University of Utah
Course: Psychology 318: Human Factors II
Instructor: David Strayer, Department of Psychology
e-mail strayer@psych.utah.edu
phone: 801-581-5037
Class web page: http://www.psych.utah.edu/-strayer/psych318

First taught as service-learning: Spring '97

Prerequisites: Psych 317 (Human Factors I). Human Factors builds on Human Factors I by having students apply their knowledge to real-world problems in the community. How service learning course requirements will be met:

1. Students in the class must provide a needed service to individuals, organizations, schools, or other entities in the community. There are several projects that will be available to students. Some students may select service learning projects, others may not. In all cases, service learning projects will be coordinated with the student work groups, the instructor, the Bennion Center, and the service recipient to assess the user's needs and how the project can best serve their needs. Projects might include the design and implementation of Web pages that meet the needs of the user and comply with Human Factors design principles. Other projects might include selecting, designing, and/or modifying existing equipment to meet the needs of special populations (e.g., elderly, blind, handicapped, etc.). Some projects might involve the collaboration with other service-learning projects (e.g., the service learning courses offered through Mechanical Engineering). Students who select projects that qualify for service leaning will earn service learning credit.
2. The service experience relates to the subject matter of the course. Students will form teams and select projects that allow them to apply Human Factors principles to real-world problems. Students will first assess the needs of the user and then work to design, select, or modify existing systems to a) meet the needs of the user and b) conform to Human Factors principles. The projects will be designed to provide hands-on experience and will compliment the formal/didactic instruction on the topic (e.g., Human Factors 1).
3. Activities in the class provide a method or methods for students to think about what they learned through the service experience and how these learnings related to the subject of the class. Each week, students will brief the class on the project and 'lessons learned" in the context of the project. This will include issues related the application of basic Human Factors principles and to how the individual projects are meeting the needs of the end users. When problems arise, the entire class will brainstorm to come up with solutions. In addition, arrangements will be made with the Bennion Center to have a qualified individual lead two reflection sessions during class (one at the beginning of the quarter and one at the end of the quarter) to help students think about these issues in their final project report.
4. The course offers a method to assess the learning derived from the service. Credit is given for the learning and its relation to the course, not for the service alone. Students will be able to select service-learning and non-service learning projects. In both cases, the grade for the course will be based on the same criteria. Students will be required to turn in weekly progress reports and to provide briefings on "lessons learned' to the class each week. Students will be required to write a formal report of the project. The final component of the grade will be based on the overall quality of the project and how well it a) meets the needs of the user and b) conforms to Human Factors principles.
5. Service interactions in the community recognize the needs of service recipients, and offer an opportunity for recipients to be involved in the evaluation of the service. This is an essential component of Human Factors. Unless the needs, capabilities, and limitations of the user are identified and incorporated in the design, the project is likely to fail. Students will be required to formally assess the needs of the user at the outset of the project. These needs will be discussed and evaluated in the weekly class briefings. One of the criteria for evaluation in the class is how well the project meets the requirements of the user.
6. The service opportunities are aimed at the development of the civic education of students even though they may also be focused on career preparation. At the end of the class, students will be required to write a formal report on the project. One component of the report will assess what students have learned and what they can contribute to the community with their knowledge of Human Factors principles.
7. Knowledge from the discipline informs the service experiences with which the students are involved. The course is designed to have students apply the knowledge acquired in the classroom to real-world problems. Human Factors is designed to identify the needs, capabilities, and limitations of the user and to design, select, and/or modify systems to satisfy these demands.
8. The class offers a way to learn from other class members as well as from the instructor. Students will work in teams and will learn together at all stages of the project. An important component of the class involves weekly meetings where students win brief the class on "lessons learned" on their projects. In addition, readings that are relevant to the projects will be assigned and discussed during classtime.

Text: Proctor, R. W., & Van Zandt, T. (1994). _Human Factors in Simple and Complex Systems_. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Course Information:

Overview: Human Factors II is designed to follow Psych 317 (Human Factors I). The course provides students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired in Psych 317 to real world situations. There are several projects that will be available to students. Some students may select service-learning projects, others may not. In all cases, service-learning projects will be coordinated with the student work groups, the instructor, the Bennion Center, and the service recipient to assess the user's needs and how the project can best serve their needs.

Projects might include the design and implementation of Web Pages that meet the needs of the user and comply with Human Factors design principles. Other projects might include selecting, designing and/or modifying existing equipment to meet the needs of special populations (e.g. elderly, blind, handicapped, etc.). Some projects might involve the collaboration with other service-learning projects (e.g., the service-learning courses offered through Mechanical Engineering). Students who select projects that qualify for service-learning will earn service-learning credit.

Grading: 50% of the final grade will be based on weekly project reports. The remaining 50% of the grade will be based on a final project summary.

Weekly Project Reports: At the beginning of each class, a 1-page typed, double spaced project report is due. The project report should describe the incremental progress on the project. Each week, students will brief the class on the project and "lessons learned" in the context of the project. This will include issues related to the application of basic Human Factors principles and as to how the individual projects are meeting the needs of the end users. When problems arise, the entire class will brainstorm to come up with solutions.

Final Project Summary: Students will be required to write a formal report of the project. The final component of the grade will be based on the overall quality of the project and how well it a) meets The needs of the user and b) conforms to Human Factors principles. One component of the final project summary will assess what students have learned and what they can contribute to the community with their knowledge of Human Factors principles. The final project summary will be between 20 - 3 typed, double-spaced pages.

Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 16:20:32 MST
From: Renee Buchanan <RBUCHAN@ssb1.saff.utah.edu