CSCL at home: Affordances and challenges of ubiquitous computing

Abstract

Starting from an analysis of how ubiquitous computing technologies have afforded the design of novel learning experiences in different domains, we consider how such technologies can support domestic learning, thus conceiving the family as a community of practice. We exemplify such a vision with the Living Cookbook appliance: This relies on the video capture and retrieval of family members' cooking sessions, so as to enable the creation and sharing of personalized, multimedia cooking instructions. By augmenting the cooking activity with novel social and entertaining aspects, our goal is to motivate cooking and the learning thereof. We report on the implementation and evaluation of the appliance and in conclusion we discuss our results in light of their possible implications for the design of domestic technology. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.