Knowledge convergence in collaborative learning: Concepts and assessment

In collaborative learning the question has been raised as to how learners in small groups influence one another and converge or diverge with respect to knowledge. Knowledge convergence can be conceptualised as knowledge equivalence and as shared knowledge prior to, during, and subsequent to collaborative learning. Knowledge equivalence refers to learners becoming more similar to their learning partners with regard to the extent of their individual knowledge. Shared knowledge means that learners have knowledge on the very same concepts as their learning partners. In this article, we provide measures for assessing both, knowledge equivalence and shared knowledge.     

在线协作学习对感知学习的影响

在线学习环境缺乏人际交互的缺点在一定程度上决定了在线学习需要依靠学习者之间的交流和协作才能维持。对于在线学习的实际成效,研究者已经开发了不同的测量工具和评价方法来对其进行测量,但由于这些工具和方法之间缺乏内在一致性,使得针对学习的直接测量十分困难,因而感知学习常被用作反映学习的指标,也被视为衡量网络教学成功的重要标志之一。影响感知学习的变量很多,既有个体层面的,也有小组层面的。以天津职业技术师范大学本科生参与的网络课程“远程教育学”为例,运用逐步回归方法进行的实证研究表明：个体层面的变量——个体的协作学习态度、与熟人的交流能力,小组层面的变量——小组任务的相互依赖、小组任务的有效分配以及社会临场感都会显著影响学习者的感知学习。     

协作学习需要教师指导吗

协作学习对学习者综合能力的提升作用与人才素质的要求相契合，是学术研究领域和教学实践领域中的一个热点话题。然而目前协作学习在实践过程中出现了一些问题，不清楚协作学习是否需要教师指导，需要何种指导。这种认识上的不清楚导致实施过程中的盲目性与随意性，加剧了协作学习的混乱。关于这一问题，相关研究者持两种观点：一部分认为应该让学生独立探索，一部分认为学生的认知结构决定他们需要教师指导。实证研究结果都支持“协作学习中需要教师指导”这一理论观点，但基于此进行的影响协作学习效果的教师特征和具体指导方式研究还未形成统一的结论和方法。而且，从因素的角度进行实证研究，忽略影响学习效果因素的复杂性，不具有可验证性，科学性低。基于复杂系统论的研究范式可以避开简单归因的缺点，以系统本身的属性揭示系统运行效果，在一定程度上可以提高研究的科学性。     

Forecasting reading anxiety for promoting English-language reading performance based on reading annotation behavior

To reduce effectively the reading anxiety of learners while reading English articles, a C4.5 decision tree, a widely used data mining technique, was used to develop a personalized reading anxiety prediction model (PRAPM) based on individual learners' reading annotation behavior in a collaborative digital reading annotation system (CDRAS). In addition to forecasting immediately the reading anxiety levels of learners, the proposed PRAPM can be used to identify the key factors that cause reading anxiety based on the fired prediction rules determined by the developed decision tree. By understanding these key factors that cause reading anxiety, instructors can apply reading strategies to reduce reading anxiety, thus promoting English-language reading performance. To assess whether the proposed PRAPM can assist instructors in reducing the reading anxiety of learners, this study applies the quasi-experimental method to compare the learning performance of three learning groups, which are, respectively, supported by a CDRAS with individual annotations, collaborative annotations, and collaborative annotations with online instructor's support to reduce reading anxiety by the proposed PRAPM. The instructional experiment was conducted on Grade 7 students at Taipei Municipal Wan-Fang high school. Experimental results indicate that the average correct prediction rate of the proposed PRAPM in identifying the reading anxiety levels of learners was as high as 70%. Moreover, analytical results show that the collaborative annotation with online instructor's support for reducing reading anxiety by the proposed PRAPM indeed helps learners reduce reading anxiety, particularly for the male learners, showing that gender difference exists. Furthermore, based on online instructor's support for reducing reading anxiety by the proposed PRAPM, the correlation analysis also shows that the online instructor's interaction with the male learners is significantly correlated with the reading anxiety reduction. Furthermore, English-language learning performance of the three learners groups, which were given a CDRAS with different learning mechanisms, was significantly promoted.     

