Frameworks for Interaction Support in Distributed Learning Environments

A framework for the development of distributed learning environments is presented. The necessary technological infrastructure and the appropriate methodology for interactive learning in a distributed environment are explored. The framework is a result of the research group's experience with a distributed engineering laboratory that was conducted jointly by MIT and by CICESE in Mexico. This is an initial experiment in distributed collaborative learning that will be extended to a larger-scale effort involving multiple universities and corporate centers around the world. Studies of student interaction within this distributed classroom, and personal interviews, have provided us with significant insight into the necessary structure and technological support for distributed learning. This insight is used to generate a set of guidelines for the development of distributed collaborative learning courses.