The impetus to review this paper was the desire to know the state of human-computer interaction (HCI) education in the Asia-Pacific region. Many countries in the region lead the world in computer technology, but educators in the Asia-Pacific area experience the same challenges in HCI education faced by those in other parts of the world. Thus, the paper has lessons not only for those in the traditional fields of engineering and computer science, but is also interdisciplinary in how computers affect people, their communities, and the social processes they engage in.

The value of this paper stems from its coverage of a topic that has not been studied frequently. The authors rely on the results of the first workshop on HCI education in the Asia-Pacific area as a resource base for developing and delivering high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs. Its interdisciplinary nature and rapid evolution brought the challenges of many theories, methods, and subareas to choose from when designing a curriculum. The workshop found that the field is heavily influenced by the diverse societies in the region. In the less developed countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka, HCI is not considered a priority. More developed nations like Singapore and Australia have invested much in experimenting with different learning approaches, such as peer and active learning as well as concept mapping. Students are encouraged to engage in active interaction with their peers.

The ultimate goal of excellent HCI education is the development of better technology-based products, systems, services, and applications. Because such can only be achieved if business, government, and academia collaborate, it is definitely a good first step. I eagerly await the future studies spurred by this report.