Pattern-Based Tool Design for Shared Knowledge Construction - Collaborative Technologies and Applications for Interactive Information Design - page 31

with game-based learning tools which can be
added to the interaction possibilities of a R o o m in
CURE by simply creating a new page. In the fol-
lowing, we present with Fountain of Wisdom one
of these game-based learning tools and highlight
which patterns for computer-mediated interaction
especially influenced its design.
Fountain of Wisdom is based on a 3D virtual
maze in which two teams compete with each other
by answering questions.Additional teams can play
in parallel in the same maze. Users can meet on a
so-called 3D marketplace, use the e m b e d d e d C h a t
to socialize with co-learners, propose a game on
a specific topic, and to send i n V i t a t i o n s to other
users for participating in a C of l l a b of R a t i V e s e s -
s i o n . The C of l l a b of R a t i V e s e s s i o n , i.e. the game,
can be limited in time or limited to a number of
questions. Independent from the specified limit,
the team that correctly answered most questions
wins the game.

intended participants. Include meta-in-
formation on the intended C of l l a b of R a t i V e
s e s s i o n . Automatically add all users who
accept the invitation to the C of l l a b of R a t i V e
s e s s i o n .

After the teams formed, the 3D game maze is
initiated. Users that later on visit the marketplace
can join the game and decide in which of the two
possible teams they want to participate. The under-
lying system then performs a s t a t e t R a n s F e R .

s t a t e t R a n s F e R

Problem : Users are collaborating in a
C of l l a b of R a t i V e s e s s i o n but not all of them
participate from the beginning. Due to this,
some do not know the intermediate results
of the C of l l a b of R a t i V e s e s s i o n which makes
it difficult for them to collaborate.
Solution : Transmit the current state of shared
objects to latecomers when they join a
C of l l a b of R a t i V e s e s s i o n . Since all current
participants have the most recent state of
the session's shared objects, the system can
ask any of the existing clients to perform
the state transfer. Ensure the consistency of
the state.

C of l l a b of R a t i V e s e s s i o n

Problem : Users need a shared context for
synchronous collaboration. Computer-
mediated environments are neither con-
crete nor visible, however. This makes
it difficult to define a shared context and
thereby plan synchronous collaboration.
Solution : Model the context for synchronous
collaboration as a shared session object.
Visualize the session state and support us-
ers in starting, joining, leaving, and ter-
minating the session. When users join a
session, automatically start the necessary
collaboration tools.

The maze provides fountains from which team
members have to obtain a question. Complemen-
tary to the fountains, there are several sinks in the
maze where possible answers to the questions
can be found. Each sink contains answers to a
number of questions. When users step onto a sink,
their view changes and displays the answers to
all questions associated with the sink. From this
list of possible answers the user has to choose the
correct ones knowing only the number of correct
answers. Each correct answer counts for individual
and team points.
Figure 4 shows the normal maze view of
Fountain of Wisdom . From the view of the local
user, you can see another user, i.e. the snowman

i n V i tat i o n

Problem : One user wants to interact with anoth-
er. The other user may be unavailable or
busy in another context so that an immedi-
ate collaboration would disturb them.
Solution : Send and track invitations to the