Sharka Hyland is a creator. She creates artwork and designs on commission as an artist, she creates illustrations for personal projects, and seven years ago she created a new course at the University of Pennsylvania called “Open Book” – unique in concept and first of its kind.

In her course, students go through the process of creating a book on a topic of their choice – with components ranging from writing and collecting content, creating the design, and assembling the physical construction and binding of the book itself. For her class, Hyland says, Lore has been invaluable – allowing students to post their latest writings or designs online for peer feedback.

“It’s mostly a question of how students interact with each other. That is pretty much everything for a class. For that, [Lore] is really helpful,” Hyland says. “I have no problem talking to my students, but it’s so much more difficult to have them engage with each other. I think [Lore] is really good for that because in class I can force them to talk to each other, but it comes naturally when they use the software.”

For a course in the arts, Hyland finds that Lore presents an especially valuable offering – it’s easier for students to share and view visual images on the Lore interface, and therefore to learn from each other.

“I think without interaction amongst students there is no learning. And of course nothing replaces that – but [Lore] certainly facilitates it.”