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Faculty of Information, University of Toronto

INF3900F: The Emerging Professional

Fall 2023 L0102 Fridays 12-3pm – BL205

Instructor Colin Furness MISt PhD MPH

Email: [email protected]
Office hours: https://colinfurness.youcanbook.me

TAs Lauren Knight MA PhD(cand)

[email protected]
Maya Hirschman MA PhD(cand)
[email protected]
Ruty Korotaiev MA PhD(cand)
[email protected]

Statement on acknowledgement of traditional land

We would like to acknowledge this sacred land on which the University of Toronto operates. It has been
a site of human activity for 15,000 years. This land is the territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First
Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. The territory was the
subject of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois
Confederacy and Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the
resources around the Great Lakes. Today, the meeting place of Toronto is still the home to many
Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work in the
community, on this territory.
- Revised by the Elders Circle (Council of Aboriginal Initiatives) on November 6, 2014.

Course description
Workplace-integrated learning (WIL) is a broad term used to describe educational experiences that
combine periods of in-class study with actual workplace experiences. WIL is one type of experiential
learning, the mode of learning by doing rather than solely by reading and listening. Co-operative
programs, internships, and practicums are all examples of work-integrated learning. The workplace is
obviously a very different learning environment from the university: a school’s focus is necessarily on
student development and outcomes, but a workplace is focused on its own and its’ customers’ wants,
needs, and goals. Student learning is therefore peripheral to the purpose of the organization. While it is
assumed that any organization that employs a student as part of for-credit study has a commitment to
the educational value of the experience for all parties, employers are not responsible for the student's
academic development. Thus, the placement provides the raw materials with which a student can do the
work of integrating and reflecting upon the relationship between theory and practice.

At least as important as learning one’s profession through practice, however, is learning to become a
workplace professional. Characteristics of professionals include engaging in autonomous reflection to
drive self-improvement and solve problems, dedication and capacity for continuous learning, excellent
communication and interpersonal skills, well-developed emotional intelligence, the exercise of sound
ethical judgment, and conducting oneself in a manner that elevates the profession.
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Finally, in order for effective learning to occur in the workplace, and especially self-directed learning, the
processes associated with learning (cognitive, affective, and behavioural) must be made conscious and
accessible to the learner.

The purpose of this course is to prepare students to develop their professional identity, professional
communication, and their professional learning capacity. Considerable use is made of expert guest
speakers and panelists, to deepen the discourse on important topics. Students will become prepared to
enter their field and to thrive as emerging professionals, both in student work placements and beyond
graduation.

An important distinction needs to be made between capacity-building and specific skills. This course is
not about learning how to make a resume and cover letter look great. Rather, this course will help
students become proficient in constructing a professional narrative necessary to producing an excellent
resume and cover letter. Students who want this course to be about their resume may find this journey
frustrating.

Prerequisites
This is an introductory course with no prerequisites or co-requisites. Completing this course fulfills the
preparatory requirement for the MI Co-op program, but it is not required for Co-op participation;
students may instead elect to do a series of non-credit workshops to qualify.

Course Objectives & Learning Outcomes

Theoretical Objectives & Learning Outcomes Practical Objectives & Learning Outcomes

• Describe the major educational theories that underlie • Determine and describe one’s own learning and
work-integrated learning, and their influence on communication styles, and introversion/ extraversion
practice traits, and implications for workplace effectiveness
• Explain how ‘professionals’ are different from other • Articulate a personal professional narrative and use
occupational types, and the nature and role of basic information design principles effectively to convey
professional identity it
• Differentiate learning styles, communication styles, • Demonstrate awareness and sensitivity to important
and introversion/ extraversion traits and their workplace issues including intersectionality and racism,
implications for professional practice and leadership conflict, sexual harassment, and the need for
professional ethics
• Discuss key concepts in modern motivation theory,
and their relationship to work-integrated learning • Demonstrate the ability to network effectively through
carrying out an informational interview
• Explain what is meant by lifelong learning and its
relationship to professional practice and leadership • Create a Learning Agenda as a living document to map
learning needs in future workplace roles

