Toward a script theory of guidance in computer-supported collaborative learning

This article presents an outline of a script theory of guidance for computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL). With its four types of components of internal and external scripts (play, scene, role, and scriptlet) and seven principles, this theory addresses the question how CSCL practices are shaped by dynamically re-configured internal collaboration scripts of the participating learners. Furthermore, it explains how internal collaboration scripts develop through participation in CSCL practices. It emphasizes the importance of active application of subject matter knowledge in CSCL practices, and it prioritizes transactive over non-transactive forms of knowledge application in order to facilitate learning. Further, the theory explains how external collaboration scripts modify CSCL practices and how they influence the development of internal collaboration scripts. The principles specify an optimal scaffolding level for external collaboration scripts and allow for the formulation of hypotheses about the fading of external collaboration scripts. Finally, the article points towards conceptual challenges and future research questions

Fostering argumentation-based computer-supported collaborative learning in higher education

cum laude graduation (with distinction). In collaborative settings, students of all ages need to learn to clearly explain their informed opinions and give reasons for the way in which they carry out tasks and solve problems. Engaging students in collaborative discussion and argumentation is an educational approach for preparing them to manage today’s complex issues and actively participate in knowledge societies. Despite the fact that argumentation is shaped in social conversation and also in learners’ online exchanges in daily life, learners in academic settings need to be taught to reason and argue in a way that is beneficial for knowledge sharing, domain-specific learning, and knowledge construction. Online support systems for collaboration or Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) environments in which learners argue in teams have been found to support the sharing, constructing, and representing of arguments with the aim of learning. This type of learning arrangement is called Argumentation-Based Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (ABCSCL) and it is seen as a promising environment in which to facilitate collaborative argumentation and learning

ARGUMENTATION-BASED COMPUTER SUPPORTED COLLABORATIVE LEARNING (ABCSCL): THE ROLE OF INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORTS

This paper investigates the role of instructional supports for argumentation-based computer supported collaborative learning (ABCSCL), a teaching approach that improves the quality of learning processes and outcomes. Relevant literature has been reviewed to identify the instructional supports in ABCSCL environments. A range of instructional supports in ABCSCL is proposed including scaffolding, scripting, and representational tools. Each of these instructional supports are discussed in detail. Furthermore, the extent to which and the way in which such instructional supports can be applied in ABCSCL environments are discussed. Finally, suggestions for future work and implications for the design of ABCSCL environments are provided.  Article visualizations

Good for learning, bad for motivation? A meta-analysis on the effects of computer-supported collaboration scripts

Scripting computer-supported collaborative learning has been shown to greatly enhance learning, but is often criticized for hindering learners’ agency and thus undermining learners’ motivation. Beyond that, what makes some CSCL scripts particularly effective for learning is still a conundrum. This meta-analysis synthesizes the results of 53 primary studies that experimentally compared the effect of learning with a CSCL script to unguided collaborative learning on at least one of the variables motivation, domain learning, and collaboration skills. Overall, 5616 learners enrolled in K-12, higher education, or professional development participated in the included studies. The results of a random-effects meta-analysis show that learning with CSCL scripts leads to a non-significant positive effect on motivation (Hedges’ g = 0.13), a small positive effect (Hedges’ g = 0.24) on domain learning and a medium positive effect (Hedges’ g = 0.72) on collaboration skills. Additionally, the meta-analysis shows how scaffolding single particular collaborative activities and scaffolding a combination of collaborative activities affects the effectiveness of CSCL scripts and that synergistic or differentiated scaffolding is hard to achieve. This meta-analysis offers the first counterevidence against the widespread criticism that CSCL scripts have negative motivational effects. Furthermore, the findings can be taken as evidence for the robustness of the positive effects on domain learning and collaboration skills

Supporting computer-supported argumentative knowledge construction in multi-disciplinary groups of learners

Learning to argue is an essential objective in education and the ability to argue is a key skill in approaching complex problems as well as in collecting observational data and applying rules of formal logic. External representations such as computer support can foster interaction and discussion of collaborating partners and also argumentation only implicitly. Orchestration of argumentation and discussion in online learning environments in what has been named Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) builds on multiple representations and instructional interventions. Argumentative knowledge construction is one of the most prominent scenarios in online collaborative learning environments that have been subjects of interest to many scholars in the domain of education and educational research. In argumentative knowledge construction, learners are supposed to build arguments and support a position, to consider and weigh arguments and counter-arguments, to test, enlighten, and clarify their uncertainties, to elaborate the learning material, and thus acquire knowledge and achieve understanding about complex ill-structured problems. The current empirical study used a set of transactive argumentation script to facilitate both process and outcome categories of argumentative knowledge construction within the context of multi-disciplinary learners in CSCL. The design of this transactive argumentation script builds on and modifies the coding scheme from Berkowitz and Gibbs (1983) that provide an extensive categorization of transactive contributions which have been regarded as important tool for learning. The results showed that the transactive argumentative script in forms of question prompts improve learners’ argumentative structure (i.e. formal quality of single arguments and argumentation sequences) during online discussion as well as individual domain-specific knowledge acquisition as the final product

Learning to diagnose collaboratively – Effects of adaptive collaboration scripts in agent-based medical simulations

We investigated how medical students' collaborative diagnostic reasoning, particularly evidence elicitation and sharing, can be facilitated effectively using agent-based simulations. Providing adaptive collaboration scripts has been suggested to increase effectiveness, but existing evidence is diverse and could be affected by unsystematic group constellations. Collaboration scripts have been criticized for undermining learners' agency. We investigate the effect of adaptive and static scripts on collaborative diagnostic reasoning and basic psychological needs. We randomly allocated 160 medical students to one of three groups: adaptive, static, or no collaboration script. We found that learning with adaptive collaboration scripts enhanced evidence sharing performance and transfer performance. Scripting did not affect learners’ perceived autonomy and social relatedness. Yet, compared to static scripts, adaptive scripts had positive effects on perceived competence. We conclude that for complex skills complementing agent-based simulations with adaptive scripts seems beneficial to help learners internalize collaboration scripts without negatively affecting basic psychological needs

Sharing emotions impacts computer-supported collaborative processes: effect of an emotion awareness tool

There is a large consensus among researchers on the significant role of emotions in group effectiveness and performance. Emotion awareness tools (EATs) have been developed in recent years allowing members of a group to identify with their own- and their partner's emotions through a computer-mediated collaboration. In this study, we report the impact of an EAT on socio-cognitive and relational processes, and its differential effect depending on gender. This study shows that the EAT was beneficial for processes contributing to the quality of working relationships and the mutual modeling process, by which group members gain a better awareness of their partner's knowledge