Re: [Fis] The State of the Art - Discussion of Information Science Education
Dear Colleagues, A few short comments on contributions by Pedro, Wolfgang and Karl Dear Pedro: Your courses Bioinformation: informational analysis of living systems; and Science, Technology and Society: an introduction to the informational history of societies sound very interesting. Do you possibly have any links to web pages or any information (even in Spanish) that may give us a hint about the content? Dear Wolfgang: Thank you very much for this detailed information. We need more of similar inputs in order to get a feeling about the state of the art. Any links to course web pages would be greatly appreciated. I am happy to see Computing and Philosophy as a compulsory course. To start with I see several possibilities to include elements of your courses in my Computing and Philosophy. For the next year I will prepare a new basic-level course in Swedish titled: Information-Knowledge-Science where I can include what I learn from your and Pedro's courses and hopefully from coming contributions to this discussion as well. This is a slow progress, but some progress anyway. Dear Karl, You point to the important aspect of the problem: who are the audience for the course/curriculum we want to develop? "Next Step Let us do the test of checking the intended audience for this FIS production. Whatever we call it, if we do generate (create, dream up, catalogise, package, edit, etc.) something worth to be taught, then it needs an audience. Towards whom do we want to direct our efforts of coming up with something new?" It also seems to me that we are building bridges (Wolfgang addresses this issue in his text http://www.hofkirchner.uti.at/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/forIASCYSchengdu2010.pdf ) and we start from different fields. Mine is computing. Some other people have chemistry, biology, mathematics, etc. as a starting point. So the courses cannot be identical for everybody, but there might be many common themes. For example I think self-organization in Wolfgang's courses is something people within computing should know more about, and should be included in courses addressing our present-day scientific knowledge. All the best, Gordana Dr Dr Gordana Dodig Crnkovic, Associate Professor Head of the Computer Science and Networks Department School of Innovation, Design and Engineering Mälardalen University Sweden http://www.mrtc.mdh.se/~gdc/ Organizer of the Symposium on Natural/Unconventional Computing, the Turing Centenary World Congress of AISB/IACAP https://sites.google.com/site/naturalcomputingaisbiacap2012 From: Wolfgang Hofkirchner [mailto:wolfgang.hofkirch...@tuwien.ac.at] Sent: den 7 december 2011 17:48 To: Gordana Dodig-Crnkovic Cc: fis Subject: Re: [Fis] The State of the Art - Discussion of Information Science Education dear gordana, maybe the following is of interest to the topic. first, the description of the module i am responsible of in the curriculum of master students of technical informatics and media informatics from this year on (see below). and second, a link to download a background information from my website referring the field i'm teaching in (and taught in salzburg) including a description of my courses that i had called years ago foundations of information science (http://www.hofkirchner.uti.at/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/forIASCYSchengdu2010.pdf). Designing Technosocial Systems Regelarbeitsaufwand: 6Ects Bildungsziele: Fachliche und methodische Kenntnisse: Students acquire, for tayloring their methodolo- gies of designing socially embedded systems, theoretical knowledge in the fields of * Information Ethics * Information concepts * Philosophy of Science * Science-Technology-Society with special focus on ICTs Kognitive und praktische Fertigkeiten: Students develop skills * to reflect different perspectives of computer science * to get aware of impacts of technology design on society * to understand multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary needs * to discriminate between mathematical, empirical and engineering approaches * to choose and tailor the appropriate methodology * to better master complexity Soziale Kompetenzen, Innovationskompetenz und Kreativität: Students are capacitated * to feel comfortable with teams going beyond disciplines * to respond to the requirement to take social responsibility * to balance formal and informal requirements Inhalt: Theoretical foundations: Philosophy of Information (Computing and Philosophy) and Science-Technology-Society with special focus on ICTs (Information and Society): Computing and Philosophy issues: Location of informatics in the classification of disci- plines; ways of thinking (reduction, projection, dichotomisation, integration); transdisci- plinarity in science and engineering; information processing and information generation; system theoretical concepts; computers and information ethics. Information and Society issues: Informatio
Re: [Fis] The State of the Art - Discussion of Information Science Education
Dear FIS, Let me systematise the requirements and conditions raised so far and then discuss a proposal: Recapitulation: (maybe there will be a possibility to attach attachments to the postings. The following should be an attachment, where I recapitulate the points previous speakers have raised): Now, the question is whether we are ready to come out with a syllabus for such a course acceptable for all of us, those who are involved in the subject, and those who aren't, but participate in the development of curricula. Can we overcome differences between our views on the definition of information, on the relationship of information understood in a general way to its particular manifestations in other disciplines? Since the course (or courses) should present an identity of the discipline of Information Science, it is very important that we are convinced about the authentic existence of a large enough common ground. Can we develop a map of this territory? Can we pool resources to establish foundations for a standard, Information Science curriculum? (Marcin and