A Constructivist Framework for Online Collaborative Learning

Web Based ◽

Web Based Learning ◽

Theoretical Perspectives ◽

And Behavior

The purpose of this chapter is to review and discuss theoretical perspectives that help to frame collaborative learning online. The chapter investigates literature about the type of learning and behavior that are anticipated and researched among participants learning collaboratively and discusses how these attributes explain computer-supported collaborative learning. The literature about learning is influenced by perspectives from a number of fields, particularly philosophy, psychology, and sociology. This chapter describes some of these perspectives from the fields of cognitive psychology, adult learning, and collaborative group learning. Recent research into computer-supported collaborative learning that applies these theories will also be discussed.

Research Approaches in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning

International Journal of e-Collaboration ◽

10.4018/jec.2013010101 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Tharrenos Bratitsis ◽

Stavros Demetriadis

Keyword(s):

Collaborative Learning ◽

Research Field ◽

Research Issues ◽

Online Distance Education ◽

Theoretical Perspectives ◽

History Of ◽

How People Learn ◽

Online Distance ◽

New Research

Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is concerned with how people learn when working and interacting in groups with the assistance of ICTs. The field involves collaboration, computer mediation, online – distance education which raises interesting theoretical considerations regarding the actual studying of learning within CSCL settings. Being a rather interdisciplinary research field in nature, it has a long history of controversy about its theory, methods, and definition. In this editorial, through a quick review of the literature the diversity of issues examined under the CSCL research field becomes obvious. Moreover, an attempt to categorize these research issues is made. In this vein, the four interesting contributions of this Special Issue, regarding theoretical perspectives and issues of research of the field, are introduced. They comply with the distinguished categories, but they open new research borders as well.

Reflection and Intellectual Amplification in Online Communities of Collaborative Learning

Online and Distance Learning ◽

10.4018/978-1-59904-935-9.ch156 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 1950-1960

Author(s):

Elsebeth Korsgaard Sorensen

Keyword(s):

Collaborative Learning ◽

Learning Environments ◽

Meta Level ◽

Building Process ◽

Starting Point ◽

Collaborative Knowledge Building ◽

Analytical Approaches ◽

Collaborative Knowledge

An alternative theoretical framework for analyzing and designing computer-supported collaborative learning environments is introduced. Bateson’s theory (1973) is used as a starting point for considering in what sense the specific dialogical conditions and qualities of virtual environments may support learning. We need more stringent analytical approaches of research that relate communicative qualities of virtual contexts to qualities of the collaborative knowledge-building process. This approach suggests that new didactic and instructional methods, addressing the learner’s communicative awareness at a meta-level, need to be developed in order to fully utilize the interactive and reflective potential of online collaborative learning. A deeper understanding of the reflective nature of the online environment and its potential for enhancing intellectual amplification will give rise to the birth of new and more innovative designs of online collaborative learning.

Innovations for Online Collaborative Learning in Mathematics

Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, First Edition ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-553-5.ch269 ◽

2005 ◽

pp. 1529-1534

Author(s):

Rodney Nason ◽

Eearl Woodruff

Keyword(s):

Collaborative Learning ◽

Knowledge Building ◽

Knowledge Forum ◽

Intractable Problem ◽

Knowledge Building Communities

The field of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) has been growing in a number of areas and across a number of subjects (Koschmann, 1996; Koschmann, Hall, & Miyake, 2002; Wasson, Baggetun, Hoppe, & Ludvigsen, 2003). One of the most promising pedagogical advances, however, for online collaborative learning that has emerged in recent years is Scardamalia and Bereiter’s (1996) notion of knowledge-building communities. Unfortunately, establishing and maintaining knowledge-building communities in CSCL environments such as Knowledge Forum® in the domain of mathematics has been found to be a rather intractable problem (Bereiter, 2002b; Nason, Brett, & Woodruff, 1996). In this chapter, we begin by identifying two major reasons why computer-supported knowledge-building communities in mathematics have been difficult to establish and maintain.

Supporting Online Collaborative Learning in Mathematics

Encyclopedia of Distance Learning ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-555-9.ch261 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 1725-1731 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rod Nason ◽

Eearl Woodruff

Keyword(s):

Collaborative Learning ◽

Knowledge Building ◽

Knowledge Forum ◽

Intractable Problem ◽

Knowledge Building Communities

One of the most promising pedagogical advances for online collaborative learning that has emerged in recent years is Scardamalia and Bereiter’s (1996) notion of knowledge-building communities. Unfortunately, establishing and maintaining knowledge-building communities in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments such as Knowledge Forum® (Scardamalia & Bereiter, 1998) in the domain of mathematics has been found to be a rather intractable problem (Bereiter, 2002a; Nason, Brett, & Woodruff, 1996).

