Manage, create and communicate information

• Manage, create and communicate information - Level 0

  • Overview

    • Know what is meant by plagiarism, and the need to credit the work of others in own assessed work
    • Follow good practice in the management of predefined information; save links from searches
    • Use simple spreadsheet features and visual representations of data
    • Know what is meant by digital profile and the different communication styles of social media

  • Academic integrity and ethical use of information

    • Know what copyright is
    • Know what plagiarism is and how to avoid it

  • Organise digital files

    • Follow good practice in the management of files and folders
    • Bookmark/save/favourite webpages, images, messages from the web and social media

  • Maintain digital profiles

    • Know importance of managing digital identity and profile privacy settings
    • Know difference between private (e.g. texts or email) and public (e.g. social networking sites) online communications

  • Manage and create digital data

    • Be familiar with simple features of data management in spreadsheets
    • Interpret graphical and visual representations of data

  • Media and audience awareness

    • Know how different media can reach distinct audiences, and use different communication styles, e.g. Twitter or Instagram
    • Be aware of the impact of false or damaging communication

  • Synthesise information

    • Include information and evidence from given sources in one's own work

  • Search techniques

    • Demonstrate a critical and systematic approach to staying up-to-date, using the most appropriate tools and resources

• Manage, create and communicate information - Level 1

  • Overview

    • Be aware of plagiarism and reference where appropriate
    • Follow good practice in the management, synthesis and presentation of a predefined range of information
    • Select and record information from search results
    • Use and interpret digital data from spreadsheets and other tools
    • Manage own digital profile, explain how messages are communicated in different media

  • Academic integrity and ethical use of information

    • Know what copyright is and how to avoid plagiarism through referencing the work of others
    • Be aware that references can be created in different styles

  • Organise digital files

    • Follow good practice in the management of files and folders in different spaces (institutional, personal or cloud storage)
    • Accurately record search results

  • Maintain digital profiles

    • Manage and maintain digital profiles/identity; use privacy settings appropriately
    • Engage with and communicate using digital media; know how their use can affect personal digital profile

  • Manage and create digital data

    • Use digital data in spreadsheets and other tools
    • Interpret graphical and visual representations of data; use them as evidence

  • Media and audience awareness

    • Explain how messages are designed and communicated for different purposes and using different media
    • Observe “netiquette”, e.g. when using forums

  • Synthesise information

    • Synthesise information and evidence from given sources in one's own work

• Manage, create and communicate information - Level 2

  • Overview<

    • Reference others’ work appropriately and accurately
    • Manage diverse information, from search results to images and data, securely and ethically; able to synthesise, re-purpose for different audiences
    • Manage, interpret and apply data
    • Manage different digital profiles to support academic and career goals

  • Academic integrity and ethical use of information

    • Respect rules of copyright and plagiarism
    • Reference accurately and appropriately
    • Use content ethically and legally, according to its terms of use
    • Recognise that digital content may have different terms of use, e.g. public domain, Creative Commons

  • Organise digital files

    • Manage digital information using appropriate digital tools and methods, such as reference management software, tagging
    • Systematically record and manage search results

  • Maintain digital profiles

    • Manage digital profiles for different personal, professional and academic networks
    • Maintain positive digital reputation in online communications

  • Manage and create digital data

    • Manage digital data in spreadsheets and other media
    • Interpret and apply digital data relevant to the subject of study

  • Media and audience awareness

    • Communicate with different audiences, for a variety of purposes, using different digital media (e.g. blog posts, presentations, infographics)
    • Be respectful and inclusive when communicating online

  • Synthesise information

    • Synthesise information from a range of diverse materials

• Manage, create and communicate information - Level 3

  • Overview

    • Construct a major bibliography and conduct a literature review according to discipline requirements
    • Curate and manage a large volume of diverse information securely and ethically
    • Analyse, synthesise and communicate digital content both formally and informally using tools appropriate to the medium and the audience
    • Work with data in advanced ways appropriate to the subject of study, including design and analysis of online surveys
    • Develop digital profiles to further career and academic goals

  • Academic integrity and ethical use of information

    • Respect rules of copyright and use alternatives such as Creative Commons licensing when sharing others’ digital content in own work
    • Construct a major bibliography according to discipline requirements
    • Use digital tools and media ethically and legally, repurposing and adapting content within original terms of use

  • Organise digital files

    • Manage and curate digital information in different spaces using appropriate digital tools and methods, such as reference management software, tagging
    • Manage a wide range of references using digital tools
    • Consider ethical, privacy and intellectual property issues around digital information you need to store

  • Maintain digital profiles

    • Develop digital profiles/identity to support academic and career aims (e.g. via e-portfolio or online CV)

  • Manage and create digital data

    • Analyse, interpret and re-present data using advanced tools and techniques, where appropriate to the subject
    • Design, administer and interpret online surveys

  • Media and audience awareness

    • Design effective communications for different purposes and digital spaces, using appropriate digital media and a range of editing tools, e.g. Camtasia, Adobe Photoshop
    • Explain how digital media influence social behaviour

  • Synthesise information

    • Synthesise information from a range of diverse materials on a complex subject, e.g. statistics, academic articles, blog posts, news articles
    • Produce a comprehensive literature review in a specific subject

• Manage, create and communicate information - Masters

  • Overview

    • Construct a major bibliography and conduct a literature review according to discipline requirements
    • Curate and manage a large volume of diverse information securely and ethically
    • Review, analyse, synthesise, re-purpose and communicate digital content formally and informally using tools appropriate to the medium and the audience
    • Where appropriate to the subject, test and query data using advanced tools and methods. Design and analyse large scale complex surveys
    • Manage digital profiles, and proactively engage in professional online community to further career and academic goals

  • Academic integrity and ethical use of information

    • Respect rules of copyright and use alternatives such as Creative Commons licensing when sharing others’ digital content in own work, and when creating digital content
    • Work with different referencing systems according to published output requirements
    • Construct a major bibliography according to discipline requirements
    • Use digital media and tools ethically and legally, repurposing and adapting content within original terms of use

  • Organise digital files

    • Follow agreed good practice in the secure organisation, curation, storage and back up of digital information across a range of platforms and devices
    • Manage a large number and range of references using digital tools
    • Consider ethical, privacy, intellectual property issues and work within restrictions that may apply to the type of digital information you need to store

  • Maintain digital profiles

    • Manage digital profile and proactively engage with professional networks to support academic and career aims (e.g. via e-portfolio or online CV, LinkedIn)

  • Manage and create digital data

    • Interpret and re-present data relevant to the subject of study
    • Where appropriate to the subject, carry out statistical tests, queries and data analyses
    • Design, administer and interpret large-scale online surveys

  • Media and audience awareness

    • Create, adapt, share digital content with an awareness of audience and purpose, using appropriate tools
    • Identify the most effective ways to use research outputs (e.g. reports, conference proceedings, journal articles) to create impact
    • Recognise difference between formal publication and informal information exchange

  • Synthesise information

    • Synthesise information from a wide range of diverse materials on a complex subject, e.g. statistics, academic articles, blog posts, news articles
    • Produce a comprehensive, large scale literature review in a specific subject

Manage, create and communicate information - Examples

Managing, creating and communicating information is about working ethically, creatively and securely with digital information in all its forms. This skill area includes avoiding plagiarism and referencing correctly.

Here you will find examples of online materials that illustrate how this skill area can be taught and learned, with an indication of which level of taught OU study they may be suitable for. This is not intended to be prescriptive, but rather to give a flavour of what is available.