SWEN422 (2024) - Human Computer Interaction

Prescription

This course covers principles of human-computer interaction that underlie good design of software user interfaces. Advanced topics are introduced with a focus on current research areas.

Course learning objectives

Students who pass this course will be able to:

1. Place research on HCI in the context of previous research and contemporary issues.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of key HCI challenges (both technical and ethical) in the use of information visualisation, digital exchange systems, and Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality.
3. Develop a software system that utilises information visualisation techniques.
4. Utilise user-testing techniques to evaluate a software system's user interface, designing such user-testing to take into account statistical, ethical and reproducibility/replicability considerations.

Course content

We’ve designed this course for in-person study, and to get the most of out it we strongly recommend you attend lectures on campus. Most assessment items, as well as tutorials/seminars/labs/workshops will only be available in person. Any exceptions for in-person attendance for assessment will be looked at on a case-by-case basis in exceptional circumstances, e.g., through disability services or by approval by the course coordinator.
 
If you started your programme of study remotely and can only study remotely, please contact the School so we can help and confirm what courses are available.

Withdrawal from Course

Withdrawal dates and process:
https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/students/study/course-additions-withdrawals

Lecturers

There will be some guest lecturers which we are waiting for confirmation on their availabilty.

Teaching Format

This course will be offered in-person and online.  For students in Wellington, there will be in-person lectures which will be live streamed and recorded, as well as online videos and reading material. It will be possible to take the course entirely online for those who cannot attend on campus, with all the components provided in-person also made available online.

Dates (trimester, teaching & break dates)

• Teaching: 26 February 2024 - 31 May 2024
• Break: 01 April 2024 - 14 April 2024
• Study period: 03 June 2024 - 06 June 2024
• Exam period: 07 June 2024 - 22 June 2024

Other Classes

Online interaction is an important part of the course and students are expected to work together online during the Trimester.

Set Texts and Recommended Readings

Required

There are no required texts for this offering.

Recommended

There are recommeded readings see Reading List: https://rl.talis.com/3/victoria/lists/A32F1044-200F-0DEC-0197-B623BE306737.html

Mandatory Course Requirements

There are no mandatory course requirements for this course.

If you believe that exceptional circumstances may prevent you from meeting the mandatory course requirements, contact the Course Coordinator for advice as soon as possible.

Assessment

This course will be assessed through the following:

• Assignment 1: Individual Report
• Assignment 2: Essay
• Assignment 3: Group Project

While there is significant group work in the course, the large majority of assessment will be based on individual contributions and critical reflections.

Assessment Item	Due Date or Test Date	CLO(s)	Percentage
A1: Individual report	end of week 5	CLO: 1,2,3	30%
A2: Essay	end of week 10	CLO: 1,2,3	35%
A3: Group Project	Assessment period	CLO: 1,2,3,4	35%

Penalties

The penalty for late work will be 10% shrinking cap per day after the due date, unless there has been prior negotiation. Shrinking cap reduces maximum mark per day so after 3 days the maximum mark is 70%(B) but C+ work will receive a C+ grade.

Extensions

Request for extensions must be submitted before the assessment deadline. A medical certificate may be requested for long medical-based extensions.

Submission & Return

All software assets and documents for the deliverables must be submitted via the School's online submission system, accessible through the course web pages. Marks and comments will be returned through the ECS marking system, also available through the course web pages.

Group Work

There is one group project in the course. In this assignment, 25% of the mark will be a group mark awarded to all contributing students. The other 75% of the mark will be an individual mark awarded based on the contribution and critical reflection demonstrated by the student.

Workload

In order to maintain satisfactory progress in SWEN 422, you should plan to spend an average of 10 hours per week on this paper. A plausible and approximate breakdown for these hours would be:

• Lectures: 2
• Readings: 2
• Assignments: 6

Teaching Plan

See: https://ecs.wgtn.ac.nz/Courses/SWEN422_2024T1/LectureSchedule

Communication of Additional Information

All online material for this course can be accessed at https://ecs.wgtn.ac.nz/Courses/SWEN422_2024T1/

Links to General Course Information

• Academic Integrity and Plagiarism: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/students/study/exams/academic-integrity
• Academic Progress: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/students/study/progress/academic-progess (including restrictions and non-engagement)
• Dates and deadlines: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/students/study/dates
• Grades: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/students/study/progress/grades
• Special passes: Refer to the Assessment Handbook, at https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/documents/policy/staff-policy/assessment-handbook.pdf
• Statutes and policies, e.g. Student Conduct Statute: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/about/governance/strategy
• Student support: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/students/support
• Students with disabilities: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/st_services/disability/
• Student Charter: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/learning-teaching/learning-partnerships/student-charter
• Student Feedback on University courses may be found at: http://www.cad.vuw.ac.nz/feedback/feedback_display.php
• Terms and Conditions: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/study/apply-enrol/terms-conditions/student-contract
• Turnitin: http://www.cad.vuw.ac.nz/wiki/index.php/Turnitin
• University structure: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/about/governance/structure
• The Use of Te Reo Māori for Assessment Policy:
  Victoria University values te reo Māori. Students who wish to submit any of their assessments in te reo Māori must refer to The Use of Te Reo Māori for Assessment Policy
  He mea nui te reo Māori ki te Whare Wānanga o te Ūpoko o te Ika. Ki te pīrangi koe ki te tuhituhi i ō aro matawai i roto i te reo Māori, tēnā me mātua whakapā atu ki te kaupapa here, The Use of Te Reo Māori for Assessment Policy
• VUWSA: http://www.vuwsa.org.nz

Offering CRN: 18662

Points: 15
Prerequisites: one of (COMP 313, SWEN 303, 325).
Duration: 26 February 2024 - 23 June 2024
Starts: Trimester 1
Campus: Kelburn