This Specialization is aimed at preparing students for undergraduate study in an English-speaking university. The course equips you for full participation and engagement with your studies by building awareness and understanding of the core values and expectations of academic culture, and providing you with practical strategies to apply to your studies. In this course, you will learn how to develop your Information & Digital Literacy Skills to help you achieve success in your university studies. After completing this course, you will be able to:
1. Access and search for information efficiently and effectively using a variety of digital tools.
2. Critically evaluate the reliability of sources for an academic context.
3. Filter, manage and organize information from a wide variety of sources for use in academic study.
4. Demonstrate awareness of ethical issues related to academic integrity surrounding the access and use of information.
5. Understand how to use digital tools for referencing and attribution in order to avoid plagiarism.
6. Understand how to disseminate and communicate information in a professional way, including managing digital identity and building networks for learning and research.
This course is part of the Academic Skills for University Success Specialization
Information & Digital Literacy for University Success
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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
15 hours to complete
Introduction to Information & Digital Literacy at University
After this module you will be able to (1). Understand the structure and expectations of the course (2). Understand expectations about information and digital literacy within academic culture (3). Articulate the skills & dispositions needed to function effectively in the digital space (4). Demonstrate awareness of ethical issues related to academic integrity surrounding the access and use of information
7 videos (Total 44 min), 9 readings, 8 quizzes
7 videos
1.1a Welcome and Course Information4m
1.1b Introduction to Example Essay Question4m
1.2a Introduction to Academic Culture11m
1.2b Introduction to Digital Literacy8m
1.3 Survival Skills for University4m
1.4 Academic Integrity8m
9 readings
Information & Digital Literacy Overview & Learning Outcomes10m
Information & Digital Literacy Assessment Overview10m
Summative Peer Assessment10m
Glossary of Terms10m
Acknowledgements10m
1.1 Learning Outcomes10m
1.2 Learning Outcomes10m
1.3 Learning Outcomes10m
1.4 Learning Outcomes10m
6 practice exercises
1.1 Practice Quiz6m
1.2 Practice Quiz6m
1.3 Practice Quiz6m
1.4 Practice Quiz6m
Summative Quiz - Module 110m
Discussion Board Self-Assessment - Module 12m
Week
25 hours to complete
Defining, Accessing & Searching for Information
After this module you will be able to (1). Define the characteristics of different kinds of information (2). Know where to look for information from various sources (3). Develop a search strategy and filter large numbers of search results effectively (4). Document and evaluate your search strategy
9 videos (Total 52 min), 7 readings, 8 quizzes
9 videos
2.1b Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sources7m
2.1c Discipline Specific Information3m
2.2a Common Information Sources at University5m
2.2b Characteristics of Journal Articles6m
2.3 Accessing Information (Experts)3m
2.4a Defining an Information Need7m
2.4b Developing a Search Strategy5m
2.4c Documenting and Evaluating the Search Strategy6m
7 readings
2.1 Learning Outcomes10m
2.1b Information Types by Field10m
2.2 Learning Outcomes10m
2.2b How to Read a Journal Article in the Humanities10m
2.2b How to Read a Journal Article in the Sciences10m
2.3 Learning Outcomes10m
2.4 Learning Outcomes10m
6 practice exercises
2.1 Practice Quiz6m
2.2 Practice Quiz6m
2.3 Practice Quiz6m
2.4 Practice Quiz8m
Summative Quiz - Module 215m
Discussion Board Self-Assessment - Module 21m
Week
35 hours to complete
Critically Evaluating, Filtering & Managing Information
After this module you will be able to (1). Apply criteria to critically evaluate the reliability of sources for an academic context (2). Identify the factors that make a web resource reliable (3). Filter information effectively (4). Use file-naming conventions and appropriate software to effectively organize and store information
9 videos (Total 54 min), 6 readings, 8 quizzes
9 videos
3.1b Critically Evaluating Web Resources5m
3.1c Critically Evaluating Wikipedia (Screencast)6m
3.2a Establishing Relevance7m
3.2b Establishing Relevance5m
3.3a Managing Information: Files6m
3.3b Managing Information: Folders2m
3.4a Processing and Coding: Steps 1 and 27m
3.4b Processing and Coding: Step 34m
6 readings
3.1 Learning Outcomes10m
3.2 Learning Outcomes10m
3.2b Supplementary Academic Articles10m
3.3 Learning Outcomes10m
3.3b Guides to File-naming Conventions and Folder Hierarchies10m
3.4 Learning Outcomes10m
6 practice exercises
3.1 Practice Quiz6m
3.2 Practice Quiz6m
3.3 Practice Quiz6m
3.4 Practice Quiz8m
Summative - Module 316m
Discussion Board Self-Assessment - Module 32m
Week
45 hours to complete
Referencing, Incorporating Sources & Avoiding Plagiarism
After this module you will be able to (1). Understand the consequences of plagiarism in the academic context (2). Use referencing conventions to appropriately cite a variety of information sources and avoid plagiarism (3). Understand how to incorportate ideas from sources into your work (4). Be familiar with different referencing software and evaluate it for your own purposes
9 videos (Total 56 min), 5 readings, 7 quizzes
9 videos
4.2 Referencing & Attributing Resources6m
4.3a Incorporating Sources3m
4.3b Incorporating Sources: Quotes9m
4.3c Paraphrasing and Summarising9m
4.4a Referencing Software4m
4.4b Mendeley3m
4.4c Zotero4m
4.4d EndNote3m
5 readings
4.1 Learning Outcomes10m
4.2 Learning Outcomes10m
4.3 Learning Outcomes10m
4.4 Learning Outcomes10m
4.4a Referencing Software10m
5 practice exercises
4.1 Practice Quiz6m
4.2 Practice Quiz6m
4.3 Practice Quiz6m
Summative - Module 420m
Discussion Board Self-Assessment - Module 42m
4.5
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Top Reviews
This course is necessary for students who are planning to enter in university studies\n\nI fully recommend it.
Commendable and best course I have ever come across to prepare for university!
Instructor
Katherine Olston
Deputy Director (Digital Learning)University of Sydney Centre for English Teaching
About The University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is one of the world’s leading comprehensive research and teaching universities, consistently ranked in the top 1 percent of universities in the world. In 2015, we were ranked 45 in the QS World University Rankings, and 100 percent of our research was rated at above, or well above, world standard in the Excellence in Research for Australia report.
About the Academic Skills for University Success Specialization
Develop skills in information & digital literacy, problem-solving, critical thinking and communication.
This Specialization is a high-level academic skills course designed to increase your level of academic preparedness prior to commencement of your studies in an English-medium university. The course equips you for full participation and engagement with your studies by building awareness and understanding of the core values and expectations of academic culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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