MS2306 New Media Research Concepts and Methodologies
Module Title:
New Media Research
Methodologies
Module Code:
MS2306
Level: 2
Credit: 20
ECTS credit: 10
Pre-requisite:
MS1304, MS1303 or equivalent researchfocused level 1 module
Co-requisite: none
Skills module: No
Module Leader:
Tony Sampson
Date Modified: May 2011
Pre-cursor: none
Excluded combinations (eg skills
modules): none
University-wide option: No
Location of delivery: UEL
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Main aim(s) of the module:
To introduce methods and concepts for researching new media
To develop students’ awareness of theoretical concepts and methodologies for
understanding new media
To expand students’ knowledge of new media forms in research context
To examine examples of new media research
To encourage students to critically assess research methods, theoretical
frameworks, media forms and examples presented in the module
To develop students’ ability to produce new media proposals
Main topics of study:
Methods: usability; ethnography and other qualitative and quantitative
methods relevant to new media research
Concepts: new media related debates – e.g. affect and serious games
Media forms: Interactive, multimedia and computer games
Learning Outcomes for the module
At the end of this module, students will:
Knowledge
1. Demonstrate an understanding of new media in a research context
2. Apply theoretical and methodological tools to new media research questions
Thinking skills
3. Develop a research problem and subsequent research project for level 3
4. Evaluate concepts and methods used in new media research
Subject-based practical skills
5. Produce new media research proposals
Skills for life and work (general skills)
6. Present ideas coherently in a specified format
7. Communicate written and visual information
February 2007
8. Develop the ability to listen effectively, and thus to participate constructively in
discussion
9. Develop an independent argument that is informed by but not dependent on
authorities in the subject area
Teaching/ learning methods/strategies used to enable the achievement of learning
outcomes:
Lectures, seminars
Assessment methods which enable students to
demonstrate the learning outcomes for the module:
Weighting:
CW1: Essay (2,400 words)
CW2: New Media Research Proposal (1,600 words)
60%
40%
Learning
Outcomes
demonstrate
d
1, 2, 4, 6, 7
2, 3, 5, 6, 7
Reading and resources for the module:
Full reading lists will accompany lectures and will be recommended by seminar tutors
according to research interest
See lecture notes: http://ms2306.blogspot.com/
See module guide:
http://homepages.uel.ac.uk/T.D.Sampson/DocLand/MS2306/MS2306.htm
Core Reading
Harrison, S. Tatar D, and Sengers, P (2007) “The Three Paradigms of HCI,” Proceedings
of CHI, San Jose, CA,. Archived at:
http://people.cs.vt.edu/~srh/Downloads/TheThreeParadigmsofHCI.pdf (accessed 5th
April, 2011).
Norman, D (2004) Emotional design: Why We Love (or hate) Everyday Things, New
York: Basic Books.
Preece, J, Rogers, Y., Sharp, H., Benyon, D., Holland, S. & Carey, T (1994) HumanComputer Interaction. Wokingham, UK: Addison-Wesley.
Picard R W (1999) “Affective Computing for HCI”. Proceedings of HCI International (the
8th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction) on Human-Computer
Interaction: Ergonomics and User Interfaces, Volume I - Volume I 829 - 833 http://affect.media.mit.edu/pdfs/99.picard-hci.pdf
Shouse, E (2005) "Feeling, Emotion, Affect," M/C Journal, 8(6). Retrieved 23 Apr. 2009
from <http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0512/03-shouse.php>.
Wardrip-Fruin, Noah and Montfort, Nick (eds) (2003) The New Media Reader,
Cambridge: MIT Press.
Wider reading
Brennan, T (2004) The Transmission of Affect, Ithaca & London: Cornell University
Press,
Moggridge, B (2007) Designing Interactions, Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press,
Norman, D (1988) The Design of Everyday Things, New York: Basic Books,
February 2007
Thrift, N (2007) Non-Representational Theory: Space, Politics, Affect, London and New
York: Routledge.
Thrift, N (2005) Knowing Capitalism, London: Sage.
Additional Reading for 2011/12
Fritsch, “Affective Experience in Interactive Environments,” The Fibreculture Journal,
issue 19, 2011: Ubiquity http://fibreculturejournal.org/wp-content/pdfs/FCJ137Jonas%20Fritsch.pdf
Gamez (2009), “On the Core Elements of the Experience of Playing Video Games.” PhD
thesis, UCL Interaction Centre Department of Computer Science.
http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/18510/1/18510.pdf
Hassenzahl, “User Experience and Experience Design” http://www.interactiondesign.org/encyclopedia/user_experience_and_experience_design.html
Hughes et al (1995), “The Role of Ethnography in Interactive Systems Design,”
Technical report from Cooperative Systems Engineering Group at Lancaster University.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=The+Role+of+Ethnography+in+Interactive+System
s+Design&rls=com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7ADSA_enGB459&redir_esc=&ei=ceAVT4G5B8rG8QPX1aXSAw
McCarthy and Wright (2004), Technology as Experience, MIT Press, see chapter one
“Living with Technology.”
http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/chapters/0262134470chap1.pdf
McCarthy and Wright, Empathy and Experience in HCI, April 5-10, 2008 · Florence, Italy
CHI 2008 Proceedings · Dignity in Design
http://courses2.cit.cornell.edu/HCI/images/6/6c/P637-wright.pdf
Shinkle (2005), “Feel It, Don’t Think: the Significance of Affect in the Study of Digital
Games” Proceedings of DiGRA 2005 Conference: Changing Views – Worlds in Play.
http://www.digra.org/dl/db/06276.00216.pdf
Stone et al (2005), User Interface Design and Evaluation, Elsevier: Science and
Technology. See Chapter 6 “Thinking about requirements and describing them”
http://www.elsevierdirect.com/companions/9780120884360/casestudies/Chapter_06.
pdf
Indicative
learning and
teaching time
(10 hrs per
credit):
Activity
February 2007
1.
Student/tutor
contact time:
18
hrs/semester
24
hrs/semester
2. Student
learning time:
Activity: (e.g. lectures/seminars/tutorials/ email and social networking
etc)
158
Reading in preparation for/review of lecture material; seminar
preparation; workshop preparation and completion of exercises;
assessment preparation
Lecture
Seminar
Activity: (e.g. seminar reading and preparation/assignment
preparation/ background reading/ on-line activities etc)
Total hours (1
and 2):
200
February 2007