Relationship to MI Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes

(https://ischool.utoronto.ca/areas-of-study/master-of-information/)
This course will prepare students, as emerging professionals and leaders, to embrace the social
responsibilities of their profession (Outcome #2). In addition, students will become equipped to be
exemplary and effective lifelong learners, beyond their formal education (Outcome #6).
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Course Portal: Quercus

‘Quercus’ is U of T’s name for the University’s new learning management system (known everywhere else
as ‘Canvas’). Quercus will be used in this course for the purposes of posting readings, posting lecture
slides, and conveying announcements to the class. It is necessary to have a “utoronto.ca” email address
associated with your ROSI account in order to receive Quercus announcements.

Note: please do not send email to the Instructor or TAs using the Querus messaging system (including
replying to announcements), because Quercus will not deliver replies reliably.

Required Readings
The amount of required reading (and in some cases, ‘watching’) is not small. Students with a science-
oriented background may find this challenging. In addition to one required book (listed below), there
are also several supplementary readings provided in Quercus. The weekly schedule (below) lists
readings for each class. You are expected to complete readings prior to class and come prepared to
discuss them.

1. Cain, Susan (2013). Quiet. At Amazon: paperback $18; Kindle $14. See:
https://www.amazon.ca/Quiet-Power-Introverts-World-Talking/dp/0307352153/ref=sr_1_1

Students with a disability or special needs

Students with diverse learning styles and needs are welcome in this course. In particular, if you have a
disability or health consideration that may require accommodations, please feel free to approach the
instructor and/or the Accessibility Services Office as soon as possible. The Accessibility Services staff is
available by appointment to assess specific needs, provide referrals, and arrange appropriate
accommodations. The sooner you let them, and the instructor, know your needs, the sooner we can
assist you in achieving your learning goals in this course. Note that by registering with Accessibility
Services, you do not need to disclose any medical or disability-related information to the instructor.

Writing support
The iSchool’s Learning Hub provides excellent writing support to graduate students. Effective writing is a life
skill, and students are encouraged to make use of this resource throughout their degree studies if writing has
not already been well developed in prior education.

In-Person Course Delivery and Masking Policy

Masks have been made optional the University of Toronto, as we return to campus for in-person classes.
Wearing a mask contributes to an inclusive environment for those at high risk. Moreover, wearing a respirator
(eg N95) mask will protect the wearer from COVID-19 infection when sharing indoor air with others. Those who
choose not to mask routinely may expect to be reinfected approximately every other month, which may entail
brain tissue loss, vascular system and organ damage, and auto-immune disease.

Evaluation milestones
This course includes eight deliverables that reflect key critical thinking and skill development emphasized
in this course. The due date and weight for each deliverable are shown below. These are listed in the
table below, and described in more detail beginning on page 6.
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Deliverable Due* Weight

A1. Personal Biography Week 2 0%

A2. Personal Learning Environment Week 4 15%
A3. Informational Interview Research (Part 1) Week 6 10%
A4. Personal Professional Narrative Week 8 15%
A5. Draft Resume Week 9 20%
A6. Informational Interview Execution (Part 2) Week 11 15%
A7. Learning Agenda, Resume, and SCI Dec. 15** 25%
*Each assignment is due at the start of class (12pm).
**Due 11:59pm because classes have already finished.

Academic integrity
Please consult the University’s site on Academic Integrity. The iSchool has a zero-tolerance policy on
plagiarism as defined in section B.I. 1. (d) of the University’s Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters.
You should acquaint yourself with the Code and Appendix “A” Section 2. Please review the material you
covered in Cite it Right and, if necessary, consult the site How Not to Plagiarize.

Accommodation and Extensions

If your personal circumstances cause you to require special accommodation for completing your studies,
you should register with Accessibility Services, in order to obtain an accommodation letter – this obviates
the need to disclose sensitive and private information to your course instructors. Even if you don’t have
special accommodation, you may occasionally find yourself unable to meet deadlines for a variety of
reasons. In such cases, you may request an extension to a due date in lieu of a late penalty (see below).
Requests for extensions should be submitted to the instructor by email well before the due date. A
request will normally be granted when done well in advance (reflecting careful planning and time
management), but appropriate supporting documentation (e.g., medical note) may be required for short-
notice requests for extensions.

