Friday 2 July 2010

Report on William Wong's keynote address

What matters?
William Wong


(click to enlarge)

William Wong is Professor of Human Computer Interaction Design, and researches and designs computer based systems for use by people. He is concerned with creating positive human-computer interaction experiences. Historically within such study there has been a big focus on user goals, however now the wider concept of the user experience when actually working with technology and how this really manifests itself in the real world rather than in an experimental environment, is being sought. Thus William’s keynote explored the affective side of digital information and the sensory, sense making and emotional connections evoked for students engaging in digital literacy. The strong psychological component of such digital approaches to learning.

The ideas presented synergised with those of the preceding keynotes, whereby William's keynote aimed to provide empirical evidence for the key features necessary for successful research/study of those engaging, and interacting, with the use technology. Building on work undertaken to define the ‘seven habits’ required by a good researcher, William transferred these habits the role of students and teachers.

So what matters ? is the development of seven habits. Competence; control; courage and confidence; co-discovery; communicate; creative and initiative; critical thinking.

Competence, developing underpinning knowledge and skills. Control over how they act, respond and learn. Courage and confidence, courage to apply and ability to learn from their mistakes. Co-discovery, collaboration and working in teams to discover or accomplish together. Communicate, the ability to articulate ideas and to co-ordinate and implement them. Creativity and initiative, being a problem solver and lateral thinker. Critical thinking, slice and dice, analyse and dissect, distinguish between ‘shades of grey’.

Caroline Reid
Head of Learning Development (HSSC)
Middlesex University



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