Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore how university students can develop knowledge in small task-based groups while acquiring hands-on computer skills. Inspired by the sociocultural perspective, this study presents a theoretical framework on co-construction of knowledge and on computer-supported collaborative learning. The participants were selected from student teachers in Rwanda after a training program on searching, retrieving and exploiting web-based literature. The findings show that university students working together in small groups to acquire hands-on computer skills can adopt one of three major learning patterns: individual-led, group-led or individual-group hybrid-led. Moreover, the results indicate that the group-led framework seems to create a supportive environment for knowledge building. Nevertheless, university students showed a need for teacher support to enable them to focus on criterion-referenced reflection to regulate their learning.

Citation

Mukama, E. (2010). Strategizing computer-supported collaborative learning toward knowledge building. International Journal of Educational Research, 49(1), 1-9. Elsevier Ltd. Retrieved May 28, 2023 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/64988/.

Keywords

• collaborative learning
• College Students
• Competency Based Education
• Computer Assisted Instruction
• computer literacy
• Computer Uses in Education
• Computer-supported learning
• Cooperative learning
• Criterion-referenced reflection
• educational technology
• Experiential learning
• Foreign Countries
• higher education
• knowledge building
• Learning pattern
• models
• Norm-referenced reflection
• Sociocultural Patterns
• student teachers