Dear all, Thank you for sharing experience regarding your teaching on the subject related to information. I think it would be a good idea to create a FIS web page with resources for teaching about information. It could have either materials or links to materials which could be used in preparation of courses. It could include examples of syllabi.
At this point, I can see the following main points emerging in the discussion: 1. Differences in opinion regarding the use of the name "Information Science" in teaching about information in the broad FIS spirit of inquiry: AGAINST - The name was already used for disciplines of more specific interests. - Doubts whether it is possible to consider the studies of information uniform enough to form a discipline. - Doubts whether there is justified reason to use the term information, which has been abused in the past. - Need for more clear definition of the concept of information, before the term information is used in the name of the discipline. - Different name will help in developing an identity for the discipline FOR - The value of the idea of FIS is in looking at information in a very general way integrating multiple perspectives, thus the goal is to set foundations for an authentic Information Science. - Establishing conventional borders for the discipline (based on particular definition of information) can only harm its development. Different conceptualizations of information should compete and that which allows to develop theory (or theories) of information which serves best in understanding reality will emerge as a standard. - Diversity of perspectives on information does not preclude unity of Information Science consisting in the methods of inquiry. NEUTRAL - For teaching about information the name of discipline is irrelevant. 2. Concept of information has a great potential in integration of curriculum, in particular its part related to sciences, but also in more general sense. There was I think consensus on this integrative power of information studies. I agree wholeheartedly with this point of view. Actually, I already published some papers on this subject five years ago. However, here we have a paradox putting this consensus in jeopardy. If the issues of the definition of information, or of the use of name "Information Science" are so polarizing for FIS community (people who have so much in common), how can we believe that information can function as an integrative concept for education? Can we try to identify the territory which we all agree is our own? Is our common ground just a place where we are coming to fight? Or is it actually a place where we want to build something together? Once we have an understanding of what we all share, it will be easier to decide about the view propagated among students. Regards, Marcin _______________________________________________ fis mailing list fis@listas.unizar.es https://webmail.unizar.es/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fis
