Cooperative learning Systems : Extension of the micro - world concept

Cooperative and distant learning is a new promising way of learning. Several reasons can justify this approach. From the economical point of view distant learning allows students to learn from their locations and lets the teacher share his interventions between them. From the pedagogical point of view a cooperative learning permits to put in practice a new dimension of learning thanks to groups in which each participant has a specific role to assume. The concept of micro-world learning environment is based on a simulated system which is controlled interactively by the student. We propose a new framework in which several students can work together either on the same micro-world or on several micro-words interconnected. We discuss this new organisation and show several examples of use.