Module 4: Value of Information

This module focuses on about information ethics and the value of information. There are two knowledge outcomes and two dispositions that make up this module.

  • Outcome 4.1: Recognize the rights and responsibilities of information creation.

    Performance Indicators:

    4.1.1: Identify reasons why plagiarism is prohibited.
    4.1.2: Determine whether or not a passage is plagiarized.
    4.1.3: Identify appropriate citation options when using material from a source that is cited within the source at hand.
    4.1.4: Identify the type of plagiarism when presented with a plagiarized passage.
    4.1.5: Recognize the benefits of copyright protections.
    4.1.6: Given a list, select the purposes of citation.
    4.1.7: Recognize the rights and interests of human subjects participating in research studies.
    4.1.8: Recognize that where a source is found has no bearing on whether or not the source should be cited.

  • Outcome 4.2: Recognize social, legal, and economic factors affecting access to information.

    Performance Indicators:

    4.2.1: Recognize how reporting on the same event offers disparate levels of coverage when the sources are written to be disseminated in different venues.
    4.2.2: Identify the relationship between individuals' organizational affiliations and their access to information.
    4.2.3: Identify reasons that some people's views are not disseminated to the larger community.
    4.2.5: Identify the meaning and scope of the concept of intellectual property.
    4.2.6: Identify the circumstances in which one's personal information may be used by other individuals, groups, and organizations.
    4.2.7: Identify reasons that access to information may be restricted, including copyright, licensing, and other practices.
    4.2.8: Distinguish among the common reasons that information may be freely available, including open access, public domain, and other practices.

Disposition 4.1: Mindful self-reflection

Learners who are disposed to demonstrate self-reflection in the context of the information ecosystem recognize and challenge information privilege.

    Example behaviors:
  • Considering how to use existing intellectual property to spur creative work without violating the creators' rights.
  • Participating in informal networks to reduce disparities caused by the commodification of information.
  • Recognizing and suggesting ways to reduce the negative effects of the unequal distribution of information.

Disposition 4.2: Responsibility to community

Learners who are disposed to demonstrate a sense of responsibility to the scholarly community recognize and conform to academic norms of knowledge building.

    Example behaviors:
  • Accessing scholarly sources through formal channels.
  • Avoiding plagiarism in their own work and discouraging plagiarism by others.
  • Recognizing the value of their own original contributions to the scholarly conversation.