CORAL-VIEW: A NETWORK-BASED DESIGN ENVIRONMENT FOR COLLABORATIVE LEARNING.

Based on social constructivist theory, a web-based interactive learning environment was developed (called the CORAL-View System) to enhance Taiwanese university students collaborative skills via design projects. This paper consists of a description of the program itself and our formative and summative evaluations of the system. Using the interactive powers of computer networks, we created modules that allowed students to a) discuss their ideas and observe/evaluate their classmates' products-in-progress, b) investigate rationales behind design products, c) examine connections between theory and observable events, and d) modify their designs according to their observations. Specifically, the program contains a team-formation module (for the task of matching student skills for establishing project teams), a structured discussion module, a Vee diagram design module, and a log file management module. Results from the formative and summative evaluations of student achievement and attitudes toward both the system and col- laborative design process were encouraging. Students produced creative and feasible design products and expressed satisfaction with the CORAL-View functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]