Hi – I’m Jim Waters
After 8 years with the Met Police in London as an analyst/programmer, I became an IT consultant for various software houses, then built on my undergraduate degree in psychology, obtaining an MSc in Occupational Psychology. I served as Evaluation Specialist for various human-centered learning technology projects at a time when the domain was still under development …
I moved to the USA in 1998, obtaining an MS in Information Systems, then a PhD in Information Studies, specializing in the role of thought-leaders in knowledge-sharing in community learning systems. Since then, I worked as a professor, at Cabrini University, then Neumann University – both in the Philadelphia area.
HCI Research
As an HCI researcher, I developed an analytical framework by which patterns of adaptive role-behaviors in online learning communities could be related to peer learner influence. The framework identified eight key role-behaviors of social engagement in a community of inquiry, ranging in levels of influence from none (vicarious learner), through simple acknowledgement of others contributions, to “high impact” behaviors through which iterative collaborative knowledge building is enacted (initiator, facilitator and complicator role-behaviors).
Other projects in which I was involved included the evaluation of graphical passwords as an alternative to remembering long strings of alphanumeric characters (https://xkcd.com/936/) and gathering requirements for an early human-centered, collaborative learning system at Heriot-Watt University.
I grew up in a small seaside town: Hornsea
With a population of approximately 8000 (6000 when I lived there). This small seaside town sits on the coast of North Humberside East Yorkshire between Bridlington and Withernsea. It boasts the largest freshwater lake in East Yorkshire and once was the home to the Hornsea Pottery, it also now has a somewhat sad freeport.
This sleepy town was where I spent my formative years from 1969 to 1977.
Rescue is my favorite breed of dog
From left to right – Back row: Max (1988 – 2004), Flicka (2003 – 2016), Loki (2005 – 2021)
Front row: Freya (2012 -2022), Freki (2020 – present), Chloe (2019 – present)
All our dogs since 1990 have notionally been Border Collie + something else. All have been rescue dogs. Max moved 3,000 miles across the pond with us in 1998/1999. If you want a dog there are plenty in shelters in need of a good home.
Don’t shop, adopt!
