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Information Privilege
Information Privilege
Image from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sylviaduckworth/50500299716
In this module we will discuss information privilege and open access (OA) resources. This module consists of the following activities:
- Read and comment on an opinion article (2 points)
- View Information Privilege/Open Access Tools Video
- Use & write up your experience with open access tools (8 points)
What is Information Privilege? (2 points)
- Read this opinion piece from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/opinion/yes-we-were-warned-about-ebola.html?_r=0
- Post on the Padlet below your response to the question “What is Information Privilege?”
Information Privilege and Open Access Tools
Watch this video lecture on Information Privilege & Open Access. It is important to understanding the tools you’re going to use for the next part of the module, plus, former students have told me that this module was super eye-opening!
For accessibility purposes, I have attached a PowerPoint version of this below, along with the notes that relate to each slide.
Information Privilege slides_Fall22.pptx
Open Access Tools (8 points)
After reading the article and viewing the video, choose two different tools or resources you learned about and use them. For example:
- In CUNY Academic Works, look up one of your professor’s names as an author and see if you can find one or more of their publications (Hint: try one of your professors for this class)
- Try to find an Open Access version of an article you are using for another class by using the OA button
- Search for research articles for another research project using one of the subject repositories or the DOAJ
- Use PubMed to look for research on the coronavirus
- Use ERIC to find research about online/remote classroom instruction
- Choose any other tool or task that looks interesting to you – if you’re working on a project for another class this is a good opportunity to test out something new
You can also come up with your own ideas for ways to use these resources. The above are just examples.
Then, create a brief write-up of your experiences using these tools. Your write-up should include the reason why you chose each tool you used, the steps you took when using them, and what you discovered about the process, along with any commentary you have about your experience.
Post under the column for each of the two tools you choose. If you choose one not listed here, add it to the “Your choice” column. Every student should have two posts on this Padlet when we are all done.
Lesson adapted from: Young, Jessea. “Open Access: Strategies and Tools for Life after College .” CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2018. https://www.projectcora.org/assignment/open-access-strategies-and-tools-life-after-college.
Internet Search Engines
Internet Search Engines
In this module we will be learning more about internet search engines, including everyone’s favorite, Google. Although Google dominates the internet search world, and it can be an excellent tool to use, it is not the only search engine out there. We ask you to look more closely at some of the problems with Google, and explore some alternatives to Google as your only search engine.
This module contains the following:
- “What Google Search Isn’t Showing You” (reading)
- “Just Google It” (video)
- Search Engines Worksheet (8 points)
- Reflective Blog Post (2 points)
What Google Search Isn’t Showing You
Read the following brief article from The New Yorker magazine: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/what-google-search-isnt-showing-you
Full MLA citation for the article:
Chayka, Kyle. “What Google Search Isn’t Showing You.” The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2022, https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/what-google-search-isnt-showing-you. Accessed 25 Mar. 2022.
Just Google It
Watch this brief clip (~4 minutes) from Dr. Safiya Umoja Noble’s talk. Her book, Algorithms of Oppression is available as an e-book from the New York Public Library if you’re interested to read more (or you can watch the rest of her talk on YouTube).
The video will keep playing, but you can stop watching at 19:26 after her comments about the academic vs. advertising perspective on Google.
Search Engines Activity (8 points)
Create your own copy of the following worksheet on your device, on Microsoft Office 365 online, or anywhere you save your documents. Type you answers directly into the document.
Brief Reflection (2 points)
Write a brief reflection post responding to the following prompt:
Reflect back on the reading, the video, and the search engine activity. Describe anything from this module that surprised you or introduced something new to your approach to internet searching. What is one thing that frustrated you about the work for this module, or that you did not find useful? What is one new thing you will try moving forward?
*Note to instructors: we had students create a post on our website, but this could easily translate to other formats such as Padlet, Jamboard, etc.
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