IN9000 Introduction to Information & New media

This course critically examines the common conceptions of what lies at the heart of the
information and networked society, and their theoretical foundations. The role of
information and media in the modern economy is examined, as well as the impact on
individuals, organisations and society. The social context of information production,
dissemination, and preservation are introduced, alongside the legal implications and ethical
considerations of using information and new media.


IN9001 Understanding Information Behaviour

The advent of new media has offered more avenues for individuals to seek, collect, organise,
consume and share information. At the same time, issues such as misinformation and over-
sharing have also raised concerns. This course provides an overview of users information
behaviour research. It seeks to introduce the perspectives and methods for analysing
individuals information behaviours when they seek and share information using new media.
The opportunities and challenges new media bring to information seeking and dissemination,
and possible intervention strategies, will be explored.

IN9002 Information Searching & Discovery

The World Wide Web has become an important source of information and search engines
have become the primary means of access and gate-keeping. This course explores the
history and evolution of search engines, and their design, applications and impact on society
and industry. Legal, ethical, policy and business issues are examined.


IN9003 Internet & New Media Technologies

This course will provide an overview of the foundations of information and communications
technology (ICT) and how it applies to what is known as the new media.

IN9004 The Printed Word in the Digital Media

This course provides a historical perspective of new media, focusing on the printed word as
an evolving technology from stone writing to tablet PC. It examines the debate about the
place of the printed word in contemporary society, and explores the question what is a
book? Students will have opportunities for critical reflection on the role of the book, journal,
magazine, and newspaper in the present digitally saturated society compared to the past. They
will look at the history of the book in an attempt to discern its future.





IN9005 Personal Information Management

This course aims to introduce students to Personal information Management (PIM), an
important emerging field given the explosion of information that individuals have to contend
with. PIM is multidisciplinary in nature, and encompasses disciplines such as information and
knowledge management, information retrieval, information science, human-computer
interaction, database management, and artificial intelligence. Students will be introduced to
the conceptual foundations of PIM and how the various disciplines listed previously
contribute to this field. This course complements the Communication Studies programme as
well as other undergraduate programmes in the university because all organizations require
people who can understand and effectively manage information resources.


IN9006 Social Computing & Applications

Social computing refers to technologies and virtual spaces that allow users to create,
describe and share content. This course examines a variety of new and emerging social
computing technologies and their application in the business environment, such as blogs,
tagging, wikis, and social networking. The course covers various social science concepts
that underlie social computing (e.g., adoption of technologies, the role of social networks in
social media, theories of motivation and communication). The effective use and
management of social technologies from practical and theoretical perspectives are
examined. Organization and management issues and challenges include social business
models, virtual communities, and intellectual property.

IN9007 Information Visualization & Presentations

This course explores information visualization focusing on human visual perception and
media components (e.g. word, number, color, shape, texture, image, audio, and video).
Visualization design principles in various situations and contexts are examined from the
perspective of cognitive psychology and human visual perception. Issues relating to
sociology of information are also covered.

IN9008 Digital Social Games for Organisations

Beyond entertainment purposes, digital games can be used to win friends, capture markets
and enhance a wide range of consumer and business experiences. This course examines
design principles and underlying socio-technical reasons that make digital social games
compelling. It introduces different digital social game genres and explores how they can be
blended with business models of organizations. Selected digital games will be examined in
detail. Students will have the opportunity to design a digital social game including interface,
in-game items and gaming dynamics. The game will be designed not just for entertainment
but also for forging stronger ties between an organization and its stakeholders.