Collaborative Learning in Engineering Education: A Grounded Theory Analysis of a CSCL Application

Abstract

This study examines how students collaborate on engineering problems and the effect of information technology on facilitating collaboration. Twenty-eight undergraduate engineering students were placed in small groups to discuss questions about mechanics of materials, either face-to-face or via a keyboard chat. Students were interviewed after completing the tasks, and the interviews were analyzed using the grounded theory approach. The resulting framework suggests that social goals as well as achievement goals are major motivations for students' behavior in the team situation, and that technology and group characteristics were acknowledged to influence their actions during and after the cooperation.

Meeting Name

6th Annual Workshop on HCI Research in MIS

Department(s)

Business and Information Technology

Keywords and Phrases

Computer Supported Collaborative Learning; Virtual Teams; Grounded theory; Visualization

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2007 Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS) / Association for Information Systems (AIS), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Dec 2007

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