Using VCR to support different styles and types of group collaborations in virtual universities

To support many different group activities such as computer and network based meeting, seminar, conference, tele-lecturing, group project, team work, student instruction and club in a virtual university, a general framework based on a room metaphor or model is used to develop a desktop groupware system, called virtual collaboration room (VCR) that enables teachers and students to flexibly and naturally conduct their collaborative teaching/learning/working over the Internet without constraints on collaboration type, working style, group scale and system platform. As important component in our integrated educational system, University21, the VCR is discussed how to be employed and managed in a virtual university. With the use of Java applets for system implementations, users can enter the VCR from any standard Java enabled Web browser. VCR consists of user panel, object cabinet, object panel, a variety of objects in workspace, workspace panel. An object in VCR has a life cycle from birth, alive to death, and attributes such as owner, state, access mode, handler, and persistence. To further improve the quality of collaborations, natural object control and rich awareness function are fully supported.