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.     

Fostering collaborative knowledge construction with visualization tools

This study investigates to what extent collaborative knowledge construction can be fostered by providing students with visualization tools as structural support. Students (32) of Educational Psychology took part in the study. The students were subdivided into dyads and asked to solve a case problem of their learning domain under one of two conditions: (1) with content-specific visualization; (2) with content-unspecific visualization. Results show that by being provided with a content-specific visualization tool, both the process and the outcome of the cooperative effort improved. More specifically, dyads under that condition referred to more adequate concepts, risked more conflicts, and were more successful in integrating prior knowledge into the collaborative solution. Moreover, those learning partners had a more similar individual learning outcome.     

Why Is This So Hard?: Ideologies of Endangerment,Passive Language Learning Approaches,and Ojibwe in the United States

This paper describes 3 language learning approaches common in many urban and rural Ojibwe communities, as well as the ideologies of endangerment that drive and sustain them. Drawing from collaborative language revitalization work with teachers, learners, and community leaders, we analyze some of the teaching and learning practices that lead to the common mismatch between language learner goals and expectations, on the one hand, and the outcomes of language learning, on the other. We outline how these 3 approaches to language learning relate to cultural identities and place-based notions of authenticity as well as to current findings in the field of second language acquisition. We then profile 2 speakers who have learned Ojibwe successfully as adults to illustrate how their success was possible largely because they were able to engage with the Ojibwe language in interactive ways that run counter to common language learning approaches. We suggest that for language revitalization efforts, and individual learners, to experience higher levels of success, greater attention needs to be paid to how ideologies of endangerment impact language learning approaches.     

Learning and design with online real-time collaboration

This paper explores the use of emerging Cloud technologies that support real-time online collaboration. It considers the extent to which these technologies can be leveraged to develop complex skillsets supporting interaction between multiple learners in online spaces. In a pilot study that closely examines how groups of learners translate two kinds of collaborative writing tasks, the paper critically investigates some of the positive individual- and group-based strategies that embody effective, genuine online collaboration. Taking into consideration the relationship between the elements of task design, learning experiences and the learning environment, the paper addresses need to come to a fuller understanding of how learners interact in real time and use this understanding to inform future designs in e-learning.     

Developing undergraduate research skills in a faculty of education: motivation through collaboration

This paper explores motivational factors underpinning undergraduates’ learning of research skills through individual research projects with collaborative tutorials. Research has long pointed to group support, positive affect and scaffolding as important for motivating and facilitating learning. Furthermore, UK government priorities have placed an increasing emphasis on the need to develop the key skills of inquiry and working with others. However, this is set in a context of assessment and practice in higher education that encourages individualist and instrumental perspectives on gaining competencies and knowledge. Traditionally undergraduate research skills have been taught through lectures and small‐scale projects chosen by the students with individual tutorial support in a faculty of education. Here our action research introduced collaborative tutorials as another element of teaching. We examine the process of collaboration to explore factors that support motivation to learn through two principal theoretical frameworks.     

Collaborative filtering for expansion of learner’s background knowledge in online language learning: does “top-down” processing improve vocabulary proficiency?

In recent years, collaborative filtering, a recommendation algorithm that incorporates a user’s data such as interest, has received worldwide attention as an advanced learning support system. However, accurate recommendations along with a user’s interest cannot be ideal as an effective learning environment. This study aims to develop and evaluate an online English vocabulary learning system using collaborative filtering that allows learners to learn English vocabulary while expanding their interests. The online learning environment recommends English news articles using information obtained from other users with similar interests. The learner then studies these recommended articles as a method of learning English. The results of a two-month experiment that compared this system to an earlier collaborative filtering system called “GroupLens” reveal that learners who used the collaborative filtering system developed in this study read various news articles and had significantly higher scores on topic-specific vocabulary tests than did those who used the previous system.     

