Cowork: Gamified, Virtual Coworking Web Application to Support Remote Learning for Students

Coworking spaces allow students focused on different tasks to work in the same environment, support productivity and self-efficacy, and promote social interactions and peer support. These spaces, physically, can include coffee shops, libraries, dedicated coworking spaces, and other locations. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these spaces have been shuttered to potential visitors or are simply unsafe. Extended online learning periods during COVID-19 have led to social isolation and decreased student productivity and motivation. Some online applications begin to address the void left by the closure of these physical spaces. However, they all suffer from a lack of real-time interaction, productivity tools or focus, major accessibility issues, or a combination of those mentioned above. Cowork is a new interactive system that supports online coworking for students in a comfortable, virtual environment, built with accessibility features like keyboard navigation and screen-reader support.