Using a groupware technology to implement cooperative learning via the Internet - a case study

The Internet presents numerous new resources for teaching/learning. Despite this, it also brings many difficulties. To get around some of them, the AulaNet environment was developed in such a way that teachers could concern themselves about producing educational content while the environment manages the learners' navigation for them. Moreover, the environment offers integrated communication, coordination and cooperation services that can be added on to the course in order to supplement it. The course on "Information Technology Applied to Education" is wholly taught via the Internet though the AulaNet environment. The purpose of the course is to get students to learn to work with information technology as a group, turning them into Web-based educators. The class has been conducted since 1998. This paper reports how the AulaNet was configured and how its services aided in the creation and application of the course during the period from 1998 to 2001. The result of this work is an experience in which it has been possible to analyze development costs, updating and application, and to discern how to encourage learner participation, what the size of the ideal group should be, and a form of assessment of the learning experience based on cooperative activities.