An inclusive set of eight very useful principles to support the design and implementation of desktop collaborative-learning environments were developed by Bouras, et al., 2008. These principles incorporated the resulting incremental developments and advancement of earlier findings and scenarios produced by other researchers such as Osborne, 1963; Aronson et al.; 1978; Lymna, 1981; Young, 1997; Johnson et al., 1998; Millis et al., 1998). A listing of the eightdesign principles along with a brief discussion are provided below:
Principle 1: Design to support multiple collaborative learning scenarios
Principle 2: Design to maximize the flexibility within a virtual space
Principle 3: Augmenting user’s representation and awareness
Principle 4: Design an inclusive, open, and user-centered virtual place
Principle 5: Design a media-learning centric virtual space
Principle 6: Ergonomic design of a virtual place accessible by large audience
Principle 7: Design to reduce the amount of extraneous load of the users
Principle 8: Design a place for many people with different roles
Multiple collaborative tools are designed to support the execution of the different e-learning scenarios such as: brainstorming, roundtable, jigsaw, think pair share, quick-writes, and micro-themes...etc. It is important to recognize that e-learning environments can support many groups of users in a variety of subjects. This means that some scenarios would fit better in certain subjects than in others, for this reason users/instructors should be provided with the capability to choose among various scenarios. Additionally, due to the need for multi-functionality within a collaborative on-line synchronous session, it should be made easy, simple and quick to re-organize the virtual place for a particular activity or scenario. One simple approach is to increase the level of flexibility and divide the virtual environment into smaller areas. Such division would allow for ease of undertaking the specific functions. However, despite its benefits, this approach can result in disorientation and rise of the cognitive load of the users concerning the virtual space operation.
Augmenting the user’s representation and awareness underscores the importance of combining gestures, mimics; user representation, audio, video and text chat communication, as well as application sharing, similarly, the virtual objects and media can be integrated. All these key elements would provide users with the capability to share their views with others, and show the objects they are discussing. Awareness of other people and objects is essential for e-learning and helps in focusing on the visualization of others, and the representation of their actions on the objects discussed. But, in order to support as many users as possible, a collaborative virtual space should be accessible as much as possible, and access should remain open and not restricted. Open access is important to guide the moderators, instructors, and the individuals responsible for it. In addition, each part of the technology implementation processes would have to guarantee the continuation and general implementation of the specific technology utilized.
Furthermore, in designing media-learning centric virtual spaces, several guidelines for implementation would have to be followed. Virtual environments require multiple communication channels to be based on the differing needs, and requirements. Many communication channels such as application sharing, message board, voice chat, text chat, etc. should be integrated in the virtual space in order to enhance communication awareness among users. While communication should not be intrusive, users should be able to utilize the right channel for the right task. Equally important is the need for virtual environments to be easily accessible. Furthermore, access to the virtual environment should be user friendly; fast and simple in terms of registration, software download and installation.
It should also be emphasized that reducing the amount of unnecessary load is a very important design principle. The commands of interfaces should be in a graphical user interface fashion, and all functions and tools should be located in the same window. Since the main objective of an e-learning environment is to support the learning process, the operation of the learning environment should be simplified and user friendly. Another key consideration concerns the design of a virtual environment according to the needs of the individual roles. Access tools to support a variety of roles with differing access rights are necessary. Such tools and access rights would support the participant’s different roles such as regulating interaction by moderators or instructors, however, these tools may not be available to learners.
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