IN9500 – Computer Supported Co-operative Work

Schedule, syllabus and examination date

Course content

The course introduces the students to Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) and gives an overview of this interdisciplinary research area. CSCW emphasizes empirical studies of work and cooperation as a basis for suggesting improved IT support. The course walks you through central theories and concepts for understanding work and use of IT as well as studies of the practices people have both inside and outside of work. The aim of the course is to give students a foundation for their own research about use and design of IT for people’s practices in work and everyday life. The teaching is organized around discussions of research papers encouraging students to define and argue for their own interests within the research field.

Learning outcome

After having attended the course you will be able to

  • explain how use of IT in work and everyday life can be understood when applying central theories and concepts from the CSCW area
  • compare and contrast different theoretical and methodological approaches within a broad and varied research area like CSCW
  • apply theories and concepts from the CSCW area on your own empirical data and your own experiences with use of IT in work and everyday life
  • explain you own interest in the CSCW area and argue for it with theory/concepts and empirical studies from the curriculum
  • build your own understanding of use of IT in work and everyday life as a basis for understanding the CSCW area
  • describe the "state of the art" within the research area

Admission to the course

PhD candidates from the University of Oslo should apply for classes and register for examinations through Studentweb. If a course has limited intake capacity, priority will be given to PhD candidates who follow an individual education plan where this particular course is included.

PhD candidates who have been admitted to another higher education institution must apply for a position as a visiting student within a given deadline.

Overlapping courses

Teaching

2 hours of lectures and discussion every week. The course requires 80% attendance in class and production of reading notes for 80% of the articles in the curriculum. In addition, a groupware test and a (group) report is required. All mandatory assignments must be approved before the exam.

In addition to the curriculum a PhD-student will have to:

  • select a CSCW topic to explore (eg. 5 additional CSCW papers)
  • write a literature review where the extra readings are compared to the course curriculum
  • present (orally) and discicuss the literature review

Examination

Oral Exam.

It will also be counted as one of your three attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following courses: IN5500 - Computer Supported Co-operative Work, INF5200 - Computer supported co-operative work (continued), INF9920 - Computer supported co-operative work (continued)

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.

Resit an examination

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester. Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass the original examination.

More about examinations at UiO

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.

Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Oct. 14, 2026 11:29:52 PM

Facts about this course

Level
PhD
Credits
10
Teaching
Spring
Examination
Spring

Contact

Department of Informatics