The Visualization of On-line Help for Active User Support in an Engaging and Communicative Learning Environment

Hellas Alive© is the product of joint effort between the Hellenic American Union (Greece) and the Academy of Electronic Media at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (U.S.A.). It comprises the “Virtual School” component, the “Virtual City” component, the “playspaces” component, and an external Support Feature. At its present phase, the project aims at teaching Modern Greek as a Second or Foreign Language within its associated cultural context; nevertheless the platform is language-free by nature. Providing adequate and explanatory “help” is crucial for the success of any type of software, irrespective of size, potential, and aims. The importance of such assistance becomes even greater when it has to be considered in the framework of an online learning platform that not only combines a variety of media and tools but also encourages autonomous exploration and self-paced learning. In the case of such programs, users must have access to enhanced, on-line, instructive, visualized help in lieu of static explanatory text and images. Using Hellas Alive© as an example, this paper will demonstrate how innovation in the help-feature design and implementation can assist users of such platforms and serve as a paradigm for similar products.