Explore how youth use and apply technology and learn how to promote digital literacy with the online Youth Informatics Certificate (YIC) program from the University of Tennessee School of Information Sciences. The program provides valuable information, leadership training, and credentialing to any professional engaged or interested in youth services and interactions, such as school or public librarians, MakerSpace coordinators, teachers, researchers, education administrators, youth group leaders, and more!
“Youth Informatics focuses on understanding today’s “digital youth” information needs, behaviors, formal and informal learning, and use of digital information technologies. The Certificate program provides a unique opportunity to develop deep understanding of the cognitive, psychological, political, and technological processes that are shaping youth’s digital learning, practices, and engagement.” Dania Bilal, Professor, SIS Coordinator of Youth Informatics
How Can the Youth Informatics Certificate be Applied?
The digital age is quickly changing the way young people learn, seek information, and communicate. It’s important to gain the skills to adapt and respond to their needs, challenges, and social issues in an evolving digital landscape. The YIC program approaches the personal, organizational, and holistic level of how youth interact with technology and information which can be applied to many settings and initiatives, including:
- Public Libraries
- Digital Learning Spaces
- Product Design & Development
- Youth Service Development
- Youth Technology Training
- Digital Literacy Education
- Youth Research & Development
- Youth Social Services
- Community Building Programs
- Youth Mentorship Programs
- Youth Social Media Education
Explore the Curriculum
The 12-credit-hour YIC certificate program consists of 3 core classes on youth and social informatics, and one class covering children in contemporary society or developmental psychology.Required Courses (3 credit hours each, 9 total)
“Introduces the study of youth informatics. Presents essential concepts of the study of youth and informatics. Explores the connection between youth, technology, and community. Project driven with intensive experiential learning components.” (SIS Graduate Student Handbook) This course is beneficial to anyone interested in working with youth up to age 21, in any type of community organization or institution. By learning about information behavior, community engagement, youth development, social justice, and technology as tools – specifically as these things relate to youth – you will become a much more effective (and much more engaged) practitioner. Because of the advances of technology and changes in the way we think about youth, it is important for adolescents and teens to have knowledgeable adults as partners as they share, use, evaluate, manage, and create (or co-create) their own information sources and services.
Explores key areas in youth informatics
Seminar includes discussion of basic, applied, and evaluative research and projects at the national and international levels. Covers research trends in youth informatics. Provides a forum for presentation and criticism of past and current research by students.
Social consequences of information and communication technologies (ICT) at micro-(e.g., personal level), meso-(e.g., organizational level) and at macro-level (e.g., information society studies), and applications of ICT for businesses, government, and society are covered by the umbrella term “social informatics.” It is a highly multi-disciplinary area worth exploring, since it will expose you to a range of contemporary global issues and phenomena shaped by ICT-mediated information.
Choose from one of the following (3 credit hours total), or propose an equivalent course from the graduate catalog:
Theoretical models of human development; analysis, synthesis, and discussion of historical and contemporary relevance of models; application of theory to research, prevention, intervention, and education; critical reading and evaluation of theory-based research regarding human development.
Understanding how human development across the life course is shaped by contemporary societal contexts. Incorporates theory and research on diverse contextual and developmental aspects (e.g., biological, social) in contemporary society situations and educational/professional environments with implications for programs and policy. Focus topics may include typical/atypical child, adolescent, and/or adult development.
*Continuing education (CWS) credit available
Online Courses, Hands-on Learning
Our class space is intended to be a safe, intellectually stimulating, and collaborative for learning, where respect of everyone’s thoughts, voice, and experiences are important. Classes involve experiential learning, including practice- and situation-based problem solving that lead to understanding and using reflective thought to augment learning.
Affordability
Online graduate courses at the University of Tennessee School of Information Sciences are among the most affordable nationwide. According to the 2021-2022 UT Schedule of Maintenance, Tuition & Fees for online students that are TN, AR, DE, VA, and WV residents pay $700 per credit hour, and out of state students pay $775 per credit hour.
Application Requirements
The Youth Informatics Certificate program is open to any practitioner with a graduate degree and/or any graduate student currently enrolled in a graduate program. The certificate application process varies depending on individual circumstances. See the UT Graduate School for application instructions and the information below.
- Visit the Graduate School application website.
- Create/Log in your account.
- Input your information.
- Select Admission Type.
- Select Application Type (Online or On-Campus)
- Search for “Youth Informatics Certificate” (new applicants or recent graduates) or “Youth Informatics Certificate Add-On” (currently enrolled students).
Request More Information about the Youth Informatics Certificate Program