Teaching Human Computer Interaction: First Experiences

Abstract

Human-computer interaction is a very recent discipline at the Universidad de Costa Rica. Inthis paper we present the experiences of the first academic year the first courses about humancomputerinteraction, an undergraduate course and a Masters course, were designed andtaught. The HCI course introduction strategy consisted of two steps: 1) to initiate a dedicatedundergraduate course during the first term, and 2) to initiate a dedicated Masters courseduring the second term, simultaneously taught with the undergraduate course. Both coursesshare the outline. However, due to differences among undergraduate and graduate studentsand among undergraduate and Masters courses, evaluation methodology differences wereimplemented, resulting in more assignments and a higher exigency level for graduatestudents. Work in the classroom is different for each of the courses, because graduate studentscan build their own knowledge based on their previous working experience and on theexchange of ideas with other students. In both undergraduate and Masters courses, emphasisis set on practice supported by theory.

Learning HCI Across Institutions, Disciplines and Countries: A Field Study of Cognitive Styles in Analytical and Creative Tasks

“…This study also reports HCI educators to be more analytical and those who have both roles to be the most intuitive of the three professional groups studied. Our findings on the cognitive styles of HCI students resonate with those of the above mentioned studies on HCI professionals [50] and students [18,26]: there is a clear need to develop more skills natural to the adaptive-intuitive range of cognitive styles, which are needed to support situated and creative design practice.…”

“…There are many studies regarding HCI Education around the world [12]. Some of them focus on specific contexts, such as how HCI has been taught in different countries or regions like Asia-Pacific [13], Brazil [14][15][16], China [17], Costa Rica [18], India [19] , Mexico [20] , Namibia [21], New Zealand [22], Romania [23], South Africa [24], and Sweden [25].…”

“…While the SIGCHI Education project as well as some of the work from authors referred to in this section point towards a clear need for HCI education and its curriculum to be flexible and sensitive to diverse needs, cultures and perspectives, more empirical research on student experience is needed. For instance, Calderon [18] reports her experiences in Costa Rica providing information not only on the HCI courses being taught, but also on the students that took these courses. Students fell in two categories: on one hand, undergraduate students, mostly full-time, not proficient in English, who know their classmates, enjoy working in groups, and do not generate discussions in class; and on the other hand, postgraduate students, part-time, who work during the day, with good in English due to their work, not very familiar with any of their classmates but who enjoy in-class discussions.…”

“…We need more studies like that of Calderon's [18] or Day and Foley's [26] reporting on student experience and performance. Our research adds to this body of knowledge in HCI education by analyzing students' performance, taking their cognitive styles and diverse contexts into consideration.…”