Examination of the effectiveness of the task and group awareness support system used for computer-supported collaborative learning

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of task and group awareness (TaGA) support provided to group members by a pedagogical agent (PA) in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) on the students’ attitudes towards collaborative learning and self-regulated learning skills (SRLS). A quasi-experimental research design with pretest and posttest control groups and mixed methods were used in this study. Participants were undergraduate students (n = 42) enrolled in the Computing II course in their first year. Of the 42 university student, 15 (35.7%) were male and 27 (64.3%) were female. The participants were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The findings of the study demonstrated that TaGA support provided to the members of the experimental group through the PA in CSCL fostered students’ attitudes towards online collaborative learning but did not affect their SRLS. The findings obtained from the qualitative data were in good agreement with the quantitative data. This study contributes to the field by providing practical suggestions on how the learning process and outcomes in CSCL can be improved through PA-based support and scaffolding.