Combining User-Centered design and Activity concepts for developing computer-mediated collaborative learning environments: a Case Example

Formative evaluation and iterative prototyping seem an interesting approach for building collaborative learning systems. Our approach to create our software system consisted on iterating successive stages of analysis, specification, implementation and evaluation. At the end, the process turned out to be a five-pass cycle, carried out in two years, with a major reimplementation between the third and the fourth prototype version. We describe the main features for each version, as well as the evaluation techniques followed. The first cycle is presented in more detail and relevant aspects are summarized for the rest. Each evaluation includes the design of a learning activity, the configuration of the prototype to carry out the experience, the set-up and observation of the activity performed with real students and tutors, and finally the drawing of conclusions including the improvements to consider for a next design phase.