Dr Frances E Slack BA (Hons)
Senior Lecturer, Information Systems; Postgraduate Research Tutor, Computing
- Department of Computing
- Communication and Computing Research Centre
- Culture and Creativity Research Institute
Summary
My research area is that of public access systems and self-service technologies, with a focus on HCI evaluation. In the last 10 years I have investigated self-service kiosks, public attitudes to smart cards, e-learning systems, and multi-channel customer service interactions.
I have supervised successful PhD programmes in organisational values, e-government in Egypt, open source e-learning, IS/IT sourcing, and academic staff use of e-learning systems. My current PhD students are pursuing projects on usability test design for VLEs, voice to text in the Tamil language, and a comparative study of e-learning.
Research Methods is my main teaching area and I have supervised many Masters dissertations over 20 years. I have also taught Interaction Design, Law, the Internet and Society, and Advanced Learning and Study Skills.
About
I have been involved in human-centred, public access based research in information and communication technologies for some 25 years. As Post-graduate Research Tutor for Computing in C3RI. I not only do research but also supervise, mentor, advise, teach, evaluate, and examine research across the subject area, including 6 research theses.
My list of publications reflects the development of my research interests from the area of my PhD in the late 1980s, to the recent publications worked on with my MSc and PhD students in areas that interest me. I also recognise the importance of peer review for the continuing quality assurance and development of research outputs. I am a regular reviewer for the Journal of Further and Higher Education, specialising in articles that cover aspects of research methods, research training and supervision, and for Internet Research, focusing on aspects of public access to Internet services and systems. I also review for the American publication Journal of Information Technology Education. For a number of years I have reviewed full conference papers and short papers for the BCS HCI conference and for the ‘minitrack’ Advances in Teaching and Learning Technologies at the Hawai'i International Conference on Systems Sciences.
A large part of my research and scholarly activity is related to PhD students and I have been Director of Studies or second supervisor on a number of supervision teams.
I use Blackboard extensively in my teaching, not least because I teach 2 distance learning modules each year. In addition, I give students access to my Twitter account and a number of them follow me. I tweet and retweet about research issues (but sometimes about public transport!). For current awareness I use ResearchGate and LinkedIn and for my interest in public access to information I use Facebook.
Public access to information; Human-computer Interaction
Teaching
College of Business, Technology and Engineering
Information Systems
Research Skills and Principles
Publications
Journal articles
Islam, N., Beer, M., & Slack, F. (2015). Managing online presence in the E-learning environment : technological support for academic staff. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 3 (3), 91-100. http://redfame.com/journal/index.php/jets/article/view/744
Mizzi, J., Slack, F., & Crowther, P. (2015). The use of online social networks at an enterprise level: To what extent can an organisation ensure that its use of OSNs is carried out at a professional level? Knowledge Management, 15 (4), 1-13. http://doi.org/10.18848/2327-7998/cgp/v15i04/59252
Islam, N., Beer, M., & Slack, F. (2015). E-learning challenges faced by academics in higher education. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 3 (5), 102-112.
Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (2009). Conceptions of wisdom. Journal of Information Science, 35 (1), 110-119. http://doi.org/10.1177/0165551508092269
Slack, F., Rowley, J., & Coles, S. (2008). Consumer behaviour in multi-channel contexts: the case of a theatre festival. Internet research, 18 (1), 46-59. http://doi.org/10.1108/10662240810849586
Slack, F. (2007). Information kiosks: a taxonomy. Journal of documentation, 63 (6), 879-897. http://doi.org/10.1108/00220410710836402
Beer, M., Slack, F., & Armitt, G. (2005). Collaboration and teamwork: immersion and presence in an online learning environment. Information systems frontiers, 7 (1), 27-37. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-005-5336-9
Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (2004). Conducting a literature review. Management Research News, 27 (6), 31-39. http://doi.org/10.1108/01409170410784185
Slack, F., & Rowley, J. (2004). Challenges in the delivery of e-government through kiosks. Journal of information science. http://doi.org/10.1177/0165551504045855
Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (2004). What is the future for undergraduate dissertations? Education and training, 46 (4), 176-181. http://doi.org/10.1108/00400910410543964
Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (2003). Kiosks in retailing: the quiet revolution. International journal of retail and distribution management, 31 (6), 329-339. http://doi.org/10.1108/09590550310476060
Slack, F., Beer, M., Armitt, G., & Green, S. (2003). Assessment and learning outcomes: the evaluation of deep learning in an on-line course. Journal of information technology education. http://jite.org/documents/Vol2/v2p305-317-29.pdf
Slack, F., & Rowley, J. (2002). Online kiosks: the alternative to mobile technologies for mobile users. Internet research. http://doi.org/10.1108/10662240210430928
Slack, F., & Rowley, J. (2001). Kiosks 21: a new role for information kiosks? International journal of information management. http://doi.org/10.1016/S0268-4012(01)00041-X
Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (2001). Leveraging customer knowledge – profiling and personalisation in e-business. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 29 (9), 409-416. http://doi.org/10.1108/09590550110400894
Slack, F., & Rowley, J. (2000). Observation: perspectives on research methodologies for leisure managers. Management Research News, 23 (12), 10-16. http://doi.org/10.1108/01409170010781984
Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (2000). The Star Trek phenomenon: towards a typology of curricula in information management. International Journal of Educational Management, 14 (6), 276-285. http://doi.org/10.1108/09513540010348061
Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (2000). Writing for publication: the first steps. Management Research News, 23 (5-6), 20-27. http://doi.org/10.1108/01409170010782028
Rowley, F.J. (1999). Pathways to Knowledge: A Perspective on Information and Knowledge Delivery in Australia. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 31 (4), 197-203. http://doi.org/10.1177/0961000994244543
Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (1999). The retail experience in airport departure lounges: reaching for timelessness and placelessness. International Marketing Review, 16 (4/5), 363-376. http://doi.org/10.1108/02651339910281901
Slack, J.F. (1999). New approaches in Library Networking: Reflections on Experiences in South Africa. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 31 (1), 33-38. http://doi.org/10.1177/0961000994244345
Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (1998). The first postgraduate experience conference ‘97: A personal perspective. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 22 (3), 253-265. http://doi.org/10.1080/0309877980220301
Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (1997). The evaluation of interface design on CDROMS. Online and CDROM Review, 21 (1), 3-13. http://doi.org/10.1108/eb024601
Slack, F. (1996). End-user searches and search path maps: A discussion. Library Review, 45 (2), 41-51. http://doi.org/10.1108/00242539610107578
Cuthbert, P., Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (1995). Analysis and Synthesis in Construct formulation During the Research Process. Management Research News, 18 (1-2), 1-8. http://doi.org/10.1108/eb028395
Lett, B.M., & Slack, F. (1993). Training supervisors of work-based master's level research projects. International Journal of Educational Management, 7 (6), 35-39. http://doi.org/10.1108/09513549310046677
Slack, F. (1991). Subject searching on OPACs: Problems and help provision. VINE, 21 (2), 4-9. http://doi.org/10.1108/eb040452
Slack, F., & Wood, A.J. (1990). Subject Searching on British OPACS: Problems and Progress. Library Review, 39 (6), 41-49. http://doi.org/10.1108/00242539010139399
Slack, F. (1988). Subject Searching on OPACS: A General Survey of Facilities Available on OPACS in Academic Libraries in the UK. VINE, 18 (3), 8-15. http://doi.org/10.1108/eb040393
