Introduction
This page provides a general introduction to WebGuide and explains the
concepts that guided its design.
What Is WebGuide?
WebGuide is a shared collaboration and knowledge construction medium
implemented on the WorldWideWeb. It is experimental software intended to
support collaborative learning in small groups. Its primary innovation is the intertwining
of perspectives and negotiation -- although planned computer support for negotiation is
not yet implemented in WebGuide. For further discussion of the
theoretical motivation behind WebGuide, please see the list of WebGuide publications.
Hypertext Webs
All notes in WebGuide are linked together in interconnected webs. For instance, a new
note can be entered either "below" an existing note as a "child" of
that note -- such as a comment to it. Alternatively, a new note can be entered
"after" an existing note as a "sibling" or additional entry below the
same "parent" note. Notes cannot be entered unattached; they must be assigned a
positon within the structure of evolving knowledge. Similarly, perspectives are
interconnected with each other.
Perspectives
The knowledge construction space in WebGuide is organized into
"perspectives." Notes are always displayed within the currently selected
perspective. Notes automatically show up in the perspective in which they were created.
Notes can also be copied or linked into a perspective. In addition, notes are
"inherited" from one perspective into others (see below).
Inheritance of Contents
As mentioned above, perspectives are interconnected in a web. All notes in a given
perspective will be inherited into any perspective connected below that one. Perspectives
have one or more parent perspectives, from which they inherit; they may have one or more
children perspectives that inherit from them. Click here for an example
of a perspectives hierarchy. When a perspective is displayed, all notes that belong to
that perspective or that are inherited in it are displayed.
Negotiation
Planned computer support for negotiation in WebGuide is not yet implemented.
Space for Knowledge Construction
Each authorized user has a personal perspective in which to construct knowledge. Within
this perspective, the user has full power to add, edit, delete, move, link, and copy
notes. Notes from other perspectives can easily be linked into one's personal perspective,
where they may be manipulated at will.
Space for Collaboration
Space for Discussion
There are "comparison perspectives corresponding to each group perspective. These
comparison perspectives display all notes that exist in any of the group or personal
perspectives above it in the hierarchy. Any user can add discussion notes in any
comparison perspective. Note that the user probably will not have the ability to edit or
delete these notes once they are added.
Social Policies
WebGuide implements functions and restrictions in accordance with an adopted set of
social policies for its use. See the manual page on Social
Policies.
Scaffolding and Administration
When a new collaboration space is created, it is seeded with a carefully planned set of
notes that provide topic headings and other structures appropriate tot he planned use of
that collaboration space. Usernames are defined for planned users and they are each
assigned a personal perspective. They may also be assigned to subgroup perspectives. This
kind of structuring is important in order to scaffold the use of the space and impose a
useful organization.
A number of functions are planned but not yet implemented to provide for on-going
administration of the structure of a collaboration space.
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This page last modified on
August 01, 2003
