providing support for adaptive scripting in an on-line collaborative learning environment
This paper describes results from a series of experimental studies to explore issues related to structuring productive group dynamics for collaborative learning using an adaptive support mechanism. The first study provides evidence in favor of the feasibility of the endeavor by demonstrating with a tightly controlled study that even without adaptive support, problem solving in pairs is significantly more effective for learning than problem solving alone. The results from a second study offer guidelines for strategic matching of students with learning partners. Furthermore, the results reveal specific areas for needed support. Based on the results from the second study, we present the design of an adaptive support mechanism, which we evaluate in a third study. The results from the third study provide evidence that certain aspects of our design for adaptive support in the form of strategic prompts are effective for manipulating student behavior in productive ways and for supporting learning. These results also motivate specific modifications to the original design.
collaborative learning adaptive support computer mediated communication