[Current] Spring 2009 Courses:

LIS590ID: Information Dynamics

This is a course on information in the domains of time and space. It introduces models and strategies for understanding and exploiting information dynamics, both macro and micro. Topics include mathematical and empirical foundations and analysis methods for studying emergence, growth and change in information; rate and impact metrics; selectionist, self-organization, population dynamics, game-based, "statistical physics", and social-analysis approaches; dynamics of information networks and information flows; biological, semiotic, opinion, and cultural information dynamics. Examples and applications such as information network design; evolution of language; biosystems informatics (information dynamics in organisms); metadata and "tagging"; ranking/recommender systems, etc. Activities include reading, analysis, active modeling, and empirical case studies. Audience: students who want strong technical foundations for understanding macro and micro properties of dynamic information.

Time:   Tuesdays, 9AM - 11:50AM
Place:    Library and Information Science Building, Room 131.
CRN: Graduate - 48864.

LIS590MD: Metadata in Theory and Practice

Metadata plays an increasingly critical role in the creation, distribution, management and use of electronic materials. This course will combine theoretical examination of the design of metadata schema with their practical application in a variety of settings. Hands-on experience in the creation of descriptive, administrative and structural metadata, along with their application in systems such as OAI harvesting, OpenURL resolution systems, metasearch systems and digital repositories, will help students develop a thorough understanding of current metadata standards as well as such issues as crosswalking metadata schema, metadata's use in information retrieval and data management applications, and the role of standards bodies in metadata schema development.

Time:   Tuesdays, 2:00PM - 4:50PM
Place:    Library and Information Science Building, Room 131.
CRN: Graduate - 44731.

Language Evolution and Dynamic/Distributed Semantics (LEADS) Seminar

This is an ongoing cross-disciplinary seminar on advanced topics in dynamic, self-organizing, distributed, semantic information systems. We often focus on Language Evolution, information dynamics in biological systems such as molecular-biological systems, cellular systems, and social insects; dynamics of information networks, and "semiotic dynamics" such as opinion dynamics and collaborative tagging. People with interests in LIS, Computer Science, Linguistics, Biology, Psychology, and sometimes Physics regularly attend. See the description and readings listed on the web page linked above, and please join us if interested. (This seminar is available for credit - email me if interested.)

Time and Place: See http://leads.lis.uiuc.edu

[Past] Fall 2008 Courses:

LIS590IN: Information Networks

This course explores the structures, processes and implications of information networks. It stresses the generality of human information networks in communities, organizations, and society, not just computer/communication networks or the Web. We cover foundations for understanding these networks (data, modeling, experimentation, and analysis). Then we study numerous specific relationships between network structures, information content, community aims/needs, economic factors, styles of network growth/decay, and network impacts. Settings for classwork and projects include community networks, blog networks, hypertexts and other document networks, information producer/supplier networks, knowledge networks, expertise networks, federated libraries, etc.

Time:   Thursdays, 9AM - 11:50AM
Place:    Library and Information Science Building, Room 131.
CRN: Graduate - 21984.

Language Evolution and Dynamic/Distributed Semantics (LEADS) Seminar

This is an ongoing cross-disciplinary seminar on advanced topics in dynamic, self-organizing, distributed, semantic information systems. We often focus on Language Evolution, information dynamics in biological systems such as molecular-biological systems, cellular systems, and social insects; dynamics of information networks, and "semiotic dynamics" such as opinion dynamics and collaborative tagging. People with interests in LIS, Computer Science, Linguistics, Biology, Psychology, and sometimes Physics regularly attend. See the description and readings listed on the web page linked above, and please join us if interested. (This seminar is available for credit.)

[Past] Spring 2008 Courses:

Language Evolution and Dynamic/Distributed Semantics (LEADS) Seminar

This is an ongoing cross-disciplinary seminar on advanced topics in dynamic, self-organizing, distributed, semantic information systems. We often focus on Language Evolution, information dynamics in biological systems such as molecular-biological systems, cellular systems, and social insects; dynamics of information networks, and "semiotic dynamics" such as opinion dynamics and collaborative tagging. People with interests in LIS, Computer Science, Linguistics, Biology, Psychology, and sometimes Physics regularly attend. See the description and readings listed on the web page linked above, and please join us if interested. (This seminar is available for credit.)

