Monitoring collaborative activities in computer supported collaborative learning

Monitoring the learning process in computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments is a key element for supporting the efficacy of tutor actions. This article proposes an approach for analysing learning processes in a CSCL environment to support tutors in their monitoring tasks. The approach entails tracking the interactions within the communication platform to identify cues of the participative, social, cognitive, and teaching dimensions of the learning process. Both quantitative and qualitative indicators are employed to achieve a complete and thorough picture of the learning dynamics. A set of methodological and technological tools based on this approach has been tried out in the context of the online component of a blended course in educational technology addressing trainee teachers. The results of the study support the applicability of the proposed approach to content domains where discussion and reflective practice are the most effective learning strategy.     

Corporate learning: A knowledge management perspective

This paper provides a point of view on the relationship between learning and knowledge management in corporate training. This relationship forms the framework for the development of an effective learning management system (LMS). It comprises four sections: (1) a theoretical analysis of the relationship between training and knowledge management. In today's corporate environment, characterized by rapid change and restructuring, organizations need to become “learning organizations”; (2) some examples are provided of how training issues are intertwined with other processes, such as sales, communication, research and development (R&D), external network management; (3) corporate universities are the means for achieving those goals. They are efficient as long as they become strategy-supportive organizations. Such a structure is in need of the appropriate technology tool, an LMS; (4) it is possible to underline which functionalities are needed in order to have an efficient LMS. These are the kinds of considerations that led ID Technology in developing LiveLearning. Thus, an LMS for corporate training should take into account the relationship between knowledge management and training. An LMS should allow the integration of training with company processes and should assist in meeting corporate university goals. The same considerations also guide decision makers when choosing an LMS.     

Strategizing computer-supported collaborative learning toward knowledge building

The purpose of this paper is to explore how university students can develop knowledge in small task-based groups while acquiring hands-on computer skills. Inspired by the sociocultural perspective, this study presents a theoretical framework on co-construction of knowledge and on computer-supported collaborative learning. The participants were selected from student teachers in Rwanda after a training program on searching, retrieving and exploiting web-based literature. The findings show that university students working together in small groups to acquire hands-on computer skills can adopt one of three major learning patterns: individual-led, group-led or individual-group hybrid-led. Moreover, the results indicate that the group-led framework seems to create a supportive environment for knowledge building. Nevertheless, university students showed a need for teacher support to enable them to focus on criterion-referenced reflection to regulate their learning.     

Motivation in a computer-supported collaborative learning scenario and its impact on learning activities and knowledge acquisition

Addressing a drawback in current research on computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), this study investigated the influence of motivation on learning activities and knowledge acquisition during CSCL. Participants’ (N = 200 university students) task was to develop a handout for which they had first an individual preparing phase followed by a computer-supported collaborative learning phase immediately afterwards. It was hypothesized that in both phases current motivation (in terms of expectancy and value components) influences both learning activities and knowledge acquisition in a positive way. According to main results, only goal orientations (before learning) were associated with knowledge acquisition respectively observed learning activities during the collaborative phase. Expectancy and value components of current motivation related neither to observed learning activities nor to knowledge acquisition during collaborative learning but were in part associated with learning activities and knowledge acquisition during individual learning. The discussion addresses several possible explanations for these unexpected results.     

Computer support for knowledge communication in science exhibitions: Novel perspectives from research on collaborative learning

In this article, the potentials of advanced technologies for learning in science exhibitions are outlined. For this purpose, we conceptualize science exhibitions as dynamic information space for knowledge building which includes three pathways of knowledge communication. This article centers on the second pathway, that is, knowledge communication among visitors. We argue that advanced technologies have specific potentials to support all forms of visitor-to-visitor knowledge communication and, furthermore, allow for new forms of knowledge communication among unacquainted visitors and beyond the actual museum visit. We discuss mechanisms of collaborative learning with regard to their relevance for visitor-to-visitor knowledge communication and present prototypical advanced media applications in science exhibitions that address these mechanisms. This article both contributes to our understanding of collaborative learning in science exhibitions and the support advanced technologies can provide for visitor-to-visitor knowledge communication in science exhibitions.     

