware of these issues and how they impact your life.
I’ve set-up two (2) conversation groups this week in which you will select one topic to discuss which interests you.
Conversation Group: Privacy
Privacy, as it relates to social media, video surveillance, drones, digital footprint or other topics as they relate to digital privacy.
How does the electronic environment impact one’s right to privacy?
Conversation Group: Security
Security, as it relates to social media, video surveillance, drones, digital footprint or other topics as they relate to digital privacy.
How does the electronic environment impact one’s personal security?
Using the Richard G. Trefry Library or another credible source, locate and read a quality article regarding digital privacy or security. Be sure to provide attribution for your source in the forum. As you are formulating your initial post consider the following questions:
What is the issue? Tell us about it as if we know nothing on the topic.
What are the pros and cons of the issue?
Why is the issue important?
How might the issue impact your life?
You are required to participate in one group, and are welcome to participate in the other. Once the conversation is flowing, participate substantively with your peers to teach from one another. Max of 15 people per group.
COMM120 Information and Digital Literacy
Week 8 Discussion
Information and Digital Literacy Reflection and Civility
Goal: The goal of this forum is to reflect on the academic journey of COMM120, discuss why civility is important, and connecting academic skills to work and future career success.
Course Objective(s):
CO1 Explain the need for accurate and responsible information literacy in the contemporary digital world.
CO2 Locate, access, and choose information that aligns to the scope of the intended research while using a well-planned strategy.
CO7 Recognize and understand the role of civility.
Description:
Congratulations; you have reached Week 8! Getting to the final week of COMM120 is a great achievement and you should be proud. For this week’s forum, choose a group within which to post (7 people max per group), and then please answer Parts I and II but you do not have to answer every single question.
Part I: Reflection
Reflect on your use of the Big6 Research Model.
What step was the most challenging? How did you overcome the challenge?
Using the steps in the Big 6 Research Model, consider your process of locating sources, categorizing, organizing, critiquing, and presenting information for the project. What worked well for you?
Part II: Connecting to Career
How will you use information and digital literacy in your place of work and future career?
How will you sustain your new knowledge in order to support your career goals?
Why is civility important at your place of work and in politics?
Optional: Finally, create a Tweet of up to 280 characters and a hashtag that communicates your reflection (you do not have to post this on Twitter).
COMM120 Information and Digital Literacy
Week 2 Assignment Project Plan
Goal: The goal of this assignment is to choose a topic and create a research plan that will contribute to the Week 7 Field of Study Project.
Course Objective(s):
CO1 Explain the need for accurate and responsible information literacy in the contemporary digital world.
CO2 Locate, access, and choose information that aligns to the scope of the intended research while using a well-planned strategy.
Description:
In the Week 1 and Week 2 Lessons, we have read about two steps of the BIG6 model: task definition and information seeking strategies. As you consider the Week 7 Field of Study Project, you will complete a project plan to help you focus your energies and generate ideas to help you be successful academically. To complete the Week 2 Assignment: Project Plan, you have to complete Parts I and II.
Part I:
Click on the Assignment tab to review the instructions for the Week 7 Field of Study Project. After you understand what is required in Week 7, write one or two sentences per bullet point (there are additional questions and points to help you flesh our your ideas):
Topic:
Choose a topic that is realistic and one that you want to learn more about.
The topic might be a career field you want to go into or something else that deeply interests you.
Scope and value:
What is the scope of the topic and your research?
What value does it bring to your life? To your professional life?
Communication medium:
How are you going to communicate your project?
How will you make your presentation different and unique?
Critical thinking questions:
Pose different questions that will help you with your research and investigate your topic in more depth.
Post critical questions that will push you to improve.
Subtopics (optional).
Brainstorming (optional).
Part II:
Part II is a reflective paragraph that represents your critical thinking process when thinking about possible sources and your research. You are NOT looking for specific sources now. Consider the best possible sources as presented in the week 2 Lesson. What type of sources will work best for your research? How can you support your project plan with credible, current, reliable, accurate, and relevant information?
Once you complete Parts I and II, please submit as a WORD document.
Consider the following:
– Keep in mind that a robust project plan will help you with the Week 4 and Week 7 assignments.
– Please see the attached rubric to review grading expectations.
COMM120 Information and Digital Literacy
Week 4 Assignment Source Evaluation
Goal: The goal of this assignment is to research your topic, evaluate selected sources, and organize your sources.
Course Objective(s):
CO2 Locate, access, and choose information that aligns to the scope of the intended research while using a well-planned strategy.
CO5 Analyze the quality of sources: assumptions, currency, and authority, and evaluate the context of when to use information.
Description:
During the Week 2 Assignment, Project Plan, you chose a topic and created your project plan. In the Week 3 Lesson, you read about location and access and in Week 4, you learned about organizing your digital information and storing that information responsibly. Now it is time to take the work you did in the Week 2 Assignment, Project Plan, and locate and evaluate sources that that will lead to your Week Week 7 Assignment, Field of Study Project.
Please follow these instructions:
– Download the Source Organization Worksheet Template (in Word).
– Complete Parts I and II in the Template.
– Find a minimum of three (3) sources. One (1) source must be an academic source and from the APUS Trefrey Library and the other sources must be credible and appropriate for college research.
– Please include robust source summaries that explain the contents of the source and the relevance of the source to your topic.
Consider the following:
– Once you complete the Source Organization Worksheet Template, please submit the completed Worksheet.
– See the attached rubric for grading guidelines.
COMM120 Information and Digital Literacy
Week 7 Field of Study Project
Goal: Demonstrate the ability to create a field of study project that uses both research-based and personal content while using presentation software to communicate with an intended audience.
Course Objective:
CO2 Locate, access, and choose information that aligns to the scope of the intended research while using a well-planned strategy.
CO5 Analyze the quality of sources: assumptions, currency, and authority, and evaluate the context of when to use information.
CO8 Synthesize information from multiple scholarly sources and communicate information with clarity and depth via a multimedia project.
Description:
During the first six-weeks you formulated a project plan, researched the content of the plan, and collected quality academic and non-academic sources. For the week 7 Field of Study Project you will create a PowerPoint presentation that builds upon the week 2 Project Plan and the week 4 Location and Access (Source Organization worksheet) that effectively communicates the knowledge you have gained during COMM120.
Please consider the following:
Presentation will include an introduction, body, conclusion, and properly formatted reference/work cited slide in the citation style of your degree program (APA, MLA, or Chicago).
Clear evidence that the topic was researched and expanded upon the week 2 Project Plan.
Presentation provides audience with information to increase their knowledge of the topic presented.
Presentation engages the audience by using elements such as images, graphs, and charts. Appropriate citations must be included.
Three (3) vetted credible sources. One (1) of the sources must be scholarly and from the library.
Appropriate length 7-9 slides.
If you have multimedia skills and want to add creative content to your presentation, please do! Try to add any of the following enhancements and as you do, think about how it will impact your presentation and improve communication with the intended audience.
Voice narration, closed captioning, script.
Appropriate background music (must be cited on reference page).
Creative use of slide animations and transitions.
After submitting your presentation, review your TurnItIn Originality Report. (Note: Review the individual flags, decide why that text is flagged, and make corrections as appropriate.). Please see the attached rubric for grading guidelines.
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