Gordana) Many universities have special schools for library and information science (LIS).This is different from our discussions at this list about "information theory". Nevertheless, there is a problem with reinventing a wheel (Loet) Thus, the objective should not be a common, monolithic paradigm that "everyone will accept", but commitment to a reasoned, fallible process of selection and commitment, with the goal of enabling something new to emerge. (Joseph) What needs to be applied across all disciplines is Applied Category theory. (Gavin) What we have to do is to agree that: 1. The variety is not bad but very stimulating for reasoning, and 2. Independence is absolutely needed for growing our knowledge and developing the science. (Krassimir) If we (FIS = Foundations of Information Science) are something different from what is called “Information Science” and funded, supported by 40journals etc. we must be able to show definitely the distinction and why this is important. (Gordana) End recapitulation. Proposal: Build Information Science (as understood in FIS) from scratch. Negative Arguments: · Such has never been done before, we would be outsiders, aside the mainstream; · No one has allowed us to do so; · We do not know how to think and act independently; · Will it be worth the effort; · The strict thinking behind accounting is not my taste; · I do not look for work, I look for fame and importance and influence. Positive Arguments: · I seem to be open-minded, seeing that I am a part of an open-minded discussion forum; · I am quite capable of understanding the discussion here, so the stuff is communicable; · The audacity of the very thought is somehow fascinating; · There is a point behind saying that 2+4 is not quite exactly 1+5; · This FIS goes all about breaking taboos; · Here we have something easily communicable; · I could try to say to a friend “We work on a new understanding of additions and what that all implies. Did you know that additions were invented very long ago and since then never ever changed?” and see what he says; · I could explain that it needs computers to figure out the accounting behind what distinguishes 3+4 to 2+5, this is why it has not been done yet by Gauss or Euler or Shannon; · I could say that I was a part of the group that translated pure and abstract logic (some deep voodoos of accounting and number theory together with epistemology) into workday concepts of Physics and Chemistry, and of course, Psychology. Next Step Let us do the test of checking the intended audience for this FIS production. Whatever we call it, if we do generate (create, dream up, catalogise, package, edit, etc.) something worth to be taught, then it needs an audience. Towards whom do we want to direct our efforts of coming up with something new? Let us do a field test and see, what the intended (targeted) audience says. We come up with a good idea and translate it into widgets for the applied people. (Relative to a number theorist, everyone is an applied one, but theologians maybe.) We could call this e.g. Reorder Theory, Rend Theory, Disciplined Thinking Course, Finding Names For Facts Course or anything glitzy and fizzy. Looking forward: Karl ___ fis mailing list fis@listas.unizar.es https://webmail.unizar.es/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fis
Re: [Fis] The State of the Art - Discussion of Information Science Education
dear gordana, maybe the following is of interest to the topic. first, the description of the module i am responsible of in the curriculum of master students of technical informatics and media informatics from this year on (see below). and second, a link to download a background information from my website referring the field i'm teaching in (and taught in salzburg) including a description of my courses that i had called years ago foundations of information science (http://www.hofkirchner.uti.at/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/forIASCYSchengdu2010.pdf). Designing Technosocial Systems Regelarbeitsaufwand: 6Ects Bildungsziele: Fachliche und methodische Kenntnisse: Students acquire, for tayloring their methodolo- gies of designing socially embedded systems, theoretical knowledge in the fields of • Information Ethics • Information concepts • Philosophy of Science • Science–Technology–Society with special focus on ICTs Kognitive und praktische Fertigkeiten: Students develop skills • to reflect different perspectives of computer science • to get aware of impacts of technology design on society • to understand multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary needs • to discriminate between mathematical, empirical and engineering approaches • to choose and tailor the appropriate methodology • to better master complexity Soziale Kompetenzen, Innovationskompetenz und Kreativität: Students are capacitated • to feel comfortable with teams going beyond disciplines • to respond to the requirement to take social responsibility • to balance formal and informal requirements Inhalt: Theoretical foundations: Philosophy of Information (Computing and Philosophy) and Science-Technology–Society with special focus on ICTs (Information and Society): Computing and Philosophy issues: Location of informatics in the classification of disci- plines; ways of thinking (reduction, projection, dichotomisation, integration); transdisci- plinarity in science and engineering; information processing and information generation; system theoretical concepts; computers and information ethics. Information and Society issues: Information society theory and empirical studies; global challenges; technological systems as social systems; the quest for automation and impacts on society (desaster analysis); design requirements for socially embedded systems; law aspects: liabilities, certification. 