Case Studies in Assistive Technology

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Case Studies in Assistive Technology
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What you need

• A folder to keep case study notes

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Whats it about?

• The purpose of this module is to expand the
  students understanding of specific Assistive
  Technology scenarios by exposing them to a range
  of case studies.
• These case studies will include real world
  examples of approaches that groups have taken to
  implement assistive technology solutions.
• Other case studies will be based on scenarios
  which have no a priori solutions to allow the
  students to create their own approach and compare
  it with other students.

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Learning Outcomes

• Read about and discuss the relationship between
  assistive technology and the individual
• Examine case studies of assistive technology
  systems and how they are implemented
• Analyse a range of applications of assistive
  technology

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Learning Outcomes

• Identify issues in computing disciplines and in
  other disciplines to which accessibility
  approaches are applicable
• Explain the contributions of people,
  organisational systems and technologies to the
  field of assistive technology
• Summarize and assess social, ethical and legal
  issues inherent in assistive technology
• Develop approaches to tackling accessibility
  problems

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Assessment

• Continuous assessment will comprise 50 of the
  marks for this module. An end of module
  examination will comprise the remaining 50.

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Continious Assessment (1/3)

• During the module students will be required to
  keep a Portfolio. This will be devoted to
  personal and scholarly exploration of the case
  studies and exercises undertaken. All case
  studies used should be included in this
  Portfolio. Students will be expected to record
  observations about problem solving techniques as
  applied to knowledge based problems, reflecting
  on the students progress, issues relating to
  ethics, as well as the applicability of
  approaches learnt.

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Continious Assessment (2/3)

• Continuous assessment will take the form of
  exercises and assignments of varying difficulty.
  The assessments will include several problem
  solving case studies, using group work and
  peer-reviewed assessments. In class continuous
  assessment will consist of timed problem sets to
  be worked on either individually or in groups.
  Out of class problem sets will involve more
  extensive problems to be completed either
  individually or in groups. Students will also be
  expected to present work individually or in
  groups. Where possible and appropriate, contact
  practical sessions will be used to provide the
  Student with time and assistance in completing
  continuous assessment work.

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Continious Assessment (3/3)

• The Student will undertake one larger scale
  independent task to write a research paper on an
  appropriate case study describing the relevant
  context and developing and justifying a knowledge
  management approach.

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What is a Case Study?

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Case Studies?

• Case study is an empirical inquiry that
  investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its
  real-life context when the boundaries between
  phenomenon and context are not clearly evident
  and in which multiple sources of evidence are
  used

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Case Studies?

• Case study research excels at bringing us to an
  understanding of a complex issue or object and
  can extend experience or add strength to what is
  already known through previous research. Case
  studies emphasize detailed contextual analysis of
  a limited number of events or conditions and
  their relationships.

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Case Studies?

• Social scientists, in particular, have made wide
  use of this qualitative research method to
  examine contemporary real-life situations and
  provide the basis for the application of ideas
  and extension of methods.

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Problems?

• Critics of the case study method believe that the
  study of a small number of cases can offer no
  grounds for establishing reliability or
  generality of findings.
• Others feel that the intense exposure to study of
  the case biases the findings.
• Some dismiss case study research as useful only
  as an exploratory tool.

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Schedule

• 3rd Feb (Tuesday) Tonight, welcome, etc.
• 21st Feb (Saturday) DiscussionCase Study
• 7th Mar (Saturday) DiscussionCase Study
• 17th Mar (Tuesday) Discussion
• 18th Apr (Saturday) DiscussionCase Study
• 11th May (Saturday) DiscussionCase Study
• 12th May (Tuesday) Discussion