Collaboration and Problem Solving in Distributed Collaborative Learning

Hans Christian Arnseth (1) , Sten Ludvigsen (1) , Barbara Wasson (2) , Anders Mørch (2)

1 InterMedia
2 InterMedia

Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis are utilised as resources for analysing distributed collaborative learning. Thematically we are interested in how a group of students manage their task, how they keep a joint focus, and how technology features in their activity. We present and analyse extracts of data from a group collaborating in a groupware system called TeamWave Workplace. We conclude that in collaborative problem solving the interpretation of the task and the problem solving process, is something that is jointly and continuously produced by the participants throughout their interaction. Another finding is concerned with how the participants utilise technology to perform actions. Technology does not determine action in any simple sense, on the contrary, technological tools are closely intertwined with the activities in which the students are engaged.

Keywords: discourses; distributed collaborative learning; technological tools

Domains: Computer Science [cs]; Technology for Human Learning

Hans Christian Arnseth, Sten Ludvigsen, Barbara Wasson, Anders Mørch. Collaboration and Problem Solving in Distributed Collaborative Learning. European Perspectives on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, Maastricht, 22-24 March 2001, 2001, Maastricht, Netherlands. pp.75-82. ⟨hal-00190520⟩