Computer-supported Learning Research Articles

The Evolution of Collaboration Skills Research in Education : Trends, Intellectual Structure, and Research Topics

This study aims to examine the evolution of collaboration skills in the field of education including publication trends, intellectual structure, and research topics. This study uses the bibliometric method which is part of the literature review, with descriptive data analysis. Analysis was carried out on 723 documents from the Scopus database that had been selected. The results show that the trend of document publications on collaboration skills began to increase at the beginning of the 2001s until reaching the highest number of publications in 2023 with 104 documents. In the early period (1986-2004), there were five schools of thought that became the foundation of its intellectual structure, namely the practice of collaboration, small group learning, learning theory and its implementation, software design, and engineering studies. Meanwhile, in the next period (2005-2023) there are learning theory and its implementation, collaborative learning, interprofessional education, cooperative learning, and computer-supported learning. If the schools of thought in the two periods are compared, it can be seen that there has been an evolution of the intellectual structure of collaboration skills. Evolution also occurred in the collaboration skills research topics, which can be seen from the keywords data that often appeared in the early period, namely active learning, communication skills, and cooperative learning. In the following period, it changed to collaboration, interprofessional education, and higher education. These research findings can provide information regarding the knowledge base of collaboration skills and related research topics that have been carried out.

Learning to notice collaboration: examining the impact of professional development on mathematics teachers’ enhanced awareness in CSCL settings

Acknowledging the pivotal role of noticing in teachers’ professional work, it is noteworthy that its application in dialogic activities remains an area that has yet to be studied. In this study, we examine mathematics teachers’ noticing of dialogue among peers working together on problem-solving tasks and investigate the impact of a professional development intervention focused on dialogue on teachers’ noticing practices. Through think-aloud interviews, 14 teachers provided insights into their noticing practices by attending to and responding to video excerpts of dyads engaged in collaborative problem-solving in computer-supported learning environments. Their noticing practices were analyzed using a Bakhtinian-informed dialogic framework. Subsequently, the teachers participated in a professional development intervention centered around dialogue and were interviewed again using the same video excerpts. The second round of interviews was also analyzed using the same dialogic framework. The findings shed light on the initial state of teachers’ noticing and indicate a discernible improvement in their ability to notice specific dialogic attributes. These findings offer valuable insights into how collaboration and dialogue between students can be effectively supported. Additionally, the study discusses how teachers envision dialogue and considers the capacity and limitations of incorporating a dialogic vision into the noticing paradigm.

Automated feedback for participants of hands-on cybersecurity training

Computer-supported learning technologies are essential for conducting hands-on cybersecurity training. These technologies create environments that emulate a realistic IT infrastructure for the training. Within the environment, training participants use various software tools to perform offensive or defensive actions. Usage of these tools generates data that can be employed to support learning. This paper investigates innovative methods for leveraging the trainee data to provide automated feedback about the performed actions. We proposed and implemented feedback software with four modules that are based on analyzing command-line data captured during the training. The modules feature progress graphs, conformance analysis, activity timeline, and error analysis. Then, we performed field studies with 58 trainees who completed cybersecurity training, used the feedback modules, and rated them in a survey. Quantitative evaluation of responses from 45 trainees showed that the feedback is valuable and supports the training process, even though some features are not fine-tuned yet. The graph visualizations were perceived as the most understandable and useful. Qualitative evaluation of trainees’ comments revealed specific aspects of feedback that can be improved. We publish the software as an open-source component of the KYPO Cyber Range Platform. Moreover, the principles of the automated feedback generalize to different learning contexts, such as operating systems, networking, databases, and other areas of computing. Our results contribute to applied research, the development of learning technologies, and the current teaching practice.

How can an educational chatbot’s feedback influence human attention?

Educational chatbots have been shown to be useful assistants in computer-supported learning settings. However, how does feedback of an educational chatbot impact on the learner’s attention? Thus, this paper proposes a study to measure changes in human attention when learning by using an educational chatbot Liza that is intended to improve human reasoning ability. In total, 18 participants participated in the study and had a conversation with Liza. During the interaction with Liza, the attention of the study participants was measured using a mobile electroencephalogram (EEG) device. Three findings have been determined based on statistics methods. First, it was found that there was a significant attention effect occurring in 54% of the times, after the educational chatbot showed feedback and the attention measurement took place over the length of a task. Second, when differentiating the type of feedback, positive feedback had a significant effect in 71 of these 137 cases (51.82%) and negative feedback had a significant effect in 66 of the 137 cases (48.18%). Third, statistical results showed that there was no significant difference in attention at the significant level of 0.05 during the 10 seconds before, and 10 seconds after positive feedback is received. Similar is the case for negative feedback.

Enhancing Students’ Motivation in Learning English Grammar Through A Computer-Supported Learning Classroom Management

This research is to examine the students‘ motivational factors and attitude towards the learning of English grammar in a Computer supported Learning System. Twenty-nine students were taught with a student-centered approach and three grammar learning web sites were used frequently for classroom and individual English grammar practice, whereas another twenty-nine were taught with the traditional teachercentered approach. Both groups were given grammar correction and explanation tests before and after the study. After comparing the results of the pre-test and post-test with those of the control group, it was found that the experimental group excelled over the control group in both grammar correction and grammar explanation. It proved that students‘ implicit and explicit knowledge on English grammar was greatly improved by the computer-supported teaching methods and environment. Further interviews with the students also revealed that the new pedagogical practice had provided many positive motivational factors in supporting students‘ learning process.

Visualizing Commognitive Responsibility Shift in Collaborative Problem-Solving During Computer-Supported One-to-One Math Tutoring.

The aim of this study is to use a commognitive responsibility framework to visualize responsibility shift in collaborative problem solving (CPS) during computer-supported one-to-one tutoring. Commognitive responsibility shift means that individuals’ cognitive responsibility shift can be reflected by the discourse in communication. For our sample, we chose a 15-year-old Chinese boy and his mathematics teacher with 6 years of teaching experience, both of whom have experienced computer-supported learning and teaching mathematics, respectively. We collected four tutoring videos (each 60–90 min; in total, more than 330 min) online, and a 45-min interview video from the teacher. We found that the third type of commognitive responsibility shift in both the teacher’s and student’s CPS behavior online is not only teacher–student comparison but also alternating-led, which includes teacher–student-led (TS) and student–teacher-led (ST).

Concept mapping in computer-supported learning environments: a bibliometric analysis

ABSTRACT Concept mapping (CM) is widely used in educational settings as a teaching/learning or assessment tool. We conducted a bibliometric analysis and systematic review to provide an updated review on CM research in computer-supported learning environments. A total of 356 selected studies published from 1990 to 2020 were analyzed from the Web of Science database. The findings revealed an increasing and continuous focus on CM research. The leading journal for publishing CM research was Computers & Education, and the United States was the country with the most published studies. The most frequently used keywords were categorized into four clusters to represent the four main themes of CM research. Subsequent analysis showed that the most applied learning subject was environmental science or natural science; traditional computers/devices were the most used devices/hardware; higher education students were the most used samples; quantitative methods were the most used research methods; computers as mindtools were the most adopted learning strategy; and concept mapping assessment was the most used measurement tool in the CM research. These findings reveal the trends of CM research and provide future research directions and applications of practical education for researchers and educators.

Temporal tracking and early warning of multi semantic features of learning behavior

From the perspective of computer-supported learning, the temporal tracking and early warning plays an important role, and it is also an effective means to improve learning interest and learning behavior. In this study, based on massive and complete data, the temporal tracking and early warning of multi semantic features are analyzed and designed. Firstly, the multidimensional factors are explored, and the semantic features and relationships are defined. Secondly, based on the complexity and particularity of learning behavior, a multi semantic convolution network prediction model (iCaNN) is designed. Through sufficient model training and testing, the optimal experimental configuration is demonstrated; Thirdly, we visualize the multi semantic features, mine the existed problems, and explore the key learning rules and temporal risks. Finally, the effectiveness of temporal tracking and early warning is tested in practice. The whole research is of great significance to improve learning behavior, and bring positive learning effectiveness. • The multidimensional influencing factors of learning process are explored. • The semantic features and relationships are defined. • A multi semantic convolution network prediction model is designed. • The key learning rules and temporal risks is mined and explored. • The effectiveness of temporal tracking and early warning is tested in practice.

