Collaborative Learning Through Computer Conferencing

The idea for the Workshop on which this book is based arose from discussions which we had when we both attended an earlier - and more broadly based - NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning, directed by Claire O'Malley in Maratea, Italy, in 1989. We both felt that it would be interesting to organise a second Workshop in this area, but specifically concerned with the use of computers and networking (telematics) as communication tools for collaborative learning outside the formal school setting. We were particularly interested in examining the ways in which computer conferencing can be used for collaboration and group learning in the contexts of distance education, adult learning, professional training, and organisational networking. And we wanted to ensure that we included, in the scope of the Workshop, situations in which learning is a primary, explicit goal (e.g. an online training programme) as well as situations where learning occurs as a secondary, even incidental, outcome of a collaborative activity whose explicit purpose might be different (e.g. the activities of networked product teams or task groups). Another goal was to try to bring together for a few days people with three different perspectives on the use of computer conferencing: users, researchers, and software designers. We hoped that, if we could assemble a group of people from these three different constituencies, we might, collectively, be able to make a small contribution to real progress in the field.

This revised edition looks at how computers facilitate learning among groups of individuals. Taking account of the impact of the Internet and web-based learning, the text is aimed at those in the open and distance learning, education and training fields.

First Published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Although research in collaborative learning has a fairly long history, dating back at least to the early work of Piaget and Vygotsky, it is only recently that workers have begun to apply some of its findings to the design of computer based learning systems. The early generation of the!le systems focused on their potential for supporting individual learning: learning could be self paced; teaching could be adapted to individual learners' needs. This was certainly the promise of the later generation of intelligent tutoring systems. However, this promise has yet to be realised. Not only are there still some very difficult research problems to solve in providing adaptive learning systems, but there are also some very real practical constraints on the widespread take up of individualised computer based instruction. Reseachers soon began to realise that the organisational, cultural and social contexts of the classroom have to be taken into account in designing systems to promote effective learning. Much of the work that goes on in classrooms is collaborative, whether by design or not. Teachers also need to be able to adapt the technology to their varying needs. Developments in technology, such as networking, have also contributed to changes in the way in which computers may be envisaged to support learning. In September 1989, a group of researchers met in Maratea, Italy, for a NATO-sponsored workshop on "Computer supported collaborative . learning". A total of 20 researchers from Europe (Belgium.

As we approach the 21st century, the need to better link research findings and practical applications of advanced educational technologies (AET) continues to be a priority. During the five-year NATO Special Programme on AET, many advanced study institutes and research workshops focused on building bridges between researchers in and users of educational technology. The organizing committee of the final capstone workshop which took place in September 1993 also chose to focus on this theme. Three position papers, written by members of the AET advisory committee, provided the background and platform for the two-day workshop that was designed to provide guidelines for future AET research and implementation projects. Nicolas Balacheff kicked off the workshop with a philosophical review of the research issues and future research agendas. Herman Bouma and his colleagues at the Institute for Perception Research discussed implementation issues and problems of technology transfer from research laboratories to educational product development.

As educators increasingly use computer networks to reach out to adult students at a distance, they are confronted with questions about this unknown realm of learning. Why are these distance students attracted to online courses? What are their impressions of the computer conferencing environment? How do they approach learning in an unfamiliar setting utilizing computer resources? What are the dynamics associated with discussions between dissimilar participants of a computer conference? How do online relationships foster learning? What do these and similar technologies mean for us as a society as we live and learn in an information age? Through research that spanned over a year and a half, the author explored these questions by interviewing adult students taking several different computer conference courses. Not only does Alone but Together investigate student perception of learning through this medium, it also presents a model explaining the factors affecting student participation, learning, and success in online courses. The book helps practitioners design and deliver effective distance education through computer conferencing that meets adult learner needs and fits the demands of the online instructional environment.

In April 1993, an interdisciplinary NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Collaborative dialogue technologies in distance learning" was held in Segovia, Spain. The workshop brought together researchers in fields related to distance learning using computer-mediated communication. The statement of justification of the NATO ARW follows hereafter. Justification of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Collaborative Dialogue Technologies in Distance Learning Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) systems have features that reduce some temporal, physical and social constraints on communication. Theories of communication have shifted from viewing communication as a linear transmission of messages by a sender to a receiver, to viewing it as a social paradigm, where individuals are actors in a network of interdependent relationships embedded in organizational and social structures. Recent research focuses on models of information-sharing to support not only the activities of individuals but also the problem-solving activities of groups, such as decision-making, planning or co writing. This area of research is called Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW). The Artificial Intelligence (AI) approach uses knowledge-based systems to enhance and facilitate all these processes, including the possibility of using natural language. The traditional model of distance education places a strong emphasis on indepen dent study, supported by well developed learning materials. This model can be characterized as one-way media. However, the potential of CMC to provide better guidance to the student in Higher Distance Education has been quickly recognized for at least two kind of activities: information sharing and interaction.