20Erwartete Vorkenntisse: Fachliche und methodische Kenntnisse: Bachelor-level knowledge of computer systems and information processing in cyber-physical systems. Kognitive und praktische Fertigkeiten: Bachelor-level Reading and writing skills. Soziale Kompetenzen, Innovationskompetenz und Kreativität: Interest in inter- and transdisciplinary issues in information sciences and technology. Diese Voraussetzungen werden in folgenden Modulen vermittelt: Verpflichtende Voraussetzungen: Keine. Angewandte Lehr- und Lernformen und geeignete Leistungsbeurteilung: Lectures with accompanying practicals in which the students make use of the new knowledge when applying the different skills and capabilities they have been trained in on the Bachelor- level. Working in groups is permitted. The students give presentations of the results, author written reports and perform tests. Lehrveranstaltungen des Moduls: The course on Computing and Philosophy is obligatory. Of the other two, one has to be selected. 3.0/2.5 VU Computing and Philosophy 3.0/2.5 VU Information and Society 3.0/2.0 SE Neue Technologien und sozialer Wandel cheers, wolfgang +43 1 58801 18730 (no box) http://hofkirchner.uti.at/ Am 06.12.2011 um 16:01 schrieb Gordana Dodig-Crnkovic: > Hi All, > > One way of looking at the question of curriculum would be from the point of > view of what already exists > of education in the Foundations of Information. > > Are there any courses which might be a part of such a curriculum? > > To start with I can tell about the course I have, which does not cover much > of Science of information, but there are several connections. > As I work at the computer science department, my perspective is computational. > For me computing is information processing and information is that which is > processed, and that which is a result of processing. > Processing may be done by a machine or by an organism or anything else – the > whole of nature computes (processes information) in different ways. > As info-computationalist, I believe that information is unthinkable without > computation. > So the course is on Computing and Philosophy but addresses Philosophy of > Information and Science of Information as well and topics on evolution of > life, intelligence (natural and artificial), consciousness, etc. > http://www.idt.mdh.se/kurser/comphil > > I believe it would be good to have a course on the foundations of information > science for people in the computing. > Information and computation are completely entangled! And this gives also an > opportunity to i
Re: [Fis] The State of the Art - Discussion of Information Science Education
Thanks a lot, Gordana. It is a very good idea. Unfortunately I could not
participate in the opening of the session, well, at least I can say now
that I had the experience of teaching for Engineering graduate students
two neatly informational ("FIS") disciplines. One of them,
_Bioinformation: informational analysis of living systems_; and the
other _Science, Technology and Society: an introduction to the
informational history of societies_. Both of them in Spanish. They were
very successful, particularly the latter. The FIS perspective is ideal
not only for breaking down on "impossible topics" (our familiar demons)
but also for promoting a new, highly original way of analysis --of
knolweldge recombination processes-- on topics of our time and of the
most contentious past.
missing a lot the direct involvement in the discussions!
yours,
---Pedro
Gordana Dodig-Crnkovic escribió:
Hi All,
One way of looking at the question of curriculum would be from the
point of view of what already exists
of education in the Foundations of Information.
Are there any courses which might be a part of such a curriculum?
To start with I can tell about the course I have, which does not cover
much of Science of information, but there are several connections.
As I work at the computer science department, my perspective is
computational.
For me computing is information processing and information is that
which is processed, and that which is a result of processing.
Processing may be done by a machine or by an organism or anything else
-- the whole of nature computes (processes information) in different ways.
As info-computationalist, I believe that information is unthinkable
without computation.
So the course is on Computing and Philosophy but addresses Philosophy
of Information and Science of Information as well and topics on
evolution of life, intelligence (natural and artificial),
consciousness, etc. http://www.idt.mdh.se/kurser/comphil
I believe it would be good to have a course on the foundations of
information science for people in the computing.
Information and computation are completely entangled! And this gives
also an opportunity to introduce other fields into computing, to
contribute to building bridges and
facilitating inter-disciplinary/ cross-disciplinary/
trans-disciplinary learning.
This is not as ambitious as the original question, but can help
understanding where we are now and where we want to be.
Best wishes,
Gordana
http://www.mrtc.mdh.se/~gdc/ > wrote:
Hi All,
I agree with those who are suggesting that Information Science makes sense
as a widely useful way to think about different scientific disciplines
even if we don't have a strong consensus on how to define 'information'.
I think there is enough coherence among views of 'information' to underpin
the unity and universality of the approach. Perhaps Information Science
is less a discipline of its own and more of a common approach to
understanding that can be applied across disciplines. While I can imagine
good courses focusing on Information Science, it might be most productive
to include a common framework for information-based models/viewpoints
across the curriculum.
Guy Hoelzer
___
fis mailing list
fis@listas.unizar.es
https://webmail.unizar.es/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fis
___
fis mailing list
fis@listas.unizar.es
https://webmail.unizar.es/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fis
--
-
Pedro C. Marijuán
Grupo de Bioinformación / Bioinformation Group
Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud
Avda. Gómez Laguna, 25, Pl. 11ª
50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Telf: 34 976 71 3526 (& 6818) Fax: 34 976 71 5554
pcmarijuan.i...@aragon.es
http://sites.google.com/site/pedrocmarijuan/
-
___
fis mailing list
fis@listas.unizar.es
https://webmail.unizar.es/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fis