Hybrid e-learning tool TransLearning: video storytelling to foster vicarious learning within multi-stakeholder collaboration networks

E-learning and storytelling approaches can support informal vicarious learning within geographically widely distributed multi-stakeholder collaboration networks. This case study evaluates hybrid e-learning and video-storytelling approach ‘TransLearning’ by investigation into how its storytelling e-tool supported informal vicarious learning, while it was applied in multi-stakeholder collaborations called ‘Regional Ateliers’. TransLearning was meant to supplement learning within RAs about running rural sustainable innovation projects. The e-tools’ video-stories were thematically coded for content analysis. Stakeholder workshops in which the e-tool was used, as well as gathered user experiences, were transcribed, analysed inductively and juxtaposed. Findings indicate that stakeholders vicariously learned by (1) creative association and (2) collaborative creation of new stories, based on watching individual or multiple videos, respectively. However, the e-tool’s learning content seemed rife with conceptual knowledge, indicating an absence of concrete experiences that are essential for rich(er) vicarious learning. Storytelling e-tools developed for vicarious learning in novice collaborations may inherently encounter this. To conclude, hybrid storytelling approaches like TransLearning seem to support informal vicarious learning best if they employ (1) processes in which learners actively co-create content (selection of topics and storytellers), (2) extensive storyboarding (3) and learning facilitators that encourage learners to collaboratively compare videos and think associatively.     

Team regulation, regulation of social activities or co-regulation: Different labels for effective regulation of learning in CSCL

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is an approach to learning in which learners can actively and collaboratively construct knowledge by means of interaction and joint problem solving. Regulation of learning is especially important in the domain of CSCL. Next to the regulation of task performance, the interaction between learners who work in a CSCL environment needs to be regulated as well. Despite its importance, the regulation of learning in CSCL has received relatively little attention in research. In the contributions of this special issue different labels are used for various forms of regulation of learning during CSCL. During collaborative learning, the regulation of activities can take place at different levels of social interaction: the individual level, the dyadic level, and the group level. Regulative activities of all three levels are presented in the three studies. All studies have investigated whether the use of regulative activities affected performance, and have found that regulation at the dyadic and/or group level was positively related to group performance. In sum, these three contributions provide a constructive overview of the role of regulation of the (collaborative) learning process in CSCL, both in terms of the impact of regulation on learning processes and learning results as well as the influence of different kinds of support on the regulation of collaborative learning.     

A linked data-based collaborative annotation system for increasing learning achievements

With the emergence of the Web 2.0, collaborative annotation practices have become more mature in the field of learning. In this context, several recent studies have shown the powerful effects of the integration of annotation mechanism in learning process. However, most of these studies provide poor support for semantically structured resources, more precisely for sharing and linking educational contents using linked data approach. Adopting Semantic Web technologies, this paper proposed a new linked data-based collaborative annotation system called L2OD, which allows students to enrich their annotations with relevant resources retrieved from Linked Open Data clouds. L2OD supports two modes of annotation, a private annotation mode for the user’s individual annotations, and a shared mode for all users’ annotations. The experimentation shows that the learners who have used L2OD have significantly increased their learning achievements referring to the difference between L2OD’s post-test and the control group’s post-test. It also shows significant positive correlations between learning achievements and quantity of private and shared annotations in the experimental group, respectively.     

Collaborative knowledge building: A case study

What learning conditions are necessary to effectively support the knowledge-building enterprise in a learning community? To answer this question, the case-study method was employed to investigate collaborative knowledge building in a graduate level course designed to incorporate specific constructivist learning principles. These principles included (a) having a collective and authentic community goal to facilitate collaboration and engagement in the community, (b) using cooperative groups to provide for social negotiation and to promote multiple perspectives, (c) personally selecting of course readings and group decision-making to encourage ownership in learning, and (d) employing an integrated set of technology tools to archive the work of the community and facilitate communication. Results indicated that the instructional strategies designed into the course promoted collaborative knowledge building and the acquisition of key concepts through self-directed learning strategies. Results also pointed out the types of technological support required to implement an effective community of learners. A proposed set of guidelines is discussed to assist instructional designers in the design and development of collaborative, knowledge-building environments.     

