The Remote Control Approach - How to Apply Scaffolds to Existing Collaborative Learning Environments

In this paper we present an architecture for the integration of tutoring and process scaffolds into existing collaborative applications. The architecture allows to combine existing research results concerning collaborative processes and their formalization, and existing and tested collaborative learning environments. The architecture allows to control the learning environments either by a human or a pedagogic agent. Both types of tutors are using the same set of primitives – either via an intuitive user interface or a slim Java interface. To prove the soundness of the architecture an example is given using IMS LD collaboration scripts with Coppercore as a workflow engine controlling the Cool Modes environment. A description of the possible applications of the architecture in intelligent tutoring systems gives an insight into the opportunities opened by such a flexible approach. The paper closes with an outlook concerning the use of the architecture with more and different learning systems and process control engines.