Knowledge structures for integrating working and learning: A reflection on a decade of learning technology research for workplace learning

Designing intelligent services for workplace learning presents a special challenge for researchers and developers of learning technology. One of the reasons is that considering learning as a situated and social practice is nowhere so important than in the case where learning is tightly integrated with workplace practices. The current paper analyses the experience of more than 10 years of research intending to offer intelligent services through capturing and leveraging knowledge structures in workplace learning. The reflection looks at results of several European research projects that have promoted this view. From this analysis, I arrive at a dichotomy of guidance versus emergence that describes how the technologies foregrounded one or the other, and what the effects of these design choices have been. I derive conclusions for dealing with this design trade-off in terms of conceptual, technological and empirical research.     

Facilitating effective digital game-based learning behaviors and learning performances of students based on a collaborative knowledge construction strategy

Researchers have recognized the potential of educational computer games in improving students’ learning engagement and outcomes; however, facilitating effective learning behaviors during the gaming process remains an important and challenging issue. In this paper, a collaborative knowledge construction strategy was incorporated into an educational computer game to facilitate students’ knowledge sharing and organizing during the game-based learning process. An experiment was conducted to examine the students’ learning behavioral patterns, group efficacy, and problem-solving awareness. The experimental results revealed that the proposed approach improved the students’ learning achievements and awareness of problem-solving. Moreover, from the analysis of the students’ behavior sequences, it was found that, with the collaborative knowledge construction mechanism, the students revealed significantly more aggressive learning behavioral patterns, such as “comparing and observing the learning targets” and “seeking clues and answers” during the gaming process. This implies that integrating the collaborative knowledge construction mechanism into the gaming process has great potential for helping students effectively learn and organize knowledge as well as fostering their awareness of applying the acquired knowledge to dealing with problems.     

The effect of knowledge economy on the management and labor relations

With the emergence of Knowledge Economy and its penetration into every aspect of society, many industrial functions have been changing, including management and labor relations. In this paper, the author first presents a system view of management and labor relations under Knowledge Economy, and then based on it, elaborates on effect of Knowledge Economy on them, using the case of HP as demonstration. In the end, conclusion is made that new dynamic equilibration will develop, depending upon the dynamic power contrast of the above two subjects under dynamic changing circumstances of Knowledge Economy.     

The impact of leadership and management on the construction of professional identity in school learning mentors

This paper explores the perceptions of school learning mentors with respect to their professional development and emerging professional identity. Although tentative, the emergence of two distinct professional identities is reported in this study: first, an instrumental technical identity characterized by compliance; and second, a creative professional identity characterized by an active involvement in the creation of one’s own professionality. Emerging differences in identity appear to be influenced by feelings of security in school learning mentors’ role definition and sense of purpose and by the power differential they perceive between themselves and qualified teaching staff. The findings have implications for the present workforce remodelling agenda in England and Wales, intended, in part, to facilitate the work of teachers via greater professionalization of learning support assistants. It is suggested that the leadership and management of schools hosting learning mentors and other learning support assistants should further consider their approach to the professionality of this important group of workers if frustrated identity claims, dissatisfaction, poor morale and their exit from the education service is to be avoided.     

Implementation of knowledge management in organizations

In the context of learning implementation of new ideas e.g. knowledge management in organizations often is neglected. Concerning knowledge management measures we demonstrate its implementation in organizations. A theoretical framework was developed showing the necessary basic conditions for implementing knowledge management. Subsequently we integrate the framework into a process model illustrated by a case study.     

