A. Laganà et al. (Eds.): ICCSA 2004, LNCS 3045, pp. 786–794, 2004.
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2004
Task Modeling in Computer Supported Collaborative
Learning Environments to Adapt to Mobile Computing
Ana I. Molina, Miguel A. Redondo, and Manuel Ortega
Dpto. de Informática. Universidad de Castilla – La Mancha
Paseo de la Universidad, 4. 13071 – Ciudad Real. Spain.
aimolina@inf-cr.uclm.es
{Miguel.Redondo,Manuel.Ortega}@uclm.es
Abstract. Using the new wireless technologies, mobile devices with small
displays (handhelds, PDAs, mobile phones) are present in many environments.
We are interested in the effective use of such ubiquitous computing devices for
collaborative learning. We show here their application to a case study, the
teaching of Domotics. To achieve our goal, we analyze the tasks which are
susceptible of improvement through ubiquitous computing. We intend to
identify common high-level task patterns in Computer Supported Collaborative
Learning (CSCL) environments and guidelines that facilitate the creation of a
complete semi-automatic environment that generates CSCL and ubiquitous
tools, independent of the study domain and of the platform.
Keywords: Mobile computing, CSCL, PDA, automated generation of user
interfaces, task modeling.
1 Introduction
The main goal of this article is to incorporate the ubiquitous computing paradigm in
the teaching and learning of domains with a high experimental degree in order to take
into account mobile computing possibilities [1, 2, 3]. Also, the features of these
domains provide an excellent framework to analyze the collaborative process. Thus,
we are going to study the methods that allow us to systematize these tasks. We will
take as a starting point a collaborative e-learning environment based on the desktop
metaphor, following the so-called “Domosim-TPC” [1]. To achieve our goal, we
analyse the tasks (already modelled in the aforementioned system) which are
susceptible of improvement through ubiquitous computing. Once these tasks have
been defined, we will develop a flexible architecture that will support them and will
be extensible and applicable to other situations and necessities [4, 5]. With this
architecture we will implement a prototype materialising the theories outlined. The
prototype will be applied to the learning of Domotics and integrated in the Domosim-
TPC
1
environment.
In this paper the modeling of the main tasks in Domosim-TPC are shown. This is
necessary to adapt the interface to mobile computing support. Also, it is used for
automating this process. First, ubiquitous computing concept is introduced; next, we
1
En Web, http://chico.inf-cr.uclm.es/domosim