Human guidance of synchronous e-discussions: The effects of different moderation scripts on peer argumentation

• Baruch B. Schwarz , Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Christa S.C. Asterhan , Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Julia Gil , Hebrew University of Jerusalem

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Researchers and educators have considered synchronicity as a less desirable mode of communication than a-synchronicity in learning tasks involving discussions. This is because synchronicity does not easily allow students to take into consideration collaborative scripts in the heat of discussions. Also, moderation by teachers of synchronous discussions has been considered as extremely challenging so far. We describe here a study in which we trained students-teachers to moderate synchronous discussions and asked them to moderate discussions in two different ways of guidance, social and argumentation guidance. We show that moderation of synchronous discussions is feasible as effects of moderation on argumentative, social and interactive aspects of the discussion reflect the kind of guidance suggested. Also we show differences between girls and boys in the way they participate in synchronous discussions and respond to the moderator's suggestions.
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Arguing on the Computer in Scientific and Non-Scientific Domains

• Iordanou, Kalypso, Teachers College, Columbia University
• Deanna Kuhn, Teachers College, Columbia University

A method is employed to promote development of argumentation skills utilizing instant-messaging software as the medium of discourse. A major question investigated is transfer of argumentation skills across content domains. Forty sixth graders engaged in electronic discourse on a controversial topic, for half dinosaur extinction (the science topic) and for the other half homeschooling (the social topic). Participants collaborated with a same-side peer in arguing against successive pairs of peers on the opposing side of an issue; in addition they engaged in some reflective activities. Another 18 sixth graders served in a control condition. Although transfer occurred in both directions, science condition participants exhibited transfer of skills to the social topic to a greater extent than did social condition participants to the science topic. Results show the transfer of developing skills but also suggest the importance as well as feasibility of fostering argument skills in physical as well as social science domains.
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Analyzing the Role of Students’ Self-Organization in a Case of Scripted Collaboration

• Pantelis Papadopoulos , Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
• Stavros Demetriadis , Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
• Ioannis Stamelos , Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

This work analyzes a case of computer-supported scripted collaboration, focusing on how students’ self-organization affected the actual collaboration script during script run-time. Two groups of students studied learning material using a web environment designed for supporting case-based learning. The first group followed a non-scaffolded individual mode of study while students in the second group were guided by a collaboration script to work (in dyads) on the case material. Statistical analysis indicated no significant differences in the learning outcomes of the two groups. Qualitative analysis (based on students’ interviews and field observations) revealed that students’ self-organization resulted to a broad range of actual script implementation ranging from full conformance to partial violation of the script guidelines. The paper discusses the socio-cognitive role of students’ self-organization during scripted collaboration and presents suggestions for the teacher and CSCL designer in order to enhance the engagement of collaborating students to productive learning interactions.
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Representational Scripting Effects on Group Performance

• Bert Slof , Utrecht University
• Gijsbert Erkens , Utrecht University
• Paul A. Kirschner , Open University / Utrecht University

This study investigated the effects of a tool designed for supporting the online collaborative performance of learners carrying out complex learning tasks. Appropriate collaborative cognitive activities may be evoked by structuring the whole learning task into phases and providing congruent external representations for each stage (i.e., representational scripting). It was hypothesized that this combination would lead to increased individual learning and better results for the collaborative task. In groups, 47 secondary education students worked on a complex business-economics problem in four experimental conditions, namely one where groups received task-congruent representations for all stages and three where they received one of the representations for all three phases (task-incongruent). The results indicate that groups that received task-congruent representations in a phased order scored higher on the collaborative task, though this did not result in increased individual learning.
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