Group Formation in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning

Abstract

Group formation in CSCL environments is either done manually with little support from the system, or the system needs an elaborated model of the learning domain in order to select potential peer learners and to form learning groups in a pedagogically sound way. Our research objectives include the integration of collaborative learning into the learning environment so that knowledge about the collaboration context can be used to support collaboration, including group formation without the need for a detailed model of the learning domain. In this paper we describe how so-called Intended Points of Cooperation (IPoCs) can be integrated into a (web-based) course. The course author defines at which points in the course a collaborative activity should occur and specifies the cooperative activity, i.e., type and size of the learning group, the collaboration type, and additional material for each activity. We explain how the system can utilize the knowledge about the collaboration context in order to form appropriate learning groups. Finally, we illustrate our approach with examples from the project L3: Lifelong learning as a utility", a German federally funded project which serves as a use case."