Repository of virtual places as community memory

This paper discusses the usage of Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) as a repository of virtual places, serving as a community memory. Place is important for human memory and for social life of a learning community. Virtual places have the advantage of flexible creation and modification and therefore can be used for capturing and storing histories and activities in a learning community. We have looked at the theory behind the concept of organizational and community memory and analyzed the lessons learned from the usage of a virtual world, Viras, we have created for social awareness support in a learning context. The result is a set of requirements and a corresponding extension and re-design suggestion for Viras.