Goals : Present a historical overview of IT’s
development as a management tool, i.e. growth of the Internet and its
use in private and public arenas, role of data and information
(databases) in decision-making and scientific analysis—particularly in
human service organizations, health science and practice, and
sustainable development.
The key question is how has technology
changed the way we work, communicate, inform the public and make
decisions? What are the business consequences of IT and the changing
business models and styles of management that have engendered. Help
students to become more savvy consumers and users of technology.
Candidly look at both the positive and negative consequences of
working in the information age and what are the options for future and
likely scenarios in human service professional practice.
Panels/Presentations by Experts: Hear from select managers, leaders, administrators, users and
providers of technology on how it has impacted society and their work
within a variety of organizational settings.
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Knowledge
Management (KM): Building Communities of Practice and Using Technology
to Foster Collaboration and Teamwork within
Organizations and between Broder Communities of Practice Outside.
Goals: Introduction to the fundamentals of KM
(Knowledge Management) theory and practice within human service
organizations. Discuss the fundamentals of building CoPs (Communities
of Practice), fostering “organizational learning” and effective
sharing and networking with technology in ways that promotes
collaboration and teamwork, “level hierarchies” and maximizes flexible
and quick response to opportunities and challenges.
Tools/Issues Introduced : creation and management
of web-sites and portals that serve both outside and inside audiences,
using and managing listservs, forums, BLOGs, and other web-based
collaboration tools. Management and use of “super-collaboration” tools
such as Tomoye’s SIMPLIFY, Peachtree; design of data-sharing
technologies for virtual teams; exploration of new tools for improved
efficient communications, tracking, monitoring and inventorying, e.g.
“mobile” services, use of PDAs, paging systems, interlinking of
desktop and mobile systems, managing and facilitating “telecommuting
staff”, linking people skills to problem sets through skills-banks and
directories, etc.
Executive
Communications: ICT (Information and Communications Technology) for
Leaders, Consultants, and Advocates
Goals: Presentation and communications
technologies/skills for effective leadership, advocacy, and visioning
by researchers, consultants, practitioners, managers, and educators in
settings where they influence decision-making or educate formal and
informal groups within organizations or in public settings, e.g. role
of expert witnesses, oral and written communications, graphical issues
and visualization design impacts on audiences, “storytelling” as
motivation tool, etc .
Tools Introduced : effective presentation design
and delivery (Powerpoint); testifying at public hearings; brief
introduction to visualization tools including Photoshop, Macromedia
Flash technology, Adobe PDF, Macromedia Freehand or Adobe Illustrator.
Basics of publishing in the digital age for diverse audiences and
maximizing impact, e.g. use of digital cameras, video,
video-streaming, basic HTML and webpage/site design.
Transforming Data into
Knowledge for Decision-making: Non-spatial and Statistical Data,
Databases, and Application Tools.
Goals : Explore the nature of data and Information
and how it is used in DSS (Decision-Support-Systems).
How to manage and use data within human service organizations (public
and private). Introduction to the essential issues around the use of
databases and related management issues: data security and
confidentiality, application areas, reporting, decision-support, data
warehousing, business intelligence, IPR (Intellectual Property
Rights), database law, inter-operability, transparency, open access
vs. controlled access to data, cost of data, and business plans for
maintenance and storage, e.g. custodianship issues between public and
private sectors, issues of long term archive management, etc.
Tools Introduced : SAS Enterprise Miner,
introduction to data systems (relational databases, etc.), finding and mining data, ERP packages, Open-Source Solutions (OSS) vs. COTS
(Commercial of the Shelf) solutions vs. building your own data
systems. Exploration of public access databases on the web and how to
use them effectively in various sectors, e.g. public health, medicine,
social welfare, sustainable development and related areas such as
e-Government solutions.
Systems Thinking and Dynamic
Modeling in Decision-Science.
Goals: Explore the fundamentals of
systems science thinking (cybernetics); what are models and simulations and how are they used in both scientific
analysis, management practice, and for public/private
decision-support, e.g. government, industry, NGO sector, etc.
Tools Introduced : Introduction to dynamic
modeling software such as iThink, STELLA, SAS tools that facilitate
gaming, simulation, scenario-building, and modeling.
Spatial-Visual Data and Tools
in the Applied and Policy Sciences.
Goals: Demonstrate the growing role and utility of
SDI (Spatial Data Infrastructure)
tools, data and applications within public and private sector
decision-making and service. Focus on the role of GIS
(Geographic Information Systems), RS (Remote
Sensing), GPS (Global Positioning Systems),
LBS (Location-Based Systems), mobile tracking
systems, and the migration to the web of GIS as part of integrated
web services applications. Demonstrate realworld applications that
integrate spatial and non-spatial data within database systems, e.g.
(ArcPad).
Tools Introduced: IDRISI
(Decision-Support Tools), ArcGIS-Server (Internet Map Server) and OSS
alternatives such as the Minnesota Map Server or OGC’s (Open-GIS
Consortium) webmap server GML Map interfaces for cross-platform
visualization, database querying and integration, and solution
development for a variety of human service sectors and sustainable
development.
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Grading and
LAB Assignments
Grades will be based upon performance in TWO areas of activity (Labs and Discussion Forum work):
1. 50% of the grade is based on writing, production and design of FIVE short mini-projects/products (one each from the key Modules described under Course Structure and Objective excluding No.1 which is an overview of IT and social science. The exact topics, issues, projects will be chosen in consultation with the professors and other students in lab. Some of the activities may become group projects. If students can demonstrate already-high competence in certain areas they may be allowed to focus on others--we'll try to individualize depending on need and competency.
Each report/product or presentation will vary in length and style depending on various issues (more in class). Your products must include at least one:
- POLICY BRIEF prepared for hardcopy print using WORD, Adobe PDF, Illustrator, or other "layout tool" (see online criteria for the course ESSC 500 as a rough guide.
See samples of Policy Briefs below: