Trends in CSCL Research

Research overview.


Structuring interaction

Tools for structuring asynchronous discussion

Instead of plane discussion forums these tools are designed for supporting productive discussion. The tool is nothing without a pedagogical scenario defining roles, topics, rules and dialogue patterns.

Large group interaction
Pair interaction

Tools for structuring synchronous interaction (in collaborative problem-solving)

A CSCL software may simply let the users interact through a plane chat box or provide them with sentence-openers and pre-defined communicative acts inspired by speech-act like theories. The flexible structuring issue (Baker) : how much freedom must be left to the pairs so that the interface doesn't become obstrusive ? The effect of this structuration by the interface seems however less important than the way the task structures the interaction. (Veerman & Treasure-Jones)

Shared Workspaces

Adapting tools to group size

Large groups
Small groups

Increasing awareness

The tool provides information regarding to what your partner is doing, where he is in the virtual space and what he is looking at. Awareness is important in WYSIWIS-relaxed environments says Greenberg.

Knowledge awareness
Activity awareness
Location awareness
Gaze & pointing awareness

Exploiting Virtual Space

Text-based
Graphical

Adding Artificial/Animated Agents

Management of CSCL

Group Formation

Tools for monitoring and regulating interaction

Patrick.Jermann@tecfa.unige.ch or Pierre.Dillenbourg@tecfa.unige.ch
18.3.98