This document discusses the design of collaborative learning environments based on knowledge sharing applications. It proposes that popular collaborative tools like wikis and Google Docs support informal learning to some extent, but lack features for effective formal learning. The document then describes the Popular Collaborative Platform (PopCorm), which employs concepts from knowledge sharing applications while providing necessary supports for learning, like tools for dialogue, self-regulation, and teacher assistance. It discusses various design trade-offs in PopCorm and evaluates its implementation in a study with 106 students.

1. Designing Learning Environments
Based on Collaborative Content
Creation
21st September 2013
EC-TEL Meets ECSCW
Ivan Srba, Mária Bieliková
Faculty of Informatics and Information Technologies
Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava

2. 2
• Knowledge sharing
– Crucial process in organizations and communities
– Knowledge sharing applications based on Web 2.0 principles
• Wikis, forums, social networking sites
• Collaborative content creation tools (e.g. Google Docs)
• Community question answering systems (e.g. Yahoo! Answers)
• How to design innovative collaborative learning
environments?
– Application of concepts which have been successfully
verified in different domains
Knowledge Sharing as
Model for Learning Environments

3. 3
• Knowledge sharing applications
– Already support informal learning, somehow…
– Are not primarily designed and developed for purpose of
effective learning
– Absence of important features which are essential for learning
• Instructors can lack the features for organization and management
of learning process
• Learners can miss the appropriate tools for their self-regulation and
motivation
How can we design learning environments which employ verified
concepts of knowledge sharing applications and provide necessary
learning support?
Necessity of Learning Support

4. 4
• How to support collaborative learning? (Dimitracopoulou, 2005)
– Appropriate means for dialogue and action
• Interaction and communication tools
– Functions for supporting learners’ self-regulation or guidance
• Scaffolding collaboration (e.g. scripting)
– Functions for workspace awareness
• Who is in the workspace, what are the others users doing, etc.
– Functions related to community level management
• Management tools above the content and community itself
– Facilities related to teachers’ assistance
• Learning analytics, dashboards
Tools and Functions for Learning Support

5. 5
• Classroom Salon, Open Study
– Focused primarily on communication and socializing
• Forums, real-time chat, social networking sites, question answering
Knowledge Sharing Concepts
in Existing Learning Environments

6. 6
• Learning besides collaborative content creation
– We take into consideration concepts of popular content creation
tools (e.g. Google Docs)
– PopCorm support content in three representations:
• Free text in a text editor
• Graphical diagrams in a graphical editor
• Lists of items in a categorizer
– Discussion for learners’ communication
Popular Collaborative Platform (PopCorm)

7. 7
Popular Collaborative Platform (PopCorm)

8. 8
Popular Collaborative Platform (PopCorm)

9. 9
• The Trade-off between Free and Structured Dialogue
– Strictly structured communication
• Higher orientation on task solving
• Problem with “other” messages
– Semi-structured approach of sentence openers
• 18 different types of messages including general message types
• The Trade-off between Parallel and Embedded Tools
– Discussion embedded into all interaction tools
• Fast and effective referencing on the created content
• Communication is compactly recorded in the discussion
PopCorm – Design Trade-offs

10. 10
• The Trade-off Related to the Coordination of Action and
Dialogue
– Unrestricted simultaneous collaboration
– Real-time content synchronization
• Still quite uncommon scenario in learning systems
• The Trade-off between Self-Regulation and Teacher
Support
– Automatic identification of student’s activities
• According to message types in discussion
– Statistics about collaboration
• Automatically calculated evaluation
PopCorm – Design Trade-offs

11. 11
• Formal learning settings
– Target group: students
– Content: short-term tasks which supplement learning materials
– Role of instructor: a teacher
• Informal learning settings
– Target group: workplace teams, communities of practice
– Content: tasks related to their involvement in their
organizations
• Examples: solving of problems employees run into during their
work, human resources trainings or team building activities
– Role of instructor: a manager, a supervisor, a team leader
Supported Collaboration Scenarios

12. 12
• Evaluation in formal learning settings
– Long-term experiment
• 106 students
• 254 dynamic short-term study groups
• 69 short tasks prepared by a teacher
– Collecting feedback from students
• Collaborative learning in PopCorm
– Interesting and unconventional way of education
– Effective and successful learning
Evaluation of Design Decisions

13. 13
• From knowledge sharing applications…
– Users are already familiar with their concepts
– Widely used by different organizations
• …to innovative learning environments
– It is possible to design collaborative learning environments by
employing concepts verified in knowledge sharing applications
• Finding synergy and equilibrium
– But, it is still necessary to provide suitable learning support
– Our design decisions in implementation of learning environment
PopCorm which is inspired by
• Knowledge sharing applications
• Collaborative content creation tools
Contributions to Workshop Aims