Supporting collaborative design by communities of interest with the envisionment and discovery collaboratory (EDC)

A major role of new media is not to deliver predigested information to individuals, but to provide the opportunity and resources for social debate, discussion, and the creation of new knowledge. In collaborative design, the knowledge to understand, frame, and resolve problems does not exist, but is constructed and evolved during the process, exploiting the power of "symmetry of ignorance" and "breakdowns." From this perspective, access to existing information and knowledge (often seen as the major advance of new media) is a very limiting concept.

To illustrate this theoretical approach towards collaborative learning, the participants in this interactive event will engage in collaborative design activities supported by the Envisionment and Discovery Collaboratory (EDC). The EDC merges physical interaction, handheld devices, simulations, end-user modifiability, and evolving web spaces to support a) the integration of problem framing and problem solving, b) the creation of shared understanding articulated as externalizations, and c) computer-supported learning among stakeholders.

We will design the interactive event such that the participants will form a community of interest (defined by their collective concern with the resolution of a design problem) as they take on the roles of stakeholders from various communities of practice (such as city planners, transportation designers, and citizens). The event will illustrate the possibilities and limitations of the EDC for providing unique and innovative computer support for collaborative learning.