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Module

CSC8022 : Human Computer Interaction

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Professor Dave Kirk
  • Lecturer: Dr Ian Johnson
  • Owning School: Computing
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 2 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 5.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

The aims of this module are:

1. To introduce students to the field of Human-Computer Interaction, its key concepts, technologies and
professional practices.
2. To provide a survey of the history of HCI and the shifts in how the field has conceptualised and studied
Human-Computer Interaction over time.
3. To provide students with knowledge of different HCI methods for understanding users, stakeholders, contexts
and requirements
4. To give students practical experience of basic methods for usability evaluation

Outline Of Syllabus

• User-Centred Design Basics and Framing Concepts
• Evolving Interactive Technology
• Understanding Users – Cognition; Groups and Teams; The Turn to Experience
• Fieldwork for Design (Requirements Gathering)
• GUI & Interface Design Basics
• Style Guides (and Mobile Interfaces)
• Usability Evaluation

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture62:0012:00Synchronous delivery of lecture materials in support of course content (2 per week for 3 weeks)
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion162:0062:00Reflective logs on practical skills for formative assessment and report completion based on usability evaluation and essay components for summative coursework.
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesPractical32:006:00PIP practical classes covering skills for HCI from requirements gathering, design and/or usability evaluation
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading62:0012:00Directed research and reading preparation for classes
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesDrop-in/surgery42:008:00Drop-in tutorials and feedback discussion (1 per week for 4 weeks)
Total100:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

As the students will originate from a diverse range of disciplinary backgrounds, the teaching of this module is intended to combine opportunities for introductory reading and learning around the history of Human-Computer Interaction and critical analysis and reflection on how approaches and concepts of human interaction with technology have changed over time.

Using a blended approach to cater for online provision students will receive a series of in-person and/or video lectures on relevant topics covering the history and development of the field of HCI. They will also be directed to read specific supportive text book chapters and research papers. Practical classes will support development of key HCI skills in requirements gathering, and interface design and evaluation.

Engagement with and reporting on practical class activities will form the Reflective Log for the formative assessment, which will receive feedback from the teaching team, to support learning of practical HCI skills.

At the end of the module, students will be assessed on a final report that brings this accumulated knowledge together, discussing the issues and concepts of the history of HCI in relation to the practical skills they have been developing.

Students are expected to spend time studying independently outside of the group teaching sessions. Independent study will be focused around the students identifying further background literature in HCI of relevance to their specific areas of interest and critical reflection on how methods of studying human behaviour relate to technological contexts and issues of import at specific times in HCI history.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Report2M100Report discussing development of HCI and relationship to topics of contemporary concern, and a lab report of a structured usability evaluation (2000 words total).
Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Description Semester When Set Comment
Reflective log2MSeries of short comments responding to practical sessions.
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessment has one formative component, and one summative component. The formative component includes developing a reflective log regarding the reading material and discussion of practical sessions. The summative assessment includes two parts: 1) a summary of the history of HCI and its relevance to contemporary computing. 2) description and findings from a usability evaluation. This written report gives practical experience of industry standard reporting formats for these kinds of activities and demonstrates competence in the skills evaluated alongside transferable communication skills.

Reading Lists

Timetable