A Method to Automate the Prediction of Student Academic Performance from Early Stages of the Course

The objective of this work is to present a methodology that automates the prediction of students’ academic performance at the end of the course using data recorded in the first tasks of the academic year. Analyzing early student records is helpful in predicting their later results; which is useful, for instance, for an early intervention. With this aim, we propose a methodology based on the random Tukey depth and a non-parametric kernel. This methodology allows teachers and evaluators to define the variables that they consider most appropriate to measure those aspects related to the academic performance of students. The methodology is applied to a real case study obtaining a success rate in the predictions of over the 80%. The case study was carried out in the field of Human-computer Interaction.The results indicate that the methodology could be of special interest to develop software systems that process the data generated by computer-supported learning systems and to warn the teacher of the need to adopt intervention mechanisms when low academic performance is predicted.

Organizing for collaboration in simulation-based environments: An affordance perspective

Extant research has identified the significance of technological affordances in computer-supported learning environments. However, until recently, there is scarcely empirical research on affordances for organizing collaboration in these learning environments. To address this gap, this study empirically examines affordances for organizing collaboration in a simulation-based learning environment. We focus, in particular on understanding how the organizing affordances of the learning environment are perceived and employed by the learners during a simulation-based learning task. The study was executed among 177 undergraduate higher education (HE) business students from 10 universities in Belgium, China, Estonia, New Zealand, the USA, Austria, and Finland. The data were obtained from the students’ reflective essays, and analyzed with a qualitative content analytical approach. The results of our analyses yield in four types of organizing affordances: (1) organizing the division of work, (2) managing information and resources, (3) managing tasks, and (4) strategizing. Each type of organizing affordance was required in the joint learning task. The study offers an advanced understanding of affordances for organizing and of their use/nonuse in simulation-based learning environments. The findings of this study have theoretical and empirical implications and can contribute to both the development of pedagogic and educational practices as well as the design of learning tasks and environments.

Opening the ‘Black Box’ of Cooperative Learning in Face-to-Face versus Computer-Supported Learning in the Time of COVID-19

This paper aims to identify the changes in student behaviors that resulted from the switch from face-to-face (F2F) learning to computer-supported cooperative learning (CSCL) due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We constructed a triple-dimensional index with “thinking ability improvement”, “horizontal knowledge construction”, and “vertical social relationship evolution” to make comparisons. According to majors, we selected 23 students who registered for entrepreneurship courses from March to June 2019 in F2F and 23 students from March to June 2020 in CSCL formats. We utilized mixed methods, including experimental, content-based, and social network methods, to conduct evaluations. The results show the following: (1) Cooperative learning is beneficial in cultivating creative thinking for both F2F and CSCL groups. (2) The level of knowledge construction was slightly higher in F2F than that in CSCL in general. The effect of F2F learning in the early stage of the course was better, and in the later stage of the class CSCL attained a higher value. (3) For social abilities, the interactions in CSCL were closer than those in the F2F group. F2F cooperative learning was more prone to “fake cooperation” and free-riding behavior, whereas CSCL led to “pan-cooperation” and lacked the in-depth exploration of knowledge. Therefore, this pandemic provides opportunities for cooperative learning with in-depth exploration. CSCL offers sustainable and more hybrid learning activities that allow for the combination of online and offline learning to be experienced according to course contents.

Computer-Supported Learning in Knowledge Creation

Computer-Supported Learning in Knowledge Creation

Improving Reading Comprehension in Spanish Using iSTART-E

iSTART-E is a web-based intelligent tutor developed for Spanish-speaking students to improve their reading comprehension through self-explanation strategy training. This study examined the effects of a blended comprehension strategy intervention on students' reading comprehension skill. Chilean high school students (N = 22) completed nine iSTART-E sessions and a face-to-face classroom lesson that included integrative video and additional examples of self-explanation. Survey data indicated that students thought that iSTART-E was useful and that they had improved their reading skills. Critically, this was supported by objective assessment—students' standardized reading comprehension test (Lectum) performance improved from pre-training to post-training. These findings demonstrate promise for the use of iSTART-E as a computer-supported learning environment for Spanish readers.

