INFO 300
Intellectual Foundations of Informatics

Informatics refers to the study of information systems - the people, the information, and the information technology.  But what is information?  How can it be supported by technology?  And what is the relationship between human activity, information, and information technology?  In this course, we take up these questions and more.  We begin by examining the definition and scope of information.  We study how it can be represented, manipulated, and classified.  Next we turn our attention toward information technology, with an emphasis on modern technologies.  We investigate interfaces, interactive design, the Internet, augmented reality and ubiquitous computing.  Then drawing on our understandings of information and information technology, we explore the implications of information systems for human values and human activity.  We conclude with consideration of cutting edge information systems that link biology, information and computation.