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Human-Computer Interaction (B-KUL-S0C76A)

6 ECTSEnglish52 Second term
Zaman Bieke |  Lievevrouw Elisa (substitute) |  Kasemi Aaleks (cooperator)
POC Communicatiewetenschappen

Aims

Upon completion of this course, the student can:

  • Evaluate and reflect on the complex interplay between the (properties of) technologies, the characteristics of the users and the context in which people interact with technologies;
  • Interpret the major intellectual virtues in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) from classical HCI to modern and contemporary HCI, apply this knowledge to everyday cases, and provide appropriate reasoning to support one’s claims;
  • Analyse the methodological approaches and theoretical perspectives used to study the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use and the major phenomena surrounding them;
  • Identify the interdisciplinarity of the field and evaluate how disciplines as computer sciences, psychology and social sciences have shaped (evolutions in) this amalgam of perspectives, opinions, viewpoints and methods.
  • The student can apply this knowledge to concrete examples.

These objectives will be communicated to the students at the start of the lectures.

Previous knowledge

At the beginning of this course, it is recommendable that students have:
- the capacity to analyse, synthesize and interpret scientific articles;
- satisfactory English written and verbal skills to make oneself understood in an unambiguous way.

Is included in these courses of study

Activities

6 ects. Human-Computer Interaction (B-KUL-S0C76a)

6 ECTSEnglishFormat: Lecture52 Second term
Zaman Bieke |  Lievevrouw Elisa (substitute) |  Kasemi Aaleks (cooperator)
POC Communicatiewetenschappen

Content

This course is theoretical in nature. It provides an introduction to the multidisciplinary field of Human-Computer Interaction. It focuses on the interaction between ‘humans’ and ‘computers’ in a context of important ICT evolutions. It brings together insights from a variety of disciplines such as cognitive psychology, social sciences, computer sciences and design.

Table of contents:

  • Introduction to the course
  • Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction
  • User-centred design principles and methods
  • Interaction Paradigms
  • First wave – classical HCI
  • Second wave – modern HCI
  • Third wave – contemporary HCI
  • Towards a fourth wave - Reflections

Course material

Course material:

  • Slides and video lectures distributed via Toledo.
  • Course reader.  A printed version of the reader can be bought via the Cursusdienst of Politika, Scientica, and Ekonomika; a digital version is uploaded to the Toledo platform. The reader consists of a selection of influential HCI papers and book chapters. As some of the articles refer to recent ICT-evolutions or recent reflections upon the topics taught, a yearly update of this reader is not exceptional.

Format: more information

This course is built on the principles of ‘blended learning’.
1. Students view prerecorded video lectures that explain the learning materials. Prerecorded lectures are supported by a slide presentation, and deal with the content of the reader. The video lectures, slides and reader are all available on Toledo.

2. During the contact hours, interactive sessions take place. Where possible, we encourage students to work in small groups. These sessions can be organized physically and/or digitally, the exact modality will clearly be communicated via Toledo. Students have to prepare for these interactive sessions in order to make meaningful discussions and reflections possible. These interactive sessions provide ample opportunities to ask for feedback. The interactive sessions help students to prepare for the exam, e.g., by explaining how the topics taught should be studied, by stressing the focal points and by giving examples of exam questions.

3.  Throughout the academic year, each student gradually starts working on an assignment in which the student elaborates and critically reflects on a clear position statement about a specific HCI theme of choice. The assignment is due at the end of the lecture series and before the exam period. The exact deadline is communicated at the beginning of the lecture series. All instructions about the assignment, including its modalities, evaluation criteria and deadline, are available on Toledo. This information will also be explained and communicated during the first week of the course programme.

Although highly recommended, participation in the class activities is not obligatory. Students can follow this course without attending the interactive sessions.

This course unit is taught in block teaching (at the beginning/end of the semester).

Evaluation

Evaluation: Human-Computer Interaction (B-KUL-S2C76a)

Type : Partial or continuous assessment with (final) exam during the examination period
Description of evaluation : Written, Paper/Project
Type of questions : Open questions
Learning material : Reference work, Computer, Course material

Explanation


Written open book exam:

  • The written open book exam focuses on open questions, such as application and/or reflection questions. 
  • The exam takes place during the regular exam period. The exact modality will be communicated via Toledo. 
  • Example exam questions are given in the lectures and during the interactive sessions.
  • Language errors that do not obscure the meaning of the student’s answer will not affect the evaluation.
  • The written exam is open book; students are allowed to rely on a printed and/or online, digital copy of their (annotated) reader, their personal notes, slides, and a physical, digital or online dictionary and grammar tool. Students can use their own electronic devices.  During the exam, students are not allowed to communicate to others, except for the communication with the invigilator (in Dutch: “surveillant”), the course or administrative staff in the case of questions or (technical) issues.

Assignment:

  • The goal of the assignment is twofold: students will learn to apply the knowledge gained from tthe course materials as well as to critically evaluate and reflect upon the topics taught by forming a scientifically informed judgment and viewpoint.
  • Students will be guided in the accomplishment of the assignment, e.g., by guidance in the planning and feedback on initial ideas.
  • Instructions are communicated during the lectures and via Toledo.
  • The assignment must show evidence of scientific rigour and ethical practices and reflections.

The final grade is calculated by taking a weighted sum of the course evaluation components. The assignment accounts for 50% of the final grade; the written exam accounts for 50% of the final grade.

If the student fails to deliver the assignment within the confines of submission conditions, then this results in a reduced score for that particular missing evaluation component. If the student fails to meet the deadline, then this will be evaluated as ‘NA’ (Niet Afgelegd = Not Completed).

If there are exceptional individual circumstances causing a delay or other issues with regard to the evaluation components of this course such as the deadline of the assignment, then the ombuds service must to be consulted.

If the student is not taking part in one of the evaluation moments (e.g., not attending the exam or not submitting the assignment), then this results in a NA-score (= not taken) for the entire course grade.

Be advised: plagiarism is not acceptable and will be sanctioned. Plagiarism (http://www.kuleuven.be/plagiarism/) is a form of examination fraud that consists of the action of copying the work (ideas, texts, structures, images, plans, …) of someone else without adequate acknowledgment, in an identical form or slightly changed. For the application of these regulations the copying of one’s own work without adequate acknowledgment is considered examination fraud. Plagiarism will be sanctioned with the sanctions mentioned in the University’s Regulations on Education and Examinations (http://www.kuleuven.be/education/regulations/).

Second examination opportunity

Students who did not obtain a sufficient grade and/or who did not take part in all evaluation components are able to redeem it by passing a supplementary evaluation.
Students may then redo each part (assignment and/or exam) for which (s)he did not obtain a sufficient grade. 

Students who participated in at least one evaluation component of the first exam opportunity and who obtained a score of at least 10/20 for the specific evaluation component(s), can decide to transfer the corresponding mark to the following examination period within the same academic year, provided that the student explicitly informs the lecturer about this choice at the latest two weeks after the results of the first evaluation period have been announced. In case of doubt, the highest score will be taken into account.