[Past] On Sabbatical Leave for Spring 2007 and Fall 2007 Semesters

Language Evolution and Dynamic/Distributed (LEADS) Semantics Seminar

During this period we still hold the LEADS seminar - see the description and readings listed on the web page linked above, and please join us if interested.

[Past] Fall 2006 Courses:

LIS-590GLU/G: Games, Information and Learning

Electronic games (Egames) impact entertainment, education, commerce, design, scientific innovation, and policy, globally. This course analyzes how games work as arenas for information, learning, social interaction, innovation, and expression. Major topics include 1) game technologies and infrastructure; 2) game-oriented engagement processes and participation; 3) information structuring and presentation; 4) games as communities and "third spaces"; 5) learning and games; 6) issues of ethics, privacy, trust, credibility, social control. Course format includes readings, lectures, group projects, and visitors. The intended audience is information professionals, designers, librarians, and educators who want to explore how Egames can help structure learning and information practices. For more information, see the description here. The LIS 201 or 202 prerequisite is waived for this course.

Time:   Wednesdays, 9AM - 11:50AM
Place:    Library and Information Science Building, Room 131.
CRNS: Graduate - 45343; Undergraduate - 45343.

LIS 590SOS / CS 598SOS:   Self-Organizing Information Systems

This is an ongoing research seminar focusing on autonomous evolution of language among artificial agents and information systems - a rapidly developing field and a hot research topic. Language Evolution---both the inception of language from scratch, and its ongoing change over time and experience, is a compelling natural example of self-adaptation in a distributed information system: language is clearly a widespread distributed information system! Beyond their intrinsic interest, these studies apply to adaptive distributed and P2P indexing, shared ontologies, information retrieval, information integration, HCI, bioinformatics, and theory of biology. The seminar incorporates readings on models of evolving communication, lexicons, syntax, semantics, representation, coevolution, and mutual alignment in both human and artificial systems. A syllabus can be found here; See also the UIUC Language Evolution and Computation site. (Ongoing seminar; may be repeated for credit.)

Time:   Fridays, - 10:00AM - 12:50PM
Place    Siebel Center, Room 1109.
CRNS: LIS - 45423; CS - [coming])

LIS 590SOS / CS 598SOS:   Self-Organizing Information Systems (Ongoing seminar; may be repeated for credit.)

This is an ongoing research seminar focusing on autonomous evolution of language among artificial agents and information systems - a rapidly developing field and a hot research topic. Language Evolution---both the inception of language from scratch, and its ongoing change over time and experience, is a compelling natural example of self-adaptation in a distributed information system: language is clearly a widespread distributed information system! Beyond their intrinsic interest, these studies apply to adaptive distributed and P2P indexing, shared ontologies, information retrieval, information integration, HCI, bioinformatics, and theory of biology. The seminar incorporates readings on models of evolving communication, lexicons, syntax, semantics, representation, coevolution, and mutual alignment in both human and artificial systems. A syllabus can be found here; See also the UIUC Language Evolution and Computation site.

Time:   Fridays, - 12:00PM - 2:50PM
Place    Siebel Center, Room 1103.
CRNS: LIS - 40051; CS - 41496)

LIS-590IQL:   LEEP: Information Quality: Principles and Practice (Faculty Supervisor)

Information is increasingly the critical resource in contemporary societies and organizations. For institutional and individual processes that depend on information, the quality of information (IQ) is one of the key determinants of the quality of decisions and actions. The familiar "garbage in - garbage out" mantra of computing expresses the problem succinctly. The course emphasizes modeling, assessing, aggregating and maintaining IQ of large scale information systems such as library catalogs, federated metadata collections, institutional and community based electronic document repositories. Real-life scenarios and information collections will be used to introduce students to the theory of IQ and highlight optimal strategies and techniques of IQ measurement and improvement in the context of a particular domain or organizational processes/activities.

Instructor:   Besiki Stvilia Time:   Monday, 1PM - 4PM
Place:   LEEP Class (Online).
CRN: 44758