How research on self-regulated learning can advance computer supported collaborative learning / El papel de la investigación sobre aprendizaje autorregulado en el desarrollo del aprendizaje colaborativo asistido por ordenador

Abstract

Learning in and for the twenty-first century requires motivational competence and effective learning strategies in individual and collaborative learning settings. Being able to strategically regulate one’s own learning and that of others is a vital and increasingly important skill. Most learners are not equipped to regulate and direct their own learning or might lack the motivation to do so. Additionally, if self-regulation of learning is difficult at the individual level, it becomes even more difficult when interacting with peers and in teams, known as co-regulation and shared regulation. Fortunately, recent research has shown that regulation can be both learned and also often supported with self-regulation tools and/or environments. This paper discusses recent trends in self-regulated learning research, focusing especially on regulating learning in computer supported collaborative learning. It is concluded that today’s education should help learners become aware of their strengths and weaknesses in a learning situation, so as to help them develop skills and strategies to continue to learn throughout their lives.     

Knowledge organization through multiple representations in a computer-supported collaborative learning environment

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments provide learners with multiple representational tools for storing, sharing, and constructing knowledge. However, little is known about how learners organize knowledge through multiple representations about complex socioscientific issues. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate learners’ knowledge organization (KO) through multiple representations in a CSCL environment. We designed a learning unit on nuclear energy and implemented it with a group of 20 college students. The participants used a web-based hypertext KO platform that incorporated three representational modes: textual, pictorial, and concept map. The platform interlinked learners’ knowledge entries based on similar keywords. Utilizing mixed methods research we analyzed the individual entries and the knowledge base to determine KO both at the individual and the collective levels. We found that the density of the knowledge base was high; the learners mostly benefited from their text- and concept map-based entries, though the picture-based entries were also an important means for connecting entries with similar content and hence creating a dense knowledge base. Our results suggest that KO with multiple representations can create a more comprehensive knowledge base. Using distinct analytical approaches will allow CSCL researchers to better identify KO both at the individual and collective levels.     

A problem posing-based practicing strategy for facilitating students’ computer programming skills in the team-based learning mode

Computer programming is a subject that requires problem-solving strategies and involves a great number of programming logic activities which pose challenges for learners. Therefore, providing learning support and guidance is important. Collaborative learning is widely believed to be an effective teaching approach; it can enhance learners’ social interaction and offer a learning environment which provides rich learning experiences. However, the social interaction in collaborative learning does not occur automatically. Without proper guidance strategies or supporting tools for collaborative learning, the learning effects can be disappointing. To solve such a problem, a problem posing-based practicing strategy was proposed to support the development of a collaborative learning activity in a computer programming practice course. The students were guided to raise computer programming problems to boost the discussion among team members. The problems raised in each team were then exchanged and solved by another team to examine the coding and to provide feedback. To investigate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, an experiment was conducted in a C# programming course. Two classes of students from a university participated in the experiment. One class with 25 students was randomly assigned as the experimental group, and learned with a collaborative learning activity using the problem posing-based practicing strategy; the other class with 28 students was the control group, which learned with a conventional collaborative learning activity. The results show that the proposed strategy benefited the students in terms of improving their learning achievement, in particular, their programming skills. Moreover, it was found that the students who learned with the proposed approach had higher self-efficacy and lower cognitive load than those who learned with the conventional collaborative learning approach.     

智能教学系统中支持协作学习的群体感知模型

自主学习和协作学习是相互促进、相互依赖的网络学习方式。然而,目前典型的网络学习系统(智能教学系统和计算机支持的协作学习系统)大多将自主学习和协作学习强制分离,忽视了自主学习过程中协作交流的激励作用以及协作学习过程中学习者的自主学习需求。因此,扩展现有的智能教学系统,构建一个自主学习和协作学习有机融合的数字化学习环境,有助于更好地满足网络环境下师生的学习需求。支持协作学习的群体感知模型由群体感知信息、群体感知本体和群体感知规则三部分组成,采用本体技术建模协作感知信息,运用语义Web规则语言刻画协作感知机制,为实现协作学习的信息交互提供通用模型。基于该模型构建的智能教学系统,在原有ITS自主学习环境的基础上,扩展了参与者可以相互感知、相互交流的协作学习模块,实现与现有智能教学系统的无缝整合,为开发具有协作学习功能的智能教学系统提供了技术参考。