EPSRC HUMAN CENTRED TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM GRANT

Rose Luckin
Human Centred Technology Group
Department of Informatics
School of Science and Technology
University of Sussex
Brighton, BN1 9QH, U.K.

2003-2008

Investigators	Researchers
Rose Luckin, Principal Investigator	John Halloran
Peter Cheng, Co-investigator	Jon Rimmer
Benedict du Boulay, Co-investigator	Hektor Rojas
Geraldine Fitzpatrick, Co-investigator	Hilary Smith

Objectives & Summary

EPSRC has funded a Platform Grant for the Human Centred Technology Research Group worth about £0.5M. Its objectives are:

1. The integration of approaches across labs to develop a pedagogical design framework and support for learning. This can be provided by developing software systems and mobile devices, the appropriate delivery of content in context, and by other human partners through computer supported communication.
2. The adaptation of a learning design framework for the support of adult life-long learning and workplace skill / expertise development and problem solving.
3. The expansion and integration of evaluation methodologies that will permit the assessment of learning experiences across multiple devices and in different contexts.
4. The further exploration of the relationship between the between the physical and the digital for the support of interactions, for learning in particular and for interaction in general.
5. The development of theories and approaches to account for the social/spatial contexts in which learning and interaction take place and in which representations and systems are embedded and made sense of.
6. Exploiting knowledge encoding representations and the process of drawing to increase the bandwidth of user-system communication by at least an order of magnitude.
7. The development of an integrated Human Centred Design rationale across contexts and applications.

The primary aim for this platform funding application is to enable the expansion of the Human Centred Technology research group at Sussex through the provision of stability for a critical mass of key experienced research personnel. This stability will enable us to ensure that innovation and creativity flourish and that our users and collaborators benefit from high quality and timely findings. The platform funding currently being sought would be used to support:

1. Increased innovation by giving key researchers an opportunity to explore an adventurous idea and assess the associated risks and benefits, with the intention that further funding will be sought for tractable initiatives.
2. Stability for key researchers currently employed and in particular coming to the end of fixed term research contracts during the next five years. These personnel have specialist knowledge and skills that we need to maintain in order to maximise the success of the groups' future research agenda.
3. The formation of an educational skills exchange in which teachers from all sectors from early years through to Higher Education can contribute to technology development, dissemination and share good practice.
4. The expansion of our collaborations with users and beneficiaries through the organisation of workshops at key stages throughout the group's 5-year plan. The workshops would involve representatives from our user groups, commercial collaborators and fellow researchers. The role of these workshops would be to ensure that the group's research is relevant to its underpinning user groups.
5. The dissemination of research outcomes: to industry to explore possible exploitation options; and to community groups to establish support for and relationships with groups who have expressed interest in HCT research.
6. Travel for key personnel to visit other international research teams.

Main Contact

Dr Rose Luckin
IDEAs Laboratory,
Human Centred Technology Group
School of Science and Technology
University of Sussex
Brighton
BN1 9QJ
UK

tel +44 (0)1273 678647 or 678635
email: R.H.Luckin@sussex.ac.uk