Late submission of assignments

Late submission of an assignment carries a penalty of -1% per calendar day to a maximum of two weeks
(-14%); thereafter any passing assignment receives a statutory 70% grade without substantive feedback.

Extensions beyond the end of term

Extensions beyond the term in which the course is taken are subject to guidelines established by the
School of Graduate Studies (SGS). Please see: http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/facultyandstaff/Pages/Coursework-
Extensions.aspx “The authority to grant an extension for the completion of work in a course beyond the
original SGS deadline for that course rests with the graduate unit in which the course was offered, not
the instructor of the course.” Students must petition the graduate unit for extensions, using the SGS
Extension to Complete Coursework form.
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Weekly schedule: Topics, readings, and deliverables

Note: there may be minor changes to readings and videos posted to Quercus as the course unfolds.

# Date R=Reading V= video Class Topics Deliverables*

Course Introduction.
Sep
1 R: Adams & Welch, Ch #14 (253-268) What is a Professional?
8
Bio assignment (A1) introduced.
Theories of Learning.
Sep R: Schön, Ch #1-2 (3-69) Your learning style (self assess)
2 A1. Bio due (0%)
15 V: Kolb Learning Styles Personal Learning Environments
PLE assignment (A2) Q&A.
Quiet.
Sep R: Quiet, Introduction and Ch #1-2
3 Abbott’s model of professions
22 V: Review: Abbott’s model of professions
Info interview (A3 & A6) Q&A.

Communication styles
Sep V: Communication style self-assessment
4 Meetings as culture A2. PLE due (15%)
29 R: Quiet Ch #3, #9, #10
Quiet.

Oct R: Foley et al, Konrath et al. Intersectionality and professions.

5
6 R: Quiet Ch #8 Empathy.

V: Grit video (60 mins)

Oct Motivation, Grit, and Drive. A3. Info Interview
6 V: Drive video (10 mins)
13 Quiet. Part 1 due (10%)
R: Quiet Ch #4-5

Brand & Professional Identity

Oct
7 R: Gorbatov et al (2018) Resume narrative
20
Personal narrative (A4) Q&A

A4. Personal
Oct Resume design
8 Professional
27 Draft resume (A5) Q&A
narrative due (15%)

Last date to drop

Nov Job ads, cover letters and
9 R: Parsing job ads without academic
3 interviews.
penalty: Nov 6
Nov 6-10: Reading Week – No Class

Nov Professionalism and ethics: case A5. Draft Resume

10 R: White (Quercus)
23/25 study for discussion due (20%)

Nov A6. Informational

11 30/ Learning Agenda/SCI (A7) Q&A Interview due
Dec 2 (15%)

Closing thoughts: what is a

Dec
12 V: Inside the minds of hiring managers professional?
7/9
Co-op program Q&A.
A7. Learning Agenda
Dec + resume + S.C.I. due
13
19 Dec 19 11:59pm
(25%)

*Due at the beginning of class (12pm).

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Assignment #1: Personal Biography (0% of your final grade)

Please complete the personal biography template posted in the “Assignments” Module in Quercus. It asks
you to provide some information about your background as well as how you envision your professional
trajectory upon leaving the iSchool. The template suggests that you include a photo of yourself, to help the
instructor get to know you; however, if you feel uncomfortable providing a photo, you do not need to do
so. Similarly, you are asked to specify which personal pronouns you wish to be identified by, if you are
comfortable doing so.

This deliverable is required, but it will not receive a grade; it is meant to introduce yourself to the instructor
and to provide some baseline context for your goals and expectations of the course.

You should expect to spend 0.5-1 hour to complete this assignment. Please submit it via Quercus.

Assignment #2: Personal Learning Environment (15% of your final grade)

In class we collectively brainstorm the widest consideration of the sources of learning available to us. We
also look at a few exemplar visual representations of personal learning environments (PLE). In this
assignment, you will work individually to refine and iterate your initial conceptualization and drawing of
your own PLE, levering the exchange of ideas in class, and exemplars provided. There is no one correct
way to draw a PLE, and there is some room for creativity. PowerPoint is a very suitable tool for this task,
but other drawing software or hand drawn PLEs are certainly acceptable.

