Using HP Mobile Technology to Support a Human-Computer Interaction Design Studio

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Overview

We are using HP Tablet PCs to support a studio-based approach to teaching an undergraduate human-computer interaction design course. In weekly design studios, students solve design problems by constructing low fidelity user interface prototypes with WOZ Pro, a pen-based low-fidelity prototyping environment we are developing within this project. They then present their interface designs to the class for feedback and discussion.

Principal Investigator

Christopher Hundhausen (hundhaus at wsu.edu)

Impact on Student Learning

We anticipate that our innovations will impact student learning in the following ways:

  • Improvements in students’ design abilities. We will have a panel of experts evaluate the user interfaces developed by students throughout the semester.
  • Development of critical thinking skills. We will videotape the design discussions in which students participate throughout the course, and code their talk into higher order thinking content categories.
  • Gains in motivation and sense of community. At the beginning and end of the course, we will administer (a) the Classroom Community Scale and (b) the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, in order to measure students’ sense of community, use of learning strategies, and levels of motivation.

Impact on Teaching

Traditionally, undergraduate courses in human-computer interaction design have been lecture-based. We are transforming our lecture-based course into a studio-based course that emphasizes hands-on design exercises in which students use the WOZ Pro software to construct low fidelity user interface designs. In so doing, they must apply the principles, concepts, and techniques being explored in the course.

Students then present their designs to the class for feedback and discussion within the context of design crits (design critiques), which, in prior research, we have found to be educationally valuable because they engage learners in meaningful discussions that are firmly grounded in their own artifacts. Such grounded discussions help to bridge the gap between expert and learner perspectives.

Quick Facts

  • Number of students impacted to date: 35
  • Number of faculty involved: 1
  • Courses impacted: CS 111 "Introduction to Algorithmic Problem Solving" and CS 443 "Human-Computer Interaction"

Funding

This project is funded by a 2006 Hewlett Packard Technology for Teaching Award to Chris Hundhausen at Washington State University. The award, which totals nearly $70,000 in equipment and cash, included 21 HP Tablet PCs, an LCD Projector, and HP Color Printer.

Last modified by C. Hundhausen on May 25, 2007