COLLAGE: a collaborative Learning Design editor based on patterns

CSCL (Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning) constitutes a significant field that has drawn the attention of many researchers and practitioners (Dillenbourg, 2002). This domain is characterized by the coexistence of very different expectations, requirements, knowledge and interests posed by both collaborative learning practitioners and experts in information and communication technologies. In other words, CSCL is an intrinsically interdisciplinary field that implies a need for mutual understanding among the implied stakeholders. This need demands the active participation of all these stakeholders during the whole development cycle of CSCL solutions. Participatory Design (PD) approaches (Muller & Kuhn, 1993) propose a diversity of theories, practices, etc. with the goal of working directly with users and other stakeholders in the design of social systems. That is, PD methodologies define processes where users and developers work together during a certain period of time, while they identify the requirements of an application. In the CSCL case, it has been shown that it is not efficient enough to simply perform the identification and analysis of requirements for the development of CSCL solutions that support effective ways of learning. Collaborative learning practitioners also become active players in the process of customizing technological solutions to their particular needs in every learning situation. PD poses a new requirement that CSCL developers should tackle: how to obtain technological solutions for collaborative learning capable of being particularized/customized by practitioners that usually do not have technological skills

Cultural probes

How can qualitative and emotional aspects from users be mapped at the same time as they get something meaningful in return? This case study has developed the use of cultural probes [1] with a selection of ten families with small children in the Öresund region. The idea was to evoke thoughts about recreation and living for the probe users while providing information and inspiration to the scientist. This has been achieved through the use of collage. The mixed compositions of images and quotations in the collages are thought to give a quick and effective overview over both what thoughts the probe users have about their home life and how they live. The collages have then been handled over to the probe users as a platform for further discussions. The probes ability to work as something enriching and beneficial to the probe users have been further developed in a new way

Architecture and Visual Narrative

Architecture communication tools have been implemented in recent history by strategies and narrative artifices imported from cinema, comic, photo-journalism and infographic. The architect has integrated the traditional encoded drawing with more extensive narrative artifacts to expand the basin of its interlocutors and to describe underestimated aspects of architecture and design process. Through the illustration of recent significant experiences, this paper intends to highlight the great variety of images that can be attributed today to architecture and the lack of proper attention on this production by Visual Studies

Bletchley Park text: using mobile and semantic web technologies to support the post-visit use of online museum resources

A number of technologies have been developed to support the museum visitor, with the aim of making their visit more educationally rewarding and/or entertaining. Examples include PDA-based personalized tour guides and virtual reality representations of cultural objects or scenes. Rather than supporting the actual visit, we decided to employ technology to support the post-visitor, that is, encourage follow-up activities among recent visitors to a museum. This allowed us to use the technology in a way that would not detract from the existing curated experience and allow the museum to provide access to additional heritage resources that cannot be presented during the physical visit. Within our application, called Bletchley Park Text, visitors express their interests by sending text (SMS) messages containing suggested keywords using their own mobile phone. The semantic description of the archive of resources is then used to retrieve and organize a collection of content into a personalized web site for use when they get home. Organization of the collection occurs both bottom-up from the semantic description of each item in the collection, and also top-down according to a formal representation of the overall museum story. In designing the interface we aimed to support exploration across the content archive rather than just the search and retrieval of specific resources. The service was developed for the Bletchley Park museum and has since been launched for use by all visitors

Probing the recreational home –The cultural probe as a communicative tool for researcher and user

How can qualitative, ethnographic and emotional aspects from probe users be mapped at the same time as they get something meaningful in return? The emphasis is here on intellectual rewards during probe work rather than future good designs that in a long term perspective can be beneficial for the probe user. This case study has elaborated the traditional use of cultural probes [1] with a selection of ten families with small children in the Öresund region. The idea was to evoke thoughts about recreation and living for the probe users while providing information and inspiration to the scientist. This has been achieved partly through the use of collages. The mixed compositions of images and quotations in the collages are thought to give a quick and effective overview over both what thoughts the probe users have about their home life and how they live. The collages have then been handled over to the probe users as a platform for further discussions. The probes ability to work as something enriching and beneficial to the probe users have been further elaborated in a new way

Mapping traditions:historically tendencies of an urban design method

Mapping has a long tradition as a method within urban design and landscape practice and is generally used in three ways: To analyze spatial conditions, generate design interventions, and communicate design ideas or spatial knowledge. It is a tool for thinking through the activity of reformulating and interpreting the complex and three-dimensional world into often simplistic, two-dimensional visual representations. Looking at mapping in retrospect, historically positions and tendencies that reflect contemporary society and urban landscape is revealed. This paper seeks to trace the mapping positions and tendencies through time. The paper takes its historically starting point in the period of the industrialization and seeks at outlining shifting understandings and perspectives of the spatial and physical world, which has affected plans and design of urban landscapes. From this unfolding of various mapping tendencies and ways of doing thought time, the paper wishes to discuss the contemporary tendencies of urban design mapping. Here the paper discusses the implication of technological improvement in mappings. Technology has and is affecting mappings in two ways. Firstly, technology has and still is advancing the accuracy of measures of urban structure, and it increases geospatial knowledge usable in mappings as GIS (Geographical Information System) is a result of. Secondly, technology enables new ways of sensing and understanding the world, which makes it relevant to reflect on how new technologies extend the human senses and what new spatial knowledge they might enable. Hence, the paper discusses the possibilities and implications of a more technology driven urban design mapping practice

Developing Reading Material for Architecture Student at National Institute of Technology

Teaching material has a vital role in the process of teaching and learning. It is so important of a component that may not be neglected since the success in obtaining the maximum input of the knowledge depends on the proper selection of the teaching material. Moreover, in the attempt of designing the teaching material relevant to the learner needs, a need analysis is conducted. By fulfilling the learner needs, learning becomes meaningful and purposeful. The purpose of this study was to conduct a need analysis for architect students in National Institute of Technology Malang aiming at developing a reading material. A questionnaire was adopted as the method of needs analysis, prior to collecting the data, literature was reviewed. In total, 52 architecture students, 20 alumni of architecture students, 20 professional architects participated in this study. The finding of this study provided valuable implication for researchers to develop teaching material.Keywords: teaching material, reading, need analysis, designin