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Low-fidelity prototyping is a Knowledge Elicitation technique in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). However, empirical methods for low-fidelity prototyping have remained relatively static in development. We describe artefact-driven dynamic constructionism, allowing us to view the temporal evolution of design artefacts as measurable constructs within low-fidelity prototypes. Two mobile software tools are described, PROTEUS and PROTEUS EVALUATOR, using Social Constructionism. HCI class prototyping exercises with the tools are reported with 40 HCI Postgraduate students. Artefact-driven constructionist metrics are thus applied to low-fidelity prototyping pedagogy. Advantages and disadvantages of using such methods are demonstrated and explained.

Using poetry, role play, readers’ theatre, and creative manipulations of space through yarn and paper weaving, a workshop in 2008 challenged one of educational development’s more pervasive and least questioned notions (“constructive alignment” associated most often with the work of John Biggs). This paper describes the reasoning behind using humanities approaches specifically in this case and more generally in the Challenging Academic Development Collective’s work, as well as problematising the notions of “experiment” and “results” by unarchiving and re-archiving such a nonce-event. The critical stakes in using an anti-empirical method are broached, and readers are encouraged to experience their own version of the emergent truths of such approaches by drawing their own conclusions. En 2008, par le biais de la poésie, du jeu de rôles, du théâtre lu et de manipulations créatrices de l’espace avec de la laine et des tissages en papier, un atelier a mis au défi une des notions les plus généralisées et les moins remises en question du développement éducatif, l’alignement constructif, le plus souvent associé aux travaux de John Biggs. Cet article décrit le raisonnement qui se cache sous l’utilisation des approches des humanités tout spécialement dans ce cas et de manière plus générale dans les travaux du Collectif sur le développement académique stimulant. L’article traite également de la problématique sur les notions d’« expérience » et de « résultats » en désarchivant et en réarchivant une telle circonstance. Les enjeux principaux de l’utilisation de cette méthode anti-empirique sont abordés et les lecteurs sont encouragés à faire l’expérience de leur propre version des vérités qui émergent de telles approches en tirant leurs propres conclusions.

Despite the investment in secondary and Higher Education (HE) in the UAE, student outcomes do not match expectations. For a country that aspires to join the global knowledge economy, this is a significant concern. This paper focuses on the views of undergraduate art and design students in relation to their teaching and learning experiences during secondary school and the impact this has on their studies. More specifically, this paper argues that the lack of art and design subjects during secondary education has an overall detrimental effect on educational progress at the post-secondary level, which consequently hinders the development of competencies associated with the UAE’s aspiration to join the global knowledge economy. This is a small-scale qualitative study based on an online survey of thirty-eight undergraduate art and design students. The issues raised in this paper have implications for undergraduate art and design education in the UAE, and in particular how well prepared students are to undertake post-secondary education and how well equipped graduates are to join the global knowledge economy.

This paper explores emerging practices in research data management in the arts, humanities and social sciences (AHSS). It will do so vis-à-vis current citation conventions and impact measurement for research in AHSS. Case study findings on research data inventoried at Goldsmiths’, University of London will be presented. Goldsmiths is a UK research-intensive higher education institution which specialises in arts, humanities and social science research. The paper’s aim is to raise awareness of the subject-specific needs of AHSS scholars to help inform the design of future digital tools for impact analysis in AHSS. Firstly, I shall explore the definition of research data and how it is currently understood by AHSS researchers. I will show why many researchers choose not to engage with digital dissemination techniques and ORCID. This discussion must necessarily include the idea that practice-based and applied AHSS research are processes which are not easily captured in numerical ‘sets’ and cannot be labelled electronically without giving careful consideration to what a group or data item ‘represents’ as part of the academic enquiry, and therefore how it should be cited and analysed as part of any impact assessment. Then, the paper will explore: the role of the monograph and arts catalogue in AHSS scholarship; how citation practices and digital impact measurement in AHSS currently operate in relation to authorship and how digital identifiers may hypothetically impact on metrics, intellectual property (IP), copyright and research integrity issues in AHSS. I will also show that, if we are to be truly interdisciplinary, as research funders and strategic thinkers say we should, it is necessary to revise the way we think about digital research dissemination. This will involve breaking down the boundaries between AHSS and other types of research.

This paper presents part of a work-in-progress that aims to discuss issues of accessibility in higher education regarding equal opportunities in the use and access of information and technology for students with disabilities in Cyprus. All Cypriot university Websites have been examined using accessibility evaluation techniques and the provisions made by the higher education officers for equal access to their university websites have been reviewed. The results showed that all university pages show accessibility problems, with the public ones having the least errors. With respect to provisions, results showed that internal regulations and policy of universities did not include any specific provisions for web or other technology accessibility.