Awareness and Cooperation Tools for a Simulation-based Learning Environment

Abstract

In this paper we present the prototype version of MGCoop, a set of CSCW toolsdeveloped for Management Game, a simulation-based learning environment developed by theUniversity of Carnegie Mellon. This paper presents the design of CSCW tools that allow thestudents to plan and establish virtual meetings through the internet, maintaining them aware of theircapacities, commitments, availability and activities, in a learning environment. The students canwork in a cooperative way, being coordinated using a WYSIWIS workflow environment, andpresenting and discussing their points of view in an asynchronous or asynchronous way. Weincluded the results obtained during the analysis from the interaction problems presented by themembers of the learning group during their cooperation meetings. Some examples of these tools arepresented, which were implemented in JAVA, permitting platform independence.Keywords: CSCL (Computer Supported Collaborative Learning), Groupware, CSCW (ComputerSupported Cooperative Work), JAVA, Workflow, Simulation Based Learning.