CoCo is a new co-creative learning platform that empowers educators to engage children and teens in an endless variety of collaborative creative computing experiences with peers - regardless of whether they are sitting next to one another in a classroom or connecting remotely across continents.
The platform supports real-time collaboration across multiple types of interactive environments, including those for block-based coding, text-based coding, digital art, and creative writing. The co-creative programming environments in CoCo currently extend and build on top of Scratch 3.0, developed at the
Ten years of being creative together
Shruti Dhariwal SM '18 and Manuj Dhariwal SM '18, co-creators of the CoCo platform, have been long-time creative partners in both work and life. A decade ago, as newlyweds, they co-designed social and educational board games in
In 2015, the couple relocated to
The pair now continue to collaborate together as PhD students at the Lifelong Kindergarten group, which has been a leader in developing creative learning technologies and communities for young people for more than three decades. Lifelong Kindergarten has been responsible for widely known projects including LEGO Mindstorms, Computer Clubhouse, Scratch, and others.
Inspiration for CoCo
In
This exchange and the context in which it occurred prompted the Dhariwals to reflect on two key questions later that day: How can young people engage in diverse constructive learning experiences online (beyond playing games) while also feeling authentically connected with their peers in real-time How can we envision anxiety-free social platforms for children and teens that are intentionally grounded in the core principles of mindfulness such as non-judgment, interconnectedness, and compassion
It was in this conversation, which was coincidentally full of words starting with 'co' that the name and ideas of CoCo first took form.
Designing for knobs over switches
Existing digital creative tools typically follow one of two collaboration approaches: working individually on a project, then sharing online; or working together on the same project, as in a Google Doc.
With CoCo, the Dhariwals introduced the design principle of 'knobs over switches' to envision a new type of co-creative digital environment that bridges the gap between the above two extremes. Instead of exclusively focusing on 'working together,' CoCo spaces are designed to support multiple ways of 'being together.' Creators can opt to work independently alongside others, share code and media with each other in real time, or build collaborative creations.
CoCo is also consciously designed as a 'self-less' social platform that departs from the widely prevalent individual-centric paradigm (of profiles, likes, followers, etc.), rooted excessively in the ideas of comparison and gamification. In CoCo, the fundamental unit in the system is not the individual user, but instead the co-creative spaces where young people engage in with peers.
Interest from around the world
Educators and organizations from 68 countries have already signed up to receive the beta release, expressing their excitement to use CoCo within their classrooms and communities.
An educator from
Eric Rosenbaum SM '09, PhD '15, a graduate of the Lifelong Kindergarten group and the co-inventor of
Reacting to the feedback,
Being. Creative. Together.' in the era of AI
CoCo is designed with the mission of empowering young people everywhere to experience the power and joy of 'Being. Creative. Together.'
In their blog post about CoCo, the Dhariwals explain that the values of being-ness, creativeness, and togetherness form the foundation of this work. They describe these values as being both 'timeless and timely' - a lens they actively use to prioritize what to focus on while brainstorming new ideas together.
With all the remarkable recent developments, it's exciting to think of new ways for children to create and learn with AI,' they write. 'But it's also more crucial now than ever before to intentionally design new technologies in ways that center and celebrate our enduring human need for connection.'
Contact:
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Fax: 617-258-8762
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