Can the teaching of HCI contribute for the learning of computer science the case of semiotic engineering methods

This paper presents the results of an in-depth qualitative study carried out to investigate the teaching and learning of Semiotic Engineering methods, namely the Semiotic Inspection and the Communicability Evaluation methods. We identified three kinds of abilities that are necessary for a better learning and application of these methods: systematic interpretation, abstraction and wide perspective. We have also identified the relation among these three abilities. In the triangulation step of the research we found that these abilities are also recurrently invoked as necessary to the learning of other Computer Science subjects such as programming, induction, and object-oriented design and development. In conclusion, we suggest that strategies used to teach Semiotic Engineering methods can explicitly explore the connections with other contents in the Computer Science curriculum and thus begin to reap mutual benefits. Author