As a student, Dr. Beenish Chaudhry, Assistant Professor in the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 School of Computing & Informatics, was a math and computer science whiz.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
She could program in 14 different languages, including Java, C++, and SQL.杏吧专区
She served as a research assistant for professors studying topics like knot theory and topological quantum computing.杏吧专区
But something didn杏吧专区檛 feel quite right.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淚 was doing a lot of programming and computation, but I felt like I was missing the humanities, psychology, the understanding of human beings,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淭hen, I took a course in human-computer interaction. It covered concepts that merged computing and psychology and evolved my understanding of humanity. It was a very nice melting pot of everything I wanted to do.杏吧专区澬影勺ㄇ
Now, as a professor in the M.S. in Informatics program, offered both online and on campus, Dr. Chaudhry hopes to spark that same passion and love for developing a holistic understanding of the world and humanity in her students.杏吧专区
What do informatics courses consist of?杏吧专区
In the M.S. in Informatics program, students take interdisciplinary courses that teach them how to use information technology effectively to solve human problems. This coursework includes Systems Development and IT Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
One of Dr. Chaudhry杏吧专区檚 favorites to teach is INFX 510 杏吧专区 Human-Computer Interaction.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
In it, students explore the relationship between humans and the technology they杏吧专区檝e become so accustomed to using.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
杏吧专区淚 always begin the course with a history of HCI,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淭his is enlightening because a lot of students don杏吧专区檛 appreciate how we got to where we are now. They have been given devices like mice, computers, and phones, but they take them for granted. They lack the appreciation of the ingenuity, challenges, and elegance involved in their development and evolution to the state they are in today.杏吧专区澬影勺ㄇ杏吧专区
They dive into case studies of historical systems that demonstrate the foundational principles necessary for designing user-centric technology, bridging the gap between theory and the practical evolution of these systems over time.杏吧专区
For example, in one case study, the complicated design of a missile launching system caused frequent operator errors; as a result, operators often unintentionally aimed and fired missiles at civilian areas.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ杏吧专区
杏吧专区淎 lot of people might think that only medical professionals can save lives,杏吧专区 Dr. Chaudhry says. 杏吧专区淚 give my students examples like these so that they can appreciate why designing computers effectively is important and understand the context of the work that they do as informatics professionals.杏吧专区澬影勺ㄇ杏吧专区
Considering the history, principles, and examples covered in the course, students then design their own programs.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
杏吧专区淢y goal is not just to give my students knowledge, but also allow them to put this knowledge into practice,杏吧专区 she says.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
Some systems that students have designed in the past include a mobile app to help international students get accustomed to life in United States, a mobile app to slow down the rate of cognitive decline in dementia patients, and a system to help K-12 schools effectively evaluate teachers杏吧专区 performance.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ杏吧专区
Ultimately, this course aims to teach students the process and the principles of technology design in a way that杏吧专区檚 beneficial for humans.杏吧专区
What does research look like in informatics?杏吧专区
Much of Dr. Chaudhry杏吧专区檚 research is focused on equity-centered design, specifically in the health field.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ杏吧专区
Equity-centered design, as Dr. Chaudhry explains it, is about building technology to provide equitable access and benefits to diverse human ecosystems, specifically those that are underserved.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
杏吧专区淎t the 杏吧专区, we杏吧专区檙e very privileged, with access to resources like fast Internet and high-performance computers,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淥n the other hand, there are whole sectors of society that don杏吧专区檛 have access to good computers, or even good health care. In my research, I work with such communities to design technological solutions that directly meet their needs.杏吧专区澬影勺ㄇ
For example, , Dr. Chaudhry and her co-authors developed an app to help older adults with low socioeconomic statuses track their medication intake, play games for mental stimulation, and set health goals. They then collected data from users in the target demographic to determine the app杏吧专区檚 effectiveness in improving quality of life.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
Part of the study involved making sure the app was easy for individuals to navigate and use.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
Another part 杏吧专区 and one that was just as important 杏吧专区 was making sure the app was efficient and accessible.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
杏吧专区淚n equity-centered design, you design for the ecosystem, not just the individual,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淲e have to make design decisions that would, for example, enable the technology to run without high-speed Internet or high-performance computers or high levels of tech literacy, especially if that technology is going to be used in areas without such amenities.杏吧专区澬影勺ㄇ
Are online courses engaging?杏吧专区
Just as Dr. Chaudhry杏吧专区檚 focus as a researcher is designing technology that meets the needs of humans and communities who use it, her focus as an educator is designing curricula that resonate with and enrich the learning experience of the students engaging with it.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
杏吧专区淚 try to be student-centered because that杏吧专区檚 one of the principles of Human-Computer Interaction,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淲hat do they want? How do they want to learn? I take all those factors into consideration, and my courses are designed in a way that students can be successful.杏吧专区澬影勺ㄇ杏吧专区
Her online courses include a blend of activities, including short video lectures, quizzes, discussion posts, and semester-long group projects.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
And as any good researcher would do, Dr. Chaudhry doesn杏吧专区檛 just use guesswork to design her courses.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
杏吧专区淎fter each module in my courses, students complete a feedback form where they give me recommendations on how I can improve the module,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淭here杏吧专区檚 also a section at the beginning of the course where I ask students what they want me to cover in the course.杏吧专区澬影勺ㄇ杏吧专区
The goal is ultimately to build a personalized learning experience for students.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
Recently, Dr. Chaudhry mentored an online student completing an independent study in data analysis. The project involved an online system that high school students use to find internship opportunities. The aim was to understand students杏吧专区 interactions and behaviors within the application to simplify and facilitate the start of their careers.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淲e are in a golden age right now,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淲hen I was a student, we didn杏吧专区檛 have all these programs and options. Now, it杏吧专区檚 so easy to get what you want. And at UL Lafayette, , and there are just so many diverse topics that students can study.杏吧专区澬影勺ㄇ
Do I need an informatics background for a master杏吧专区檚 in informatics?杏吧专区
Students in the M.S. in Informatics program come from backgrounds as diverse as the field itself, from English to speech pathology to business to computer science.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ杏吧专区
In addition, students with an undergraduate degree in a non-computing field take a foundation course to prepare for success in the program.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
Dr. Chaudhry杏吧专区檚 advice to students? Just show up and show interest.杏吧专区影勺ㄇ
杏吧专区淪tudents don杏吧专区檛 need any sort of particular background in my courses,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淭hey just need motivation and an interest in learning. A lot of students in the program don杏吧专区檛 come from a computer science or informatics background, but through our courses, they acquire the skills necessary to succeed.杏吧专区澬影勺ㄇ
Kickstart or grow your career and learn from dedicated, passionate instructors like Dr. Chaudhry. The M.S. in Informatics online program offers concentrations in data science, health informatics, cybersecurity, or general informatics.