New Perspectives on Working, Learning, and Collaborating and Computational Artifacts in Their Support

Abstract

Human-computer interaction has refocused many research efforts within computer science from a technology-centered view to a user-centered view. Work-centered design transcends user-centered design by acknowledging that not only are most people novice or generic users of computer systems, but skilled workers in specific domains, as well. These efforts need to be augmented by a learner- and collaboration-centered design perspective that emphasizes the dynamic and collaborative, rather than the static and individualistic, nature of human knowledge and work. The current research efforts of reinventing and reengineering computational environments support the integration of working, learning, and collaboration. New conceptual frameworks and computational environments are also needed that will serve as "objects-to-think-with" to demonstrate, communicate, and open up for critiquing the emerging new understanding. In this paper, I explore how new perspectives transcend the dominant current understanding and discuss attempts to turn these perspectives into reality.