Project-based learning (PBL) is an educational approach that ac- tively involves students in tackling real-world complex problems in an interdisciplinary way, emphasising critical thinking, collabora- tion and problem-solving skills. In this paper, we share our empirical experience of teaching three different modules of an Interaction Design program: Screen Design, Generative Design and Experience and Behaviour Design within the context of Project-Based Learn- ing. We report on what we consider successful cases, as well as significant barriers encountered by the students. We then discuss some of the unsolved challenges, providing our perspectives for teaching interaction design with PBL.

AI technologies are becoming increasingly important for the design of human-computer interactions and user experiences. Through their specialized knowledge and creative problem-solving skills, de- signers are well-positioned to drive stakeholder-centered adaption of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. However, these possibili- ties also pose new challenges for designers and design education. Even though AI has increasingly been entering design education, the structural implementation of AI technologies in the design cur- riculum remains an unsolved challenge. In this paper, we discuss and reflect on our experiences over several years of AI education at design schools. We outline the knowledge and technical intuition on AI we believe students must engage meaningfully with regard- ing AI technology and present our observations on developing and applying these intuitions in different teaching formats. Further- more, we discuss the challenges that might hinder the structural integration of AI into the design curriculum.

This paper explores the use of A/B testing as a pedagogical tool for iterative design in HCI classrooms and outlines a vision for experiment-inspired design. The traditional focus on the statistical aspects of A/B testing education has meant that the equally crucial role of iterative design embedded within the experimental process has not received commensurate attention. By incorporating iterative design learning activities that are scaffolded by A/B testing tools, HCI students can gain transferable skills and experience in doing multiple cycles of ideation, prototyping, testing, and evaluation, and simultaneously contribute to continual course improvement. We reconsider the role of experimentation in HCI education as a means for exploring complex design spaces. Drawing from our experience in teaching this approach and conducting education research involving sequences of online controlled experiments, we present examples of how to use A/B testing as a pedagogical tool for iterative design in HCI classrooms.

nstructional quality in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) education is crucial to ensure that students acquire the necessary skills to understand the complexity of socio-technical systems and design interfaces and interactions accordingly. Previous empirical evidence suggests that teaching quality is determined by teacher knowledge – domain-specific, pedagogical, and technological knowledge. Through a survey of N=54 HCI instructors, this paper reports on teacher knowledge and investigates its relationship with their perceived teaching quality at different levels of HCI education. Findings show that HCI instructors rated their domain-specific and technological knowledge rather high, while the components of pedagogical knowledge were rated lower. Yet, pedagogical knowledge was related to instructional quality, specifically the degree of cognitive activation provided to students. We contribute by documenting and discussing the strengths and weaknesses of HCI instructors’ knowledge and teaching quality. We draw implications for instructors, institutions and the HCI education community.

How can we assess the quality of students’ Contextual Inquiries (CIs) when we cannot observe them? We present a structured self-evaluation to assess students’ use of CI techniques, where students use pre-defined categories to identify their own successful and unsuccessful instances of following CI principles. In addition to giving the course staff a window into the inquiry, these self-evaluations also illustrate common student misconceptions and missteps such as: missing the overall purpose of a CI, gathering summary rather than concrete data, and struggling to effectively communicate their results. Anticipating these misconceptions can support rubric creation, efficient feedback, and targeted activities for instructors who include CIs in their HCI courses.

In this teachable moment we present our approach and tools for an ongoing teaching-learning project that brings the focus of human-data interaction in classical human-computer education, namely a human-centered design process. We explain our motivation, coming from an HCI course open not only for computer science students but for multiple disciplines aiming at integrating an interdisciplinary perspective. We motivate why we chose to focus on simple IoT sensor data and why a hands-on approach is useful for students. We discuss our Sensorkit, which is designed to support students in all relevant stages of the HCD process, from initial exploration, gaining insights and understanding, to prototyping, to evaluating a prototype that collects and visualizes sensor data in a small study with participants.

Integrating real-world projects into courses has long been a common feature of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) education, as they are a proven method for building HCI students’ knowledge, skills, and confidence. However, the rapid growth of the User Experience (UX) profession has led to increased enrollment in practice-oriented HCI programs while simultaneously introducing a variety of specialties within the industry. As a result, educators are confronted with the unique challenges of (1) providing learning experiences that offer students practical experience with a variety of design and research methods and (2) providing enough of those experiences to support increasingly large cohorts of students. In this paper, we describe one institution’s efforts to address these challenges by developing an education-focused research center devoted to coordinating and facilitating a variety of course-based partnerships for graduate-level UX students.

We report from a project where students created animated public content to promote the urgency of climate change and encourage positive behavior change amongst a city’s citizens and stakeholders. We worked with Newcastle City Council in the UK, whose Net Zero agenda has been formulated to mitigate and adapt to climate change, including by changing public perception and promoting more sustainable lifestyles. 32 final-year Animation and Interaction Design (IxD) undergraduate students worked in a collaborative design process to create seven site-specific public campaigns applying animation and projection mapping technologies. Educational challenges included working with new technology, delivering a professional quality result to an external client, and a short 8-week schedule. The results included an interactive game to engage the public in the concept of plastic bottle deposit recycling scheme; ‘guerilla’ projecting on a major clothing retail store intended to encourage passing shoppers to reflect on their role on the negative aspects of fast fashion; and an installation across some of the underground metro stations to highlight and celebrate the sustainability principles of public transport. Our contribution includes our case study of an agile structured collaborative process, with the dual focus of creating high-quality, engaging and site-specific creative content and promoting a specific aspect of the Council’s policy agenda. Additionally, we discuss insights into tailoring projection mapping and animated content for civic communications purposes and encouraging digital animation students – who typically work on their production independently– to engage in collaborative processes and with civic responsibilities.