Title: Supporting Awareness for Augmenting Participation in Collaborative Learning.
Abstract: This paper describes Coconuts (Concurrent Collaborative Learning Environment Supported by Awareness), a proposed module of Sharlok (Sharing, Linking and Looking-for Knowledge), an open-ended and collaborative learning environment that integrates a knowledge building tool with a collaborative interface tool. Coconuts was developed in order to support knowledge awareness (KA) during collaborative learning with Sharlok. Topics discussed include: collaborative learning in an open group, including an open-ended collaborative learning environment, the time dimension of open-ended collaborative learning, and the taxonomy of participation; an overview of Sharlok as a personal and collaborative learning environment; an overview of KA; and an overview of Coconuts, including features, system configuration, and the user interface. Results of an evaluation of Coconuts, in which nine master course students used Sharlok for 4 hours--2 hours unsupported by Coconuts and 2 hours supported by Coconuts--are presented. It is concluded that provision of awareness facilitates participation in multiple and concurrent collaboration and reduces wasteful formal participation, and that informal communication activates collaboration. A table categorizes collaborative learning in a closed versus open group, and five figures present a diagram of open-ended collaboration, the participation form of concurrent collaboration, the system configuration, screens of Coconuts in Sharlok, and frequency of participation results. Contains 12 references. (DLS) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) O This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. o Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Supporting Awareness for Augmenting Participation in Collaborative Learning Hiroaki OGATA and Yoneo YANO Faculty of Engineering, Tokushima University, Japan E-mail: { ogata, yano } @is.tokushima-u.ac.jp URL: http://www-yano.is.tokushima-u.ac.jp/ Abstract: Knowledge awareness (KA) has been proposed for increasing collaboration opportunities in an open ended and collaborative learning environment. KA consists of information about up-to-minute activities of other learners. For instance, it indicates when someone is looking at the same knowledge that learners are looking at. Multiple collaboration is concurrently realized through KA. This paper describes a concurrent collaborative learning environment supported by awareness, toward augmenting participation in collaborative learning. We tested and verified the effectiveness of this system in an experimental training. Knowledge awareness (KA) has been proposed for increasing collaboration opportunities in an open ended and collaborative learning environment. KA consists of information about up-to-minute activities of other learners. For instance, it indicates when someone is looking at the same knowledge that learners are looking at. Multiple collaboration is concurrently realized through KA. This paper describes a concurrent collaborative learning environment supported by awareness, toward augmenting participation in collaborative learning. We tested and verified the effectiveness of this system in an experimental training.
Publication Year: 1998
Publication Date: 1998-06-01
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 11
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot