HARMONY: adaptable virtual collaborative learning environment

摘要

Recently, computer supported learning is one of the hottest subjects and such systems are categorized into 4 types according to the educational activities: CAI, CAL, ITS, and CSCL. Conversely, many experimental systems are being developed in order to support only one of these particular categories. However, in our real world we do not study in separate learning environment, but change our situation dynamically according to the learning purposes. In this paper, we propose the adaptable collaborative learning environment called HARMONY, in which students are able to put themselves in individual learning environments exchangeably. In HARMONY, 3 classes of agents are introduced: learner, coordinator, and assistant. Learner is a pseudo student who takes the interface for the corresponding student. Coordinator plays a role of a teacher, who monitors the learning situation of group in organizing CSCL and generates appropriate advices, if necessary. And, assistant who is effective in ITS-based educational activity gives more adaptable instructions for individual students who are not able to participate in the discussion.