Remember that the context for learning in this assignment is your emerging profession; all of the entities in
your PLE should be oriented this way. That means that sources of learning for hobbies should not be
included (however, non-profession sources that contribute to general skills such as critical thinking or
leadership might be appropriate to include).

Please note that it is very unlikely that “Facebook” (or other social media platforms, for that matter) would
be a valid inclusion, both because social media often represent the opposite of professionalism, and also
because social media is nothing more than software: if there are people to whom you connect on social
media, then it is typically those people – not the software you use to communicate – who would belong in
your PLE. However, a listserv of professionals in your field could be a valid inclusion if reading these
discussions help you learn about your field, as the discourse of a defined set of identifiable individuals.

You should use the two main PLE conventions demonstrated in class, namely: (a) the more important a
learning source is believed to be, the closer to the centre of your PLE it appears; (b) the use of “+” to
denote future and “-“ to denote past, in order to include a dimension of temporality. Beyond these, how
you render your PLE is up to you, but fitting it all on one page is strongly recommended. Your classification
(or groupings) of learning sources is up to you – there is no one right way to categorize/organize your
learning sources.

You must also write a brief (~250 word) report that introduces your PLE and lists your sources of inspiration
– your own thinking, others in the class, exemplars you may have found elsewhere, or other sources. In
addition, be sure to provide any needed elaboration or explanation to make your PLE comprehensible to
the reader. If somehow you feel strongly that software or businesses that are software (such as social
media) must be in your PLE, then you should provide a very persuasive argument as to why. Finally,
describe any insights that may have derived from this activity, such as where you now perceive strengths,
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gaps, or opportunities for growth.

Excellent writing quality and clarity of your PLE diagram are essential ingredients for an excellent grade.
You should expect to spend 4-6 hours on this assignment. Please submit it via Quercus.

Assignment #3: Informational Interview Plan (10% of your final grade)

The purpose of this small assignment is for early initiation of the larger Informational Interview
assignment (see Assignment #6). The purpose of the informational interview is to expose you to the
process of contacting a practicing professional in your field, whom you do not already know, in order to
develop the skills to connect for career-related conversations.

Some students may see this as a simple social activity. However, for many in the class, this will seem a
very uncomfortable task, asking a total stranger for help in a way that does not feel like it can be
reciprocated. Some students may experience significant anxiety in confronting this assignment.
However, because networking is a core skill for professionals, no accommodation can be offered to avoid
this assignment. One strategy to mitigate anxiety is to break the assignment in two parts: prospect
research (Assignment 3) and actual contact (Assignment 7).

There are many ways that you can identify professionals in your chosen field whom you do not already
know. Examples of search strategies include searching on LinkedIn and tapping your PLE for individuals
who might be willing and able to make an introduction on your behalf. Even second year students in your
Concentration who are not in your PLE might be able to help you make a meaningful connection
(sometimes this is how Co-op placements are found). Your prospects should be seasoned, with several
years of professional experience. After you have located a few names, choose two for this assignment.
For each person, complete the prospect template provided on Quercus. Contact with a prospect is not
required for this part of the assignment, but please don’t delay continuing to Assignment 6 – it can take
more time than you think to schedule a meeting when the prospect is busy.

A thoughtful approach to this assignment is required for an excellent grade. You should expect to spend 3-
4 hours on this assignment. Please submit this via Quercus.

Assignment #4: Personal Professional Narrative (15% of your final grade)

The purpose of this assignment is to begin to tell “your story” to prospective employers. This is not a
recitation of facts from your resume/CV, nor a cover letter sales pitch. It is a foundation for answering
difficult interview questions, such as “tell me about yourself”, or “why do you want to be a __________?”

As explored in this course, there are three components to a personal professional narrative. The first
component is this anecdote: “the moment that you realized what you wanted to be/do”. The second
component is a brief paragraph where you articulate your professional identity: what do you embody
that has value to a prospective employer? Note that this is at least as much about your profession as it is
about your own predilections. The third component is the Professional Profile statement that would
appear as the first section in your resume. This is ~3-5 short, pithy statements to define the reader’s
understanding of “what” you are. For this assignment, you will create all three of these components. (If
you wish, you may submit two alternative Professional Profile statements for additional feedback).
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There is no word minimum or maximum for this assignment: all three components should be concise,
clear, and compelling. The thoughtful construction of a meaningful, personal narrative, clearly articulated
with excellent spelling/grammar, are essential ingredients for an excellent grade. You should expect to
spend 6-8 hours on this assignment, and you will have the best outcome by allowing enough time to
iteratively edit/modify your statements. Please submit it via Quercus.

Assignment #5: Draft Resume (20% of your final grade)

The purpose of this assignment is to advance the presentation of your resume to improve clarity and
readability. Apply the principles presented in class to improve the resume that you submitted in A1.
(Note that this is an interim draft of your resume, and you will hand in a third, polished version with your
final assignment.) Along with your improved resume, please also submit again the original version that
you provided in A1 at the beginning of the term.

There is no minimum or maximum size for your resume – length is an outcome of visual design for clarity.
Attention to detail and flawless spelling/grammar is an essential ingredient for an excellent grade. You
should expect to spend 4-6 hours on this assignment. Please submit it via Quercus.

Assignment #6: Informational Interview Report (15% of your final grade)

The purpose of this assignment is to complete the informational interview activity that you began in A3,
namely the process of contacting a practicing professional in your field, and asking that person to make
time for an informational interview with you. The nature and content of an informational interview is
covered in class.

Your interviewee cannot be an existing friend, colleague, or family member, but must be someone
unknown to you at the start of the assignment. For the purposes of this assignment, “unknown” means
that you have never had a one-on-one conversation with the person, and that they could not pick you out
of a line-up. (Note: seeking an introduction via a friend or family member is absolutely fine.)

You will likely use one of the prospects that you researched in A3, but you are not bound to do so, if
another opportunity presents itself. Normally these meetings are face-to-face, but during COVID you
should offer to set up a Zoom meeting, which requires minimal effort on the part of your interviewee. (If
the person prefers phone or Skype, or some other modality, then certainly use what they offer.) To
complete the assignment, meet with the person, conduct the interview, and write a report about the
experience. You may even decide to interview more than one professional (commendable!) and then
choose one for the report you will write. Please include the following:

1. A brief description of how you made contact (e.g., introduction, LinkedIn, etc) and your experience
introducing yourself and securing a meeting. Did you have to approach more than one
professional? How responsive were they? How did you feel about the process of initiating contact?
2. A list of questions that you asked (both preplanned and spontaneous).
3. A high-level summary, in your own words, of what you learned from your interview.
4. A critical evaluation of the conversation: Was it useful, and why/why not? Did you hear anything
surprising?
5. Please provide two appendices: (a) the prospect research page for this candidate from A3 (you
may have to make a new one if you contacted someone different; (b) a copy of the contact email
(or screen capture of the message, if applicable) that you sent to your interviewee.
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The report should be no more than 750 words, not including appendix. Excellent writing quality is an
essential ingredient for an excellent grade. You should expect to spend 6-10 hours on this assignment.
Please submit this via Quercus.

Assignment #7: Learning Agenda, Statement of Conscious Incompetence, and Resume (25% of your
final grade)
The final assignment in this course consists of three components. The first component is your Statement
of Conscious Incompetence (SCI), as discussed in class. You will use the General Professional Model
(presented in class) as a lens to synthesize course topics, and you will comment on which area(s)
represent the greatest need for growth for you.

The second component is the Learning Agenda (LA), as presented in class. To construct your LA, you may
choose any real job posting that you could conceivably land (a Co-op/internship/summer job, or a part-
time ongoing job, or a full-time job). Some imagination is obviously required concerning duties, context,
and opportunities in this position. Orienting to this job, specify eight broad goals, with at least two from
each of the three goal categories (communication, professional expertise, technical/tool) as discussed in
class. As described in class, each goal should have two or more objectives (except for technical goals
where one objective is OK); for each objective, one or more activities. Each activity should be mapped to
one or more items of evidence. The use of a goal table as shown in the lecturette is recommended.
Note: students who participate in the Co-op program will be required to produce an LA identical to than
this deliverable; this LA can be adapted for that purpose.

