The MSc is eating up my entire life at the moment. It’s fun though, and I’m learning a lot. So, term two started! I’m taking courses in cognitive science, organisational informatics, and affective interaction. I also need to start thinking about the MSc project / thesis, which counts for a big chunk of the degree.

Run down of the courses I’m taking, for me as much as you:

Cognitive science is the study of human and artificial intelligence. Basic questions: how does the cognitive system work? What are our human capabilities and limitations? Relevant to HCI because cognition gives insights into how people use technology and why they make mistakes. Cognitive aspects cover: attention, perception/recognition, memory, reading/speaking, problem solving, decision making, learning.

Organisational informatics is harder for me to define in a few sentences. It covers system design in organisations, dynamics of group working, social networking, privacy. The main coursework is going to focus on the use of virtual learning environments at UCL. All in all, much more exciting than I reckoned it’d be.

Affective interaction looks at affective systems, or “computing that relates to, arises from and deliberately influences emotion”. (Rosalind Picard, 1997). Taking the first lecture for AfI tomorrow. Already hugely excited, having read Picard’s book.

Why scientists are taking emotion seriously:

“It turns out that affect and emotion play critical roles in good judgment and in the adaptive regulation of thought.” from: Clore, G. and Palmer, J. (2009). Affective guidance of intelligent agents: How emotion controls cognition. Cognitive Systems Research, 10(1):21-30