Tacit and Explicit Understanding in Computer Support (Gerry Stahl's eLibrary, #2)
Description
This doctoral dissertation in computer science at the University of Colorado was entitled: "Interpretation in Design: The Problem of Tacit and Explicit Understanding in Computer Support of Cooperative Design" and was defended on August 5, 1993.
The dissertation explored the implications of the theory of tacit knowledge for the problem of computer capture of design rationale. It discussed a software system for design by teams of NASA designers. The computer environment captured design ideas in a flexible system of professional perspectives. This research led to explorations after graduation in prototyping collaboration software incorporating mechanisms to support perspectives and negotiation.
More details
Person
Gerry Stahl's professional research is in the theory and analysis of CSCL (Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning). In 2006 Stahl published "Group Cognition: Computer Support for Building Collaborative Knowledge" (MIT Press) and launched the "International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning". In 2009 he published "Studying Virtual Math Teams" (Springer), in 2013 "Translating Euclid," in 2015 a longitudinal study of math cognitive development in "Constructing Dynamic Triangles Together" (Cambridge U.), and in 2021 "Theoretical Investigations: Philosophical Foundations of Group Cognition" (Springer).
All his work outside of these academic books is published for free in volumes of essays at Smashwords (or at Lulu as paperbacks at minimal printing cost).
Gerry Stahl earned his BS in math and science at MIT. He earned a PhD in continental philosophy and social theory at Northwestern University, conducting his research at the Universities of Heidelberg and Frankfurt. He later earned a PhD in computer science at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is now Professor Emeritus at the College of Computation and Informatics at Drexel University in Philadelphia. His website--containing all his publications, materials on CSCL and further information about his work--is at http://GerryStahl.net.
