IFN623 Human Information Interaction


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Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Unit code:IFN623
Credit points:12
Pre-requisite:(Enrolment in IN27 or IN21 or IN10 or IN14 or IN23 or IN20 or KC88 or BS11 or IV53 or IV54 or IV55 or IV56 or IV58) or (192cps in SV03 or IV04 or MV05 or BV06 or EV08).
Coordinators:Peter Bruza | p.bruza@qut.edu.au
Lauren Fell | l3.fell@qut.edu.au
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

Humans usually interact with and retrieve information by means of technologically driven systems. As our information environment becomes ever more complex, these interactions are becoming more and more diverse. While much is understood about the systems side of this picture, much less is understood about how humans interact with information. The foundation of this unit is an understanding how humans process information from the viewpoint of cognitive psychology.  This understanding will be translated into conceptual frameworks and associated design principles for creating effective interactions. This grounding is then mapped to contemporary technological solutions (e.g. conversational agents) which are used to augment human intelligence in highly interactive contexts. Methods to evaluate and critique both interaction effectiveness and implications for society will therefore also be covered in detail.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Analyse user needs using an understanding of cognitive psychology and its relationship to interactive technologies (CLO1)
  2. Integrate models of cognition with human behaviour and information processing (CLO3)
  3. Apply theories, conceptual frameworks, methods, standards and tools for developing user centred information interaction solutions (CLO2, CLO3)
  4. Design an information interaction system drawing on relevant cognitive principles and using interactive technologies (CLO4, CLO7)
  5. Critique information interaction systems and employ appropriate governance and ethical use of information interaction in own work (CLO5, CLO6)

Content

Unit content will be focused on developing an understanding of interactions between people and information.

This includes learning about the psycho-social-technical nexus comprising cognitive, affective, social, and organizational/institutional approaches for promoting effective human information interactions.

Emphasis is placed on technologies relevant to information professionals (e.g. conversational agents), and that present opportunities for augmenting human intelligence.

Learning Approaches

This unit takes a contextualised practice approach to information interaction, examining why it is important.  Practical activities address these concepts within a socio-technical context.

Teaching will be delivered by a team with transdisciplinary expertise that covers the cognitive, informational and technological dimensions.

Conceptual material on how a cognitive understanding of interactions can improve human information interaction systems will be presented in parallel to the practical application and development of techniques for interactive technologies.

The unit will be delivered in a modular style with a focus on collaborative approaches to learning, and a mixture of online and face to face activities.

Assessment is considered to be an integral part of the learning in the unit and provides opportunity for formative feedback.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Studio workshops, tutorials and drop-in sessions will include opportunities for discussion and receiving immediate feedback on ideas related to the conceptual content

Practical opportunities will be provided for the teaching team to view your work and provide direct feedback on it. You will be encouraged to use this feedback to enhance your opportunity for success in graded assessment tasks.

The teaching team will monitor the cohort as a whole and provide ongoing feedback throughout the semester on general progress of the cohort, or addressing specific issues that arise during the unit

Individual feedback will be provided between assessment tasks to allow improvement over the course of the semester.

Detailed criteria sheets with any relevant comments will be provided for all assessment.

Opportunities will be provided on key tasks to receive preliminary criteria-based feedback without impact to your final grade.

Opportunities will be provided for peer feedback to enhance the authenticity of assessment tasks, and encourage engagement with significant themes.

Opportunities will be provided for self-reflection to integrate learning, feedback and self assessment.

Assessment

Overview

The assessment for this unit is designed to integrate conceptual material on Cognition, Information Interaction, and Information Technologies, within a practical context. Two assessment tasks focus on foundational knowledge and skills, critical understanding of knowledge in context, and application of knowledge. One task will focus on self-reflection. Foundational knowledge and self-reflection tasks will include formative components. All tasks are criteria referenced.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Knowledge and Skills Task

Application of theory on cognition and information interaction to design principles, and implementation in an interactive technology.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 40
Individual/Group: Individual and group
Due (indicative): Week 3-4 (formative) Week 6-8 (summative)
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Assessment: Synthesis and Application Task

Critique of information interaction system and advanced use of theory and/or interactive technologies.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 40
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 12-13
Related Unit learning outcomes: 2, 3, 4, 5

Assessment: Reflective Practice Journal

The reflective journal will document challenges encountered during the unit, how practice was or should have been changed to overcome them, and strategies for future learning and development.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 20
Length: 2 pages
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 3-4 (formative), Week 13 (summative)
Related Unit learning outcomes: 4, 5

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

TBA

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no extraordinary risks associated with the classroom/lecture activities in this unit.