1. gerry stahl The i-School @ Drexel University
Information & Users: Dealing with Transformations in Information & Learning
gerry stahl
The Drexel University

2. Today’s lesson plan I. Epochal changes in info dissemination
II. Glacial changes in edu technology
III. Virtual Math Teams as a prototype
IV. Confronting the future … as it rushes toward us
… teaching i-Science at the i-School

3. I. Epochal changes in information dissemination

4. The epochs, they are a’changin’
The oral epoch
The literate epoch
The computer epoch
The network epoch

5. Tech-nology
spoken language
written language
computer
network
Afford-ances
coord. & thought
extern. persist
retrieve & manip
share globally
Theory
myth & religion
enlighten-ment
info- process
group cognition
Agency
spirits
minds & bodies
computa-tion
small groups
Education
cultural classics, tradition
personal develop (Bildung)
transfer of info
collab. knowl. building
Ed tech
CAI
Logo
ITS
CSCL

6. The promise of globally networked computers to usher in a new age of universal learning and sharing of human knowledge remains a distant dream; the software and social practices needed have yet to be conceived, designed, and adopted. (Stahl, 2006, p. 1)
Small groups are the engines of knowledge building. The knowing that groups build up in manifold forms is what becomes internalized by their members as individual learning and externalized in their communities as certifiable knowledge. (Stahl, 2006, p. 16)

8. Stahl, G. (2001) The rapid evolution of knowledge
Stahl, G. (2001) The rapid evolution of knowledge. Available at:
-- in contrast --
Stahl, G. (2006) Group cognition: Computer support for building collaborative knowledge. MIT Press exploratory case studies why it is so hard and so slow

9. II. Glacial changes in educational technology

10. Ed tech approaches
Computer-aided instruction (CAI), a.k.a., “drill and kill” (1960s)
AI tutoring agents (ITS) (1970s)
Logo as Latin (constructionism) (1980s)
Instructional management systems (IMS) e.g., Blackboard, Web-CT
Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) (1990s - present)

11. Cog Sci vs. Learning Sci
CAI & IMS still based on transfer of factual information
CAI, ITS, Logo, IMS still focused on individual as lone learner
CAI, ITS, IMS assume teacher-centric, fixed curriculum content
But learning sciences today call for social learning, student-centered, constructivist, engaged, inquiry, discourse-based

12. Software design needed!
Hardware for globally networked knowledge building and collaborative learning is at hand -- but not software
We need support for social networking of students and others who share interests and complement skills/knowledge to work and learn together in ways that let them access relevant resources, scaffolding, feedback to build knowledge that is new and important for them and others

13. HCI design issues
Support for interaction within groups, not single-user desktop computers
Support for variety of learners
Support for knowledge domains, like math simulations, notations, sketching, comp.
Integration with other tools and practices
Adoption by students, schools, teachers, parents
Privacy and security for young students
Business model for developers & schools

14. III. Virtual Math Teams (VMT) as a prototype

15. 3 levels of social organization
VMT as a primitive model of designing & supporting the social organization of computer-supported systems for collaborative learning (CSCL)
Integrating support on 3 levels:
level 1. individual
level 2. small group
level 3. community

16. 1.Supporting individual learners
Elite schools provided elite libraries for readers
Elite schools provided peer socializing and networking with future leaders
Elite schools provided experts to guide study and to apprentice
1. Internet public libraries are now a solved problem -- what about socialization & apprenticeship?

17. 1. Matching & Networking

18. 2. Supporting small groups
THE internet opportunity: to network learners around the world
Overcome isolation due to geography, disabilities, over-specialization
Overcome alienation of solitary study
Leverage enormous advantages of collaborative learning (fundament of social learning, learn by teaching, mutual assistance, diverse perspectives)
Small groups are the “engines” of social knowledge building and the origin of internalized individual knowledge

19. 2. Key role of small groups
Production of creative knowledge in the 21st Century will take place through small groups, teams, communities of practice.
Individuals will learn by participating in these knowledge-building groups.
Knowledge will be disseminated (cultural transmission) thru networks of groups.

20. 2. Roles of small groups
Socialization: To learn math is to become conversant with talking the language of math, being mathematical, thinking like a mathematician. The best way to do this is to engage in math discourse..
Apprenticeship: To learn HCI is to become skilled at interaction design through doing designs, critiquing designs,participating in design projects of design teams, guided by people with other experience.

21. 2. The VMT Chat Environment
Message
to message
referencing
Explicit
Referencing
Support
Chat
Scrollbar
Whiteboard
Scrollbar
awareness messages

22. 3. Supporting communities
Scarce resource of experts used to guide at the level of learning communities
Learners contribute to world-wide knowledge building
Overcome provincialism and local maxima of knowledge

23. 3. The VMT community wiki

24. VMT Findings VMT publications (80): My publications (150):
vmt.mathforum.org/vmtwiki/index.php/Studying_Virtual_Math_Teams#Writings_on_the_Virtual_Math_Teams_project
My publications (150):
Dissertations at the I-School:
Info behavior in online groups (Nan)
Negotiating differences for shared meaning (Ramon)
Sustaining group inquiry (Johann)
Group construction of math artifacts (Murat)

25. IV. Teaching for the future: HCI at the i-School

26. Design-based research in HCI
User-centered design through iterations of naturalistic usage
Prototype => usage => analysis => refine theory => redesign => ….
Prototype must be robust enough for groups
Usage must be situated
Analysis must recognize unanticipated enactments & mediations by users
Chat interaction analysis!

27. Design spaces for HCI inquiry
Extend Virtual Math Teams:
Design new functionality for the VMT environment to support social networking among students interested in discussing mathematics. This may include how students can define profiles, search for profiles, invite people, rank their experiences, etc. Make VMT into a social community where students will want to go, invite their friends, meet new people, and discuss math.
Extend Internet Public Library:
The I-School at Drexel is developing the Internet Public Library (IPL – We want to extend it to support online collaborative learning in the virtual library. Your group is being asked to design the interface for a new IPL feature that could enhance social computing, collaborative learning, knowledge construction and community building by IPL users.
Social networking:
The goal of the course is the creation of a wiki page on the topic of “Designing Social Interaction Software” from an HCI perspective and a wiki page on “A Vision of the Future of the Internet Public Library.”

28. for further info: Stahl, G. (Ed.) (2009). Studying Virtual Math Teams
Springer Press, CSCL Series
YouTube: “The Machine is us/ing us”