Computer Support for Productive Disciplinary Interactions

Keywords

Computer Support for Collaborative Learning (CSCL), individual differences, trajectories, schools, communication

Overview

Why do some rather than others benefit from partaking in computer supported learning activities? To understand this we need to account for both individual differences and the impact of collaborative school activities. This study explores how collaboration and the use of features of computer tools are constituted in specific activities and the variation between individuals in their way of taking part. I study learning in everyday school activities and address the following research questions:

• How do teachers and pupils make use of computer software designed to scaffold disciplinary interactions and how do different pupils respond to such environments?
• What kinds of practices evolve in computer-supported classroom activities?

Aim

The aim of this study is to provide a better understanding of the relationship between individual learning, social processes and computer use in schools.

Methods

Field work, audio and visual recordings of teachers and students activities, interaction analysis, pre-post tests

Period of Duration

2007-2010

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