Challenging students to acquire deeper knowledge in HCI course

N. Ackovska and M. Kostoska

15th Workshop on “Software Engineering and Reverse Engineering”Bohinj, 23-30 September 2015

Outline Human Computer Interaction Course Course Topics Course Grading System Inquiry-Based Approach Evaluation Methodology Results Conclusion

Human Computer Interaction Course Around 600 students in the past six years

Syllabus covers relevant topics recognized by the ACM/IEEE recommendations

Main objective: • Understand and FEEL the basics of the complex

interaction between the computer and the user• Acquire knowledge that many users have

different application usage skills, knowledge and opportunities

Human Computer Interaction Course Elective course (third or fourth year of studies)

Organization: Theoretical lectures with 2 classes per week Lecture exercises with 1 class per week Practical lab tutorials with 2 classes per week

The course has weight of 6 ECTS

The Course Grading Scheme

ActivityTotal

activity points

Min. required points

Laboratory exercises (5 individual exercises)

30 15

Theory exams (2 midterm exams or 1 final exam)

40 20

Project 30-50 15

Outline Human Computer Interaction Course Course Topics Course Grading System Inquiry-Based Approach Evaluation Methodology Results Conclusion

Inquiry-Based Learning From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Inquiry-based learning starts by posing questions, problems or scenarios—rather than simply presenting established facts or portraying a smooth path to knowledge.

The process is often assisted by a facilitator. Inquirers will identify and research issues and questions to develop their knowledge or solutions.

Inquiry-Based Approach The students are proposing challenging projects Receive approval or comments regarding the proposed project

Team projects are encouraged, but individual work is allowed as well

Students discover the challenges and raise questions regarding specific technologies , principles or methodologies they are supposed to use and try to discover solution

Inquiry-Based Approach At all times students are offered facilitation IT technologies Specific target group

Meetings – weekly basis (during practical lab tutorials)

Every team or individual has different learning curve However, every project should go through certain milestones

Project Milestones

Outline Human Computer Interaction Course Course Topics Course Grading System Inquiry-Based Approach Evaluation Methodology Results Conclusion

Evaluation MethodologyPerspective 1: Individual vs Team work• average number of students per team Perspective 2: Target group with limitations vs Target group with no limitations• whether the students will challenge

themselves for people with disabilities or some kind of cognitive, mental or physical limitations

Evaluation Methodology Perspective 3: Use practical knowledge from previous courses only vs Learn new technologies or apply formal knowledgeUsage of acquired skills and

practical knowledge only from previous courses

New technology concepts

Apply formal theoretical knowledge from previous courses

Outline Human Computer Interaction Course Course Topics Course Grading System Inquiry-Based Approach Evaluation Methodology Results Conclusion

Results – Perspective 1Year Num. projects Num.

students2008 28 1122009 26 952010 46 1412011 55 1222012 19 562013 21 50

The subject is fully elective

Results – Perspective 1

Individ

ual

2 mem

bers

3 mem

bers

4 mem

bers

5 mem

bers

04080

Team sizes per project

Students mostly choose to work in teams with 2 and 3 members

Perspective 2 – Create for different?How interesting are software / hardware systems that apply real limitations in • Input / output devices• Content has to be limited / made easier /

adapted • The view has to be adapted• The environment is limited, known in advance• …

Target groups are interesting for students!

Applications for users with great limitations:• people with limited motoric functions• blind or people with limited sight, • deaf and hard of hearing etc.

Also larger groups with specifics: • kids • elderly people• Social groups – music, sports, travel, pets…• …..• which require specific and limiting interface design as well

Results – Perspective 2 40 out of 195 projects in total are targeted for people with disabilities or some type of interaction limitation

Projects for Specific Target Groups

Projects for Standard Users

Results – Perspective 2

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130%

10%20%30%40%50%

Percentage of Projects for Specific Target

Groups

Perspective 3 – Learn more?Technology (examples)• Learn XNA technology• Learn Objective C and iOS SDK• Use Google Sketch Up, Use Unity 3D• …

Theory (examples)• Use mathematical knowledge about vectors, matrices and their

transformation to create custom animation importer and games• Use A* algorithm • Use probability and randomness algorithms• …• Use patterns – mobile, cloud implementation…

Results – Perspective 3

22%

7%

71%

Acquiring new techno-logical concepts or technologiesAcquiring or using formal theoretical knowledgeUsage of previous knowledge only

Results – Perspective 3

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Knowledge acquisition per years

New technological concepts or technologiesAcquiring or using formal theoretical knowledgeUsage of previous knowledge only

Outline Human Computer Interaction Course Course Topics Course Grading System Inquiry-Based Approach Evaluation Methodology Results Conclusion

Conclusion The students conducted many researches and were constantly encouraged to ask questions, to find answers and to improve their projects

Facilitating the IB learning, the students tend to work in smaller groups

Conclusion Around 30% of the students were interested to extend their knowledge or apply formal knowledge

Great aspect of the course - it raises the awareness of the students about the people with disabilities, age-aware design, even with different culture values

Thank you!

Questions please