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coMentor

coMentor. http://comentor.hud.ac.uk A WWW-based multi-user virtual environment to facilitate collaborative learning amongst students. Supported by JTAP. Rationale behind coMentor. Developed from the needs of philosophy students - a subject perceived as difficult

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coMentor

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  1. coMentor http://comentor.hud.ac.uk A WWW-based multi-user virtual environment to facilitate collaborative learning amongst students. Supported by JTAP

  2. Rationale behindcoMentor • Developed from the needs of philosophy students - a subject perceived as difficult • Need to support debate, discussion, group work, resource sharing and vicarious learning • Need to support peer mentoring • Need to support part-time and distance-learning students http://comentor.hud.ac.uk

  3. coMentor Technology • MOO adapted to serve WWW pages - looks like a normal Web site, but has multi-user functionality • Additional functionality from Java applets and Perl scripts • System is accessible over the WWW without special client-side software http://comentor.hud.ac.uk

  4. coMentorFeatures • Accessible over the WWW without needing to download any special client software • Visual and easy to use: looks like a WWW site • Real-time discussion (and recording) • Email • Asynchronous discussion groups • Students can easily set up groups and discussion lists and choose who has access • Concept mapping tools http://comentor.hud.ac.uk

  5. MorecoMentorFeatures • Students can leave and annotate work and choose who can read it • Role-playing facility • Users have their own home page to record interests and expertise • Includes useful text resources • Over time, system grows into a repository of resources developed by students • Easy administration over the Web http://comentor.hud.ac.uk

  6. coMentorScreen-shot http://comentor.hud.ac.uk

  7. Evaluation of coMentor • 2nd year philosophy course (106 students) • Course redesigned to integrate coMentor • The system proved popular with students… ...they thought it was easy to use, and they liked the interface …they thought the resource area was useful ...94% recommended it should be used with the following year’s students ...67% said that they would have used the system more than they did http://comentor.hud.ac.uk

  8. coMentor Findings • The students learned from seeing each other’s work • They also learned from having to ‘write’ down and sharing their ideas with others • The students attained high levels of deep and strategic learning http://comentor.hud.ac.uk

  9. What students think about using coMentor ... “…an enjoyable learning experience” “coMentor helped me realise where I was going wrong by looking at other people’s work” “I think coMentor is an extremely useful tool” “My experience has convinced me that I do need to be connected to the Internet” http://comentor.hud.ac.uk

  10. coMentorDevelopment • Regular newsletter • Expansion of use into other UK HEIs • Expansion into new subject areas • A multi-course version of the software • A mutual support group of coMentor users • A hand-book of teaching experiences to illustrate the pedagogic uses of coMentor • Collaboration with other successful JTAP-supported projects http://comentor.hud.ac.uk

  11. How to get coMentor • Version 1.1 released October 1999 • Free to UK HEIs • Download the software from: http://comentor.hud.ac.uk/download.htm • coMentor Manual available on-line or to download from: http://comentor.hud.ac.uk/manual.htm http://comentor.hud.ac.uk

  12. Web site: http://comentor.hud.ac.uk Contact: comentor@hud.ac.uk coMentor, Dept. of Behavioural Sciences, School of Human and Health Sciences, The University of Huddersfield, HD1 3DH 01484 473302 Contacts & information

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