Using Agents to Create Learning Opportunities in a Collaborative Learning Environment

In order to foster situated learning in a virtual community of practice, we developed a multi-user, real-time, 3D car-driving simulation environment. In such a situation-based learning environment, the availability of enough appropriate learning situations is crucial for success. However, we experienced that often a collaborative usage of the system does not result in a large number of these critical situations. This paper introduces the idea of situation creators, intelligent agents who intentionally create specific situations for learners, into our 3D real-time simulation environment. These created situations challenge a learner much more and force him to react in order to master the driving knowledge.