The third component is the third iteration of your resume, which is an opportunity to act on the feedback
you received for your A5 resume submission. Pay attention both to format and narrative, particularly the
professional profile statement. Your resume will be judged holistically this time: does it have the desired
impact of a strong visual presentation and a clear narrative throughout?

No word minimum or maximum exists for this assignment, although being concise is a virtue. Thoughtful
consideration of your professional learning needs and plans to enact this learning, together with excellent
writing quality, are essential ingredients for an excellent grade. You should expect to spend 15-20 hours on
this assignment. Please submit this via Quercus by 11:59pm on Dec. 19.
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About the Instructor’s Career Journey

A long time ago I finished my BSc in psychology at U of T (1990), graduating into a perfect storm: a
dismal job market, a lack of maturity on my part, and no career goals. I turned down law school offers:
that was my parents’ plan for me, and I didn’t want to go. Instead, I accepted an offer for the first real
job I had ever applied for, doing administrative work at U of T in Alumni Affairs. A year after that, I was
then promoted from working mostly with information to working mostly with people (which agreed
with me although I wasn’t yet very good at it). Two years later, I moved to supporting student leadership
programs at Hart House, at that time possibly the best experiential learning environment that Canada
has ever had. During this period I also completed my master’s degree at the iSchool (1999), levering my
youthful energy to juggle school and work well enough to thrive in both. For the second time, however,
I finished a degree without any career counselling or plan; I imagined I’d be snapped up by a consulting
firm, and I found many ways to mentally spend the five-figure signing bonus I would surely get. But
there was no hire: I couldn’t effectively explain my value.

It was in talking with a colleague of mine about what I was good at and wanted to do, and she started
laughing: “You’re an information architect” she said. “Use that as your search term and you’ll be
mobbed by employers.” I did, and she was right. I soon moved to a rapidly growing company in New
York City’s “Silicon Alley” as it was called then, and I had no shortage of headhunters contacting me
almost upon my arrival. However, the dot-com crash (2001) and subsequent hangover inspired me to
come back to the iSchool for my PhD in knowledge management and information management (2010),
this time to move my focus “upstream”, from being tasked with implementing bad ideas, to sitting at
the table where those ideas were being shaped in the first place. During this time I maintained a small,
nimble consulting practice, doing information architecture and evaluation of information systems
effectiveness for clients in both New York and Toronto. One of those was a start-up software company
in public health and healthcare, a field I quickly grew to become very passionate about. This soon
became full-time work, and I increasingly became aware that I could not credibly engage with clinicians
as a social scientist: I was in the wrong profession to be taken seriously. Accordingly, in 2011 I began an
MPH in epidemiology (2014) at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health here at U of T. I thought this
degree would provide me with some important domain skills (biomedical research and measurement
skills and infectious disease knowledge), along with a credential that would open doors. And it did. But
something else also happened: from the first week of class I could almost feel my perspective
transforming as I engaged in discourse with my peer students. This program is harder to get into than
medical school, and many of my peers were talented physicians and scientists; I had never been
embedded in a deep pool of talented clinicians like this, and the impact on me was profound. I started
thinking differently, and talking differently: I became encultured in the profession.

At the same time I began my MPH, I also began teaching as a sessional instructor at the iSchool, an
attractive counterpoint to my rather isolating industry work. When that work began to really grate on
me, I accepted a temporary full-time assistant professor position here in 2016. By a remarkable turn of
fortune, my position was then funded permanently and I managed to win the job competition, becoming
the iSchool’s first teaching stream assistant professor. With this came another change of profession,
which explains why I am also working on a master of education degree here at U of T!

In addition to directing INF3900F, I also teach an undergraduate variant for our BI program. In addition, I
teach INF1003H (Information Systems, Services, and Design), and I am the MI Program Director.