云计算辅助教学CCAI支撑的协作学习设计

基于教育技术视角,简述了“云计算辅助教学”CCAI的相关概念,分析了云计算及典型云平台的基本现状,并结合Google App Engine和Windows Live典型云平台,讨论了CCAI协作学习的设计过程．包括功能模块与组件选取、组织教学资源、设计协作学习活动、组件的个性化自主扩充等。     

Explorations of relationships among learners, tasks, and learning

Based on a critical re-analysis of cognitive load theory (CLT), Schnotz and Kürschner identified the need for research on more sensitive ways of assessing learner characteristics, both prior to and during instruction, in order to understand learning processes and outcomes. One emergent theme of the papers in this special issue is that the “same” learning environment is differentially demanding and produces different results depending on characteristics of the learners, most importantly their knowledge in the task domain. These findings indicate that to optimize learning outcomes, theories of instructional design and learning need to be more adaptive and reflect the nuances of interactions among learners, tasks, and instructional supports.     

Visualizing knowledge in new educational environments: a course on learning objects

This article describes the learning objectives, the course activities, experiences and outcomes of a graduate level course on learning object design. The course was developed and taught at The Ohio State University by the author during the Spring Quarter of 2003. Students from the visual design and education disciplines partnered to work on a client‐initiated, authentic, grant‐funded project. The students, working in teams and serving as expert consultants to each other, were tasked with designing prototypes for learning objects to be used by freshman high school students, particularly those with disabilities. The course provided an opportunity to observe how developers actually built learning objects and to apply that knowledge to better understanding the issues facing faculty when challenged with the same tasks.     

Differential effects of problem-solving demands on individual and collaborative learning outcomes

The effectiveness and efficiency of individual versus collaborative learning was investigated as a function of instructional format among 140 high school students in the domain of biology. The instructional format either emphasized worked examples, which needed to be studied or the equivalent problems, which needed to be solved. Because problem solving imposes a higher cognitive load for novices than does studying worked examples it was hypothesized that learning by solving problems would lead to better learning outcomes (effectiveness) and be more efficient for collaborative learners, whereas learning by studying worked examples would lead to better learning outcomes and be more efficient for individual learners. The results supported these crossover interaction hypothesis. Consequences of the findings for the design of individual and collaborative learning environments are discussed.     

The influence of achievement goals on collaborative interactions and knowledge convergence

Although there is evidence of the influence of achievement goals on individuals’ learning, less is known about their influence on collaborative groups. In this study, 45 pairs of college students engaged in a building task. Twenty-three of the pairs were assigned to a learning goal condition and 22 to a performance goal condition. Pre- and post-test measures were used to quantify differences in outcomes, knowledge convergence and knowledge convergence mechanisms between conditions; qualitative coding was conducted to understand differences in interactions. Results indicated no difference in overall measures of learning and performance outcomes between conditions. However, groups with a learning goal showed more knowledge convergence than groups with a performance goal. Groups with a learning goal engaged in more reflection and more explanations during the task than groups with a performance goal. These results suggest that achievement goals influence interaction behaviors when students are engaged in collaborative activities.     

乡土课程资源开发与信息技术整合的创新实践

文章通过对师生参与实践案例的研究,分析了利用网络信息技术——博客这种形式来进行乡土课程资源开发的过程与模式,并探讨了师生在进行乡土课程资源开发过程中的自主发展情况。     

Educational change in Oman: a design research study of personal,institutional, and societal reactions to collaborative knowledge building

While collaborative problem-solving has been suggested as a solution for linking classroom learning with workforce skills, it is still not entirely clear how personal, institutional, and national factors work together to influence student and teacher acceptance of this pedagogical strategy. Oman provides an appropriate case for exploring this intersection, as previously limited technology and an instructivist education tradition bump up against the demand for rapid educational improvement and economic development. This study focused on the cultural aspects that affect adoption of a Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) environment, and how adaptations appeared in the students, the teacher, and the course. An education design research methodology was used to examine how students react to the CSCL framework and tools.