The impact of an electronic guide on students' self-directed learning in simulation clinic.

Simulation training on high-fidelity simulated models have been used to provide a safe and effective training platform for dental students to develop the skills necessary to treat patients. To surpass challenges of traditional pedagogies in simulation training and reinforce self-directed learning, a bespoke computer application, PerioPal, was designed to complement training of dental students in periodontal instrumentation. This study evaluated the impact of PerioPal on a cohort of 92second-year dental students at an Australian University. During the first semester in 2019, they received traditional simulation periodontal instrumentation training (control semester). In the following semester, PerioPal was implemented as a technological teaching adjunct (intervention semester). Student perceptions of their learning experiences were gathered through a qualitative and quantitative questionnaire. Impact on student performance was evaluated through comparing periodontal instrumental assessment results in control and interventionsemesters. With introduction of PerioPal, students perceived that the simulation clinic learning environment, better contributed to the speed at which they learnt new instrumentation as well as being able to self-pace their work. They commented that instructional videos and independent learning were most beneficial. Interestingly, students suggested that PerioPal aided their preparation for theoretical assessments more than their practical assessments. After introduction of PerioPal a minor improvement of average practical assessment marks was observed but could not be statistically confirmed as significant. Although the computer-supported learning did not lead to improvement of the students' practical performance a positive effect on the student self-paced learning experience and engagement in simulated environment were observed.

Students\u2019 Conceptual Sense-making of Animations and Static Visualizations of Protein Synthesis: a Sociocultural Hypothesis Explaining why Animations May Be Beneficial for Student Learning

This paper analyses students’ conceptual sense-making of two representations of protein synthesis: animations and static visualizations. Even though several studies have focused on the effect of animations versus static visualizations or support aspects that enable students to effectively benefit from animations, existing research has not yet analysed the activity of students’ shared conceptual sense-making of these two modes of representation. Grounded in sociocultural perspectives, this study addresses this gap by investigating two classes of 10th graders working in the computer-supported Viten learning environment. One class worked on a unit containing animations, and the other on a unit where animations were replaced by static visualizations. Pre- and post-tests were administered to measure possible differences between the classes in their knowledge acquisition. Aiming to explain the quantitative findings, we performed an interaction analysis to scrutinize the interaction trajectory of two dyads, one from each condition, while working on an animation and static visualization of protein synthesis both in class and in conceptual interviews.Our pre- and post-test findings demonstrate that students in the animated condition outperformed students in the static condition. The analysis of a dyad’s interaction indicates that students’ conceptual understanding develops at the juncture of segmentation of animation and text and students’ collaborative conceptual sense-making. We argue that interacting with animations and static visualizations are two different interactional processes, and based on our theoretical grounding, we hypothesise that this difference explains the different learning outcomes in the two conditions.By taking a sociocultural approach, the study provides a deeper understanding of the very activity in settings in which students are introduced to the scientific concepts embedded in animations versus static visualizations. Cognitive theories explaining students’ learning from these two modes of representations dominate the research field. The current study contributes to the field by launching a hypothesis of why animations may be superior to static visualizations in supporting students’ development of conceptual understanding in science. We introduce the collaborative link-making hypothesis, which builds on the conceptualisation of pedagogical link-making introduced by well-known researchers in the field of science education.

What We are Missing in Studies of Teacher Learning: A Call for Microgenetic, Interactional Analyses to Examine Teacher Learning Processes

Much of the work in the Learning Sciences and Computer-Supported Collaborated Learning communities have focused on understanding and designing for learning in collaborative spaces. This work utilizes methods such as Interaction Analysis and has attended to multiple dimensions and timescales of learning. It has redefined ideas about knowledge and competence and how they are acquired, thus providing important insights into the process of learning and the design of learning environments. However, we have not in the same way advanced our knowledge of teacher learning. Our understanding of the process and mechanism of teacher learning in in collaborative professional development (PD) environments is still quite thin. In this paper, we discuss how utilizing methods from Interaction Analysis, in particular, can offer insight into the process of teacher learning in these contexts. We illustrate how adopting a lens that shifts away from asking whether teachers are progressing toward a researcher-defined goal, toward one that asks how learning occurs in the moments of interaction, and the meaning it has for participants as they work to achieve PD goals, has the potential to shed new light on learning in teacher PD.

