Computer-supported collaborative learning: Difference between revisions

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'''Computer-supported collaborative learning''' ('''CSCL''') is a [[pedagogical]] approach where in learning takes place via social interaction using a computer or through the Internet. This kind of learning is characterized by the sharing and [[learning|construction of knowledge]] among participants using technology as their primary means of communication or as a common resource.<ref name="stahl">Stahl, G., Koschmann, T., & Suthers, D. (2006). Computer-supported collaborative learning: An historical perspective. In R. K. Sawyer (Ed.), [http://www.cis.drexel.edu/faculty/gerry/cscl/CSCL_English.pdf Cambridge handbook of the learning sciences] (pp. 409-426). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.</ref> CSCL can be implemented in online and classroom learning environments and can take place synchronously or asynchronously.

The study of computer-supported collaborative learning draws on a number of academic disciplines, including [[instructional technology]], [[educational psychology]], [[sociology]], [[cognitive psychology]], and [[social psychology]].<ref>Hmelo-Silver, C.E. (2006). Analyzing collaborative learning: Multiple approaches to understanding processes and outcomes. Proceedings of the 7th international conference on Learning sciences, USA, 1059-1065. {{ISBN |0-8058-6174-2}}</ref> It is related to [[collaborative learning]] and [[computer-supported cooperative work|computer supported cooperative work (CSCW)]].

==History==

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The roots of collaborative epistemology as related to CSCL can be found in [[Vygotsky]]'s social learning theory. Of particular importance to CSCL is the theory's notion of internalization, or the idea that knowledge is developed by one's interaction with one's surrounding culture and society. The second key element is what Vygotsky called the [[Zone of proximal development]]. This refers to a range of tasks that can be too difficult for a learner to master by themselves but is made possible with the assistance of a more skilled individual or teacher.<ref>Kearsley, G. (13 Oct 10). [http://icebreakerideas.com/learning-theories/ The Theory Into Practice Database].</ref> These ideas feed into a notion central to CSCL: knowledge building is achieved through interaction with others.

[[Cooperative learning]], though different in some ways from collaborative learning, also contributes to the success of teams in CSCL environments. The distinction can be stated as: cooperative learning focuses on the effects of group interaction on individual learning whereas collaborative learning is more concerned with the cognitive processes at the group unit of analysis such as shared meaning making and the joint problem space. The five elements for effective cooperative groups identified by the work of Johnson and Johnson are positive interdependence, individual accountability, promotive interaction, [[social skills]], and group processing.<ref>Johnson, D., Johnson, R., & Holubec, E. (2002). Circles of learning: Cooperation in the classroom. Edina, MN: Interaction Book Company, p. 95-118, {{ISBN |0-939603-12-8}}.</ref> Because of the inherent relationship between cooperation and collaboration, understanding what encourages successful cooperation is essential to CSCL research.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Marlene Scardamalia and Carl Bereiter wrote seminal articles leading to the development of key CSCL concepts: knowledge-building communities and knowledge-building discourse, intentional learning, and expert processes. Their work led to an early collaboration-enabling technology known as the Computer Supported Intentional Learning Environment (CSILE).<ref>Scardamalia, M. & Bereiter, C. (1994). Computer support for knowledge building communities. The Journal of the Learning Sciences. 3(3), 265-283.</ref> Characteristically for CSCL, their theories were integrated with the design, deployment, and study of the CSCL technology. CSILE later became Knowledge Forum, which is the most widely used CSCL technology worldwide to date.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}}

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=== History ===

The advent of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) as an instructional strategy for [[second language acquisition]] can be traced back to the 1990s. During that time, the internet was growing rapidly, which was one of the key factors that facilitated the process.<ref>Warschauer, M. (1997). Computer-Mediated Collaborative Learning: Theory and Practice. ''The Modern Language Journal, 81''(4), 470-481.</ref> At the time, the first [[wikis]] (such as [[WikiWikiWeb]]) were still undergoing early development,<ref>Ebersbach, Anja (2008), Wiki: Web Collaboration, Springer Science+Business Media, {{ISBN |3-540-35150-7}}</ref> but the use of other tools such as electronic discussion groups allowed for equal participation amongst peers, particularly benefiting those who would normally not participate otherwise during face-to-face interactions.<ref>Warschauer, M. (1997). Computer-Mediated Collaborative Learning: Theory and Practice. The Modern Language Journal, 81(4), 470-481.</ref>

During the establishment of wikis in the 2000s, global research began to emerge regarding their effectiveness in promoting second language acquisition. Some of this research focused on more specific areas such as [[systemic-functional linguistics]], [[humanistic education]], [[experiental learning]], and [[psycholinguistics]]. For example, in 2009 Yu-Ching Chen performed a study to determine the overall effectiveness of wikis in an English as a second language class in Taiwan.<ref>Chen, Y. (2009). The effect of applying wikis in an English as a foreign language (EFL) class in Taiwan. Dissertation Abstracts International, A: The Humanities and Social Sciences, 69(11), 4300.</ref> Another example is a 2009 study by Greg Kessler in which pre-service, non-native English speaker teachers in a Mexican university were given the task to collaborate on a wiki, which served as the final product for one of their courses. In this study, emphasis was placed on the level of grammatical accuracy achieved by the students throughout the course of the task.<ref>Kessler, G. (2009). Student-Initiated Attention to Form in Wiki-Based Collaborative Writing. Language Learning & Technology, 13(1), 79-95.</ref>