Conference papers
Adshead, D., & Slack, F. (2017). EU general data protection regulation: the impact on English local authorities. In 17th European Conference on Digital Government (ECDG 2017), Proceedings, (pp. 1-9). Academic Conferences and Publishing International Limited: http://www.academic-conferences.org/conferences/ecdg/
Islam, M.K., & Slack, F. (2016). Women in rural Bangladesh: empowered by access to mobile phones. In Bertot, J., Estevez, E., & Mellouli, S. (Eds.) ICEGOV 2016, Montevideo, Uruguay, 1 March 2016 - 3 March 2016 (pp. 75-84). New York: ACM: http://doi.org/10.1145/2910019.2910074
Butler, N., Slack, F., & Walton, J. (2011). IS/IT Backsourcing - A Case of Outsourcing in Reverse? In 2011 44th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, (pp. 1-10). IEEE Computer Society: http://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2011.261
Slack, F., & Walton, J. (2008). Organizational culture and stakeholder power : a case study of postgraduate initiatives in e-government. In Janowski, T., & Pardo, T.A. (Eds.) Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on theory and practice of electronic governance, (pp. 331-336). New York: ACM: http://doi.org/10.1145/1509096.1509165
Dearden, A., Lauener, A.M., Slack, F., Roast, C.R., & Cassidy, S. (2006). Make it so! Jean-Luc Picard, Bart Simpson and the design of e-public services. In Proceedings of the Ninth Conference on Participatory design: Expanding boundaries in design, Trento, Italy, 1 August 2006 - 5 August 2006 (pp. 67-76). New York: ACM Press: http://doi.org/10.1145/1147261.1147272
Beer, M., Slack, F., & Armitt, G. (2003). Community building and virtual teamwork in an online learning environment. In Proceedings of the 36th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 2003. IEEE Computer Society: http://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2003.1173639
Ashford, R., Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (2002). Electronic public service delivery through online kiosks: The user's perspective. Lecture notes in computer science, 2456, 169-172. http://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-46138-8_26
Theses / Dissertations
Gbolahan, A.T. (2019). Review of factors that influence non-elective hospital admission(s). (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Kelly, S., Slack, F., & Harrop, D. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00371
Islam, N. (2015). Managing interactions in the e-learning environment : Technological support for academic staff. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Beer, M., & Slack, F.
Brain, A.L. (2014). Strategic customer relationship marketing andre-intermediation models in the insurance industry. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Ezepue, P., Mwitondi, K., & Slack, F.
Egwuatu, U.S. (2013). The pedagogy and practice of real estate management in Nigeria : Entrepreneurial perspectives. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Ezepue, P., Udo, G., & Slack, F.
Butler, N.P. (2012). Stay, switch or back : Evaluating the IT sourcing cycle. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Slack, F., & Walton, J.
El-Shetehy, A. (2011). E-government provision in Egypt : From citizen perspective to business readiness. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Slack, F., El-Ragal, A., & Ezepue, P.
Abdull, M.A.S. (2011). Data mining techniques and breast cancer prediction : A case study of Libya. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Ezepue, P., Mwitondi, K., & Slack, F.
Mourady, A. (2011). Open source e-learning application adoption: Medical colleges in a developing world. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Slack, F., & Beer, M.
Lauener, A. (2004). The impact of values on information systems development. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Jayaratna, N., Slack, F., & Mcauley, J.
Other publications
Armitt, G., Slack, F., Green, S., & Beer, M. (2002). The development of deep learning during a synchronous collaborative on-line course. Lawrence Erlbaum
Postgraduate supervision
Challenges of Usability Test Design for a VLE in a Developing Country
A Comparative Study of E-Learning for programming in the UK and Iran
'Mobile Learning for English Language Support'
'An Investigation into approaches to voice to text in Tamil language based on Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence'
Information Systems Development and Organisational Values. 2004
E-Government Provision in Egypt: from Citizen Perception to Business Readiness, 2011
E-learning evolution in higher education in Egypt, 2011
'Stay, switch or back - Evaluating IS/IT Sourcing Cycle', 2012
The Pedagogy and Practice of Real Estate Management in Nigeria: Entrepreneurial Perspectives, 2013
'Strategic Customer Relationship Marketing and Re-Intermediation Models in the Insurance Industry, 2014
Managing online presence in the E-Learning environment, 2015