How Do Technology-Enhanced Learning Tools Support Critical Thinking?

This paper reviews existing computer-supported learning systems that have claimed to adopt Socratic methods for enhancing critical thinking. Several notions of Socratic methods are differentiated: the critical thinking framework of Paul and Elder, the classic Socratic method, the modern Socratic method, and the neo-Socratic group discussion method. Three lessons are highlighted. First, the development of learning systems specifically supporting critical thinking is still lacking Thus, further research in this area is urgent. Second, most developed computer-supported learning systems claim to support Socratic approaches (e.g., Socratic tutoring) which are based on human tutoring strategies and do not show a systematic Socratic method. Third, the classic Socratic method has not been applied in any reviewed learning system.

Exploring group interactions in synchronous mobile computer-supported learning activities

This paper presents the results of a study of synchronous mobile computer-supported collaborative learning (mCSCL) that emphasized levels of pre-structuring in the context of primary school participants who need more guidance to benefit from the collaborative work. The male and female participants, who were, on average, 8-year-old primary school students, used Internet-connected mobile devices to work synchronously in small groups on mathematics tasks. The study examined two mCSCL interaction modes. In the first mode, each group member is assigned a role, and should have completed one part of the task before the group members negotiated their solutions. In the second mode, all group members completed parts of the task individually, and then negotiated their solutions to progress through the activity. The two interaction modes were compared in terms of student task completion attempts and incorrect completion attempts. The study results are of medium to large effect size and indicated that for tasks of lower difficulty, task distribution using roles led to statistically significantly more incorrect task completion attempts compared to the design without roles. For tasks of greater difficulty, there were more incorrect task completion attempts in groups with no explicit distribution of work compared to the groups with roles. The design of synchronous mCSCL technology emphasizes the importance of state preservation mechanisms, synchronization mechanisms, and immediate feedback messages. Practical implications of this study are that teachers must actively consider the type of mCSCL design they choose when preparing their mobile collaborative lessons, and choose an adequate design for the planned task difficulty level.

The Role of Achievement Goals and Self-regulated Learning Behaviors in Clinical Reasoning

Achievement goals are motivational antecedents which play an important role in students’ self-regulated learning (SRL). Achievement goals are also found to have an influence on students’ learning outcomes. However, how achievement goals and SRL jointly affect learning performance is still an underexplored area of research, especially in computer-supported learning environments. This research added new evidence on the relationship between achievement goals, SRL behaviors and students’ performance outcomes in a task of students diagnosing virtual patients in BioWorld, a technology-rich environment to help medical students practice their clinical reasoning skills. Multidimensional data (e.g. trace data, self-reports) were collected from 50 participants. Findings from this research demonstrated that performance avoidance goals positively predicted the SRL behavior of link evidence. Performance and mastery approach goals had a marginal negative effect on the SRL behavior of link evidence. Among the SRL behaviors traced, order lab test and check evidence positively predicted students’ efficacy, while link evidence negatively predicted their efficacy. The SRL behavior of check evidence positively predicted students’ confidence in making a correct diagnosis. Furthermore, performance approach goals negatively predicted the diagnostic confidence of learners. The instructional implications and the broader impacts for future research are discussed.

DOMINANT OR DIFFERENT? GENDER ISSUES IN COMPUTER SUPPORTED LEARNING

A significant increase in the use of computer-supported learning (CSL) within schools and universities across the world gives rise to concern about gender-related differences in performance and interaction style in these environments. Research has shown that initial perceptions of CSL environments as democratic and offering equal opportunities to all students were flawed because interactions that take place through electronic channels lose none of the socio-cultural complexity or gender imbalance that exists within society. Much of the recent literature states that women are disadvantaged because of inferior levels of access and technology literacy and dominant male behavior. However, the assumption that difference implies disadvantage is challenged by evidence that variable factors such as professed confidence and apparently dominant interaction styles do not necessarily lead to better educational opportunity and performance. This paper contains a summary of gender-related issues identified by international research and academic practice together with supportive case study examples. The conclusion is that women often perform better than men despite the observable differences in interaction style.