BOOTNAP Multi-Modal Collaborative Problem Solving Environment
Currently, we use TECFAMOO as the
collaborative workspace, problem presentation area, and (through moo
clients)
as communication media. The moo provides a spatial metaphor, inlcuding
rooms, exits between rooms and objects, as
well as a
programmable environment for adding new features and functions. In
addition to the problem domains, we have built a special experimental
subject character class for automatically logging and montitoring all
actions. The moo also provides several text-based communication
modalities similar to internet chat. This is augmented with visual
drawings using a shared
whiteboard accessible via the tkMOO-light
client, which runs on Unix/X, PCs, or Macs. This Shared Whiteboard
allows the collaborators to have a common view of visual and archival
material. They can also organize information in novel ways to help
make and express further inferences.
Before switching to the tkMOO-light client, our collaborative
problem solvers used Apple PowerPC
Macintosh Computers, across an AppleTalk/EtherTalk connection. The
collaborators were connected to TECFAMOO, using the Muddweller
program. In addition, they also had a connection with a BeingThere
Whiteboard. This connection allows the collaborators to have a common
view of visual and archival material. They can also organize the
information in novel ways to help further inferences. Some of our
collaborators could also use speech, recorded and transmitted without
use of the computers. We also used a Quicktime Movie recorder (either Instant Replay or Cameraman) to save the whiteboard interactions for later analysis.
Links
David Traum