Online Collaborative Learning in Mathematics

10.4018/978-1-59140-174-2.ch005 ◽

2004 ◽

pp. 103-131 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Rod Nason ◽

Earl Woodruff

Keyword(s):

Collaborative Learning ◽

Knowledge Building ◽

Theoretical Frameworks ◽

Modeling Tools ◽

Mathematical Problems ◽

Subject Areas

This chapter discusses why computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments have been unsuccessful in facilitating knowledge building in mathematics. It identifies two of the major reasons why this is so and suggests these issues could be overcome by the inclusion of model-eliciting mathematical problems and comprehension modeling tools within CSCL environments. Theoretical frameworks to inform the design of these two types of artifacts are presented. The authors argue that such innovations in the design of CSCL environments are necessary for students to achieve in mathematics the kind of sustained, progressive knowledge building that can now be found in other subject areas.

Reflection and Intellectual Amplification in Online Communities of Collaborative Learning

10.4018/978-1-59140-174-2.ch011 ◽

2004 ◽

pp. 242-261 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Elsebeth Korsgaard Sorensen

Keyword(s):

Collaborative Learning ◽

Learning Environments ◽

Meta Level ◽

Building Process ◽

Starting Point ◽

Collaborative Knowledge Building ◽

Analytical Approaches ◽

Collaborative Knowledge

An alternative theoretical framework for analyzing and designing computer-supported collaborative learning environments is introduced. Bateson’s theory (1973) is used as a starting point for considering in what sense the specific dialogical conditions and qualities of virtual environments may support learning. We need more stringent analytical approaches of research that relate communicative qualities of virtual contexts to qualities of the collaborative knowledge-building process. This approach suggests that new didactic and instructional methods, addressing the learner’s communicative awareness at a meta-level, need to be developed in order to fully utilize the interactive and reflective potential of online collaborative learning. A deeper understanding of the reflective nature of the online environment and its potential for enhancing intellectual amplification will give rise to the birth of new and more innovative designs of online collaborative learning.

Analysis of Group Learning Environment on the Collaborative Knowledge Building Perspective--Case of the U.S. VMT Project

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.271-273.1177 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 271-273 ◽

pp. 1177-1184

Author(s):

Hong Bin Peng ◽

Jun Ping Gou ◽

Xuan Liu

Keyword(s):

Collaborative Learning ◽

Learning Environment ◽

External Support ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Knowledge Reasoning ◽

Collaborative Learning Environment ◽

And Function ◽

Collaborative Knowledge

Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is the highlight in the computer and education area. U.S. Virtual math teams (Virtual Math Teams, Referred to as VMT) project’s main studying purpose is the computer supported group cognition, its collaborative learning environment is a typical environment. By the analysis of this online collaborative learning environment of this project, the paper proposes five aspects of the structure and function which mainly embodied in the group discussions and negotiation, knowledge representation, knowledge reasoning, knowledge co-construction and sharing, external support, and pointed its lack of supporting in the non-mission communication and ubiquitous learning, and the paper proposed the idea of adding micro-blogging function in VMT environment.

Collaborative and Cooperative Learning

Encyclopedia of Distance Learning, Second Edition ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-198-8.ch046 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 319-326 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Joanne M. McInnerney ◽

Tim S. Roberts

Keyword(s):

Collaborative Learning ◽

Cooperative Learning ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Tertiary Education ◽

Web Based ◽

Course Content ◽

Learning Techniques ◽

Similarities And Differences

The last few years have seen massive changes in how undergraduate and postgraduate courses are delivered. It is now expected that much, or perhaps all, of the course content will be made available online. This change to online Web-based forms of delivery would seem to provide the ideal circumstances for non-traditional methods of teaching and learning to be re-examined. Online collaborative and cooperative learning techniques are not widely practiced in undergraduate tertiary education, despite their many widely recognized advantages – see for example Panitz (2000). However, interest in such techniques is increasing, as evidenced by the biennial Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) conferences and recent books on the topic by Barkley, Cross, & Major (2003) and Roberts (2003, 2004). An examination of the literature suggests that some authors writing about online collaborative learning are actually writing about online cooperative learning, and vice versa. This conflation of terms can make research results hard to assess. It, therefore, seems important to attempt to ascertain the similarities and differences between the two, so that theoretical and empirical research into their application in an online environment can be properly carried out and assessed.

Innovations for Online Collaborative Learning in Mathematics

Online and Distance Learning ◽

10.4018/978-1-59904-935-9.ch074 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 897-904

Author(s):

Rodney Nason ◽

Earl Woodruff

Keyword(s):

Collaborative Learning ◽

Knowledge Building ◽

Knowledge Forum ◽

Intractable Problem ◽

Knowledge Building Communities

The field of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) has been growing in a number of areas and across a number of subjects (Koschmann, 1996; Koschmann, Hall, & Miyake, 2002; Wasson, Baggetun, Hoppe, & Ludvigsen, 2003). One of the most promising pedagogical advances, however, for online collaborative learning that has emerged in recent years is Scardamalia and Bereiter’s (1996) notion of knowledge-building communities. Unfortunately, establishing and maintaining knowledge-building communities in CSCL environments such as Knowledge Forum® in the domain of mathematics has been found to be a rather intractable problem (Bereiter, 2002b; Nason, Brett, & Woodruff, 1996). In this chapter, we begin by identifying two major reasons why computer-supported knowledge-building communities in mathematics have been difficult to establish and maintain.