Explore the vast range of titles available.

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.

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.

Interactive visualizations are external tools that can support users’ exploratory activities. Collaboration can bring benefits to the exploration of visual representations or visualizations. This research investigates the use of co-located collaborative visualizations in mobile devices, how users working with two different modes of interaction and view (Shared or Non-Shared) and how being placed at various position arrangements (Corner-to-Corner, Face-to-Face, and Side-by-Side) affect their knowledge acquisition, engagement level, and learning efficiency. A user study is conducted with 60 participants divided into 6 groups (2 modes × 3 positions) using a tool that we developed to support the exploration of 3D visual structures in a collaborative manner. Our results show that the shared control and view version in the Side-by-Side position is the most favorable and can improve task efficiency. In this paper, we present the results and a set of recommendations that are derived from them.

Computer supported cooperative learning (CSCL) has attained considerable attention in recent years, but most CSCL systems do not consider ways of supporting learners in finding appropriate learning companions. In this study, we propose an intelligent learning companion recommendation mechanism ( ILCRM ) to deal with this problem. Specifically, ILCRM comprises three agents: (i) a candidate retrieval agent ( CRA ), (ii) a candidate evaluation agent ( CEA ), and (iii) a GA - based learning companion composition agent ( GLCCA ). The CRA and CEA are used to search a series of learning companion candidates based on two criteria (expertise level and participation level), and the GLCCA is employed to compose an appropriate cooperative group in which group members could be able to help learners solve the problems they face. The experimental results show that the proposed approach obtains a near optimal learning companion recommendation, has a significantly low computational cost, and satisfies the specified demands.

The aim in this study was to explore the effect of applying an innovative teaching strategy to promote students' learning achievement. Students in three classes of a 4-year hotel management program participated. One class was assigned to experimental group 1, and learnt using the creative problem solving (CPS) strategy applied to a web-based cooperative learning (CSCL) method; another experimental group 2 used the CSCL, and the control group (CG), used traditional lecturing. After conducting the quasi-experiment, the collected data were analyzed by quantitative methods. Differences in achievement among the three classes reached significant levels, and the achievement of group 1 was significantly better than that of the control group.

Virtual teams enabled by information and communications technologies (ICT) are increasingly being adopted not only by for-profit organizations but also by education institutions as well. This study investigates what contributes to the success of virtual learning teams. Specifically, we examine the issue of leadership in virtual learning teams. The study first reviews the current literature on teams, leadership, and trust then proposes a framework of team effectiveness of virtual learning teams. A field study is conducted to investigate the influence of several independent variables including diversified leadership roles, leadership effectiveness, team trust, and propensity to trust. It is found that diversified leadership roles influences both leadership effectiveness and team trust; both leadership effectiveness and propensity to trust influence team trust, and team trust in turn directly impacts team effectiveness. In addition, team trust mediates the relationship between leadership effectiveness and team effectiveness. Some practical implications of the results are discussed as well.

A significant opportunity presented by the availability of high-speed network access in the classroom is the ability to collaborate with remote students and mentors. To be successful, however, the design of tools to support collaborative activities must consider the unique constraints of the classroom. In this paper we discuss these constraints and overview the Virtual School, a collaborative environment developed by the Learning in Networked Communities (LiNC) project at Virginia Tech. We describe the types of collaborative activities for which the Virtual School has been used, the features of the environment designed to address the constraints of the classroom, and experiences with using the environment for a variety of cross-age and cross-school collaborative projects in six classrooms over several school years.

The purpose of this article is to illustrate the concept of the NetAcademy for the design and implementation of online learning communities as collaborative learning environments. This paper describes the concept and realization of the NetAcademy platform dealing with its component-based design based on the media concept. After explaining the motivation of the research as an introduction in the second chapter, theoretical basics are outlined such as the definition of learning communities and the concept of media. In Sect. 3 the NetAcademy is illustrated as a medium for scientific and learning communities. In Sect. 4, a reference model of online learning communities is presented that is conceptualized in four views (layers) and four phases. Finally, Sect. 5 presents some conclusions.

Network communities are especially interesting and useful settings in which to look closely at the co-evolution of technology and social practice, to begin to understand how to explore the full space of design options and implications. In a network community we have a magnified view of the interactions between social practice and technical mechanisms, since boundaries between designers and users are blurred and co-evolution here is unusually responsive to user experience. This paper is a reflection on how we have worked with social and technical design elements in Pueblo, a school-centered network community supported by a MOO (an Internet-accessible, text-based virtual world). Four examples from Pueblo illustrate different ways of exploring the design space. The examples show how designers can rely on social practice to simplify a technical implementation, how they can design technical mechanisms to work toward a desirable social goal, how similar technical implementations can have different social effects, and how social and technical mechanisms co-evolve. We point to complexities of the design process and emphasize the contributions of mediators in addressing communication breakdowns among a diverse group of designers.

This meta-analysis synthesizes research findings on the effects of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) based on its three main elements: (1) the collaboration per se, (2) the use of computers, and (3) the use of extra learning environments or tools, or supporting strategies in CSCL. In this analysis, 425 empirical studies published between 2000 and 2016 were extracted and coded, and these generated the following findings. First, the collaboration had significant positive effects on knowledge gain (ES [effect size] = 0.42), skill acquisition (ES = 0.64), and student perceptions (ES = 0.38) in computer-based learning conditions. Second, computer use led to positive effects on knowledge gain (ES = 0.45), skill acquisition (ES = 0.53), student perceptions (ES = 0.51), group task performance (ES = 0.89), and social interaction (ES = 0.57) in collaborative learning contexts. Third, the use of extra learning environments or tools produced a medium effectfor knowledge gain (ES = 0.55), and supporting strategies resulted in an ES of 0.38 for knowledge gain. Several study features were analyzed as potential moderators.