Computer Mediation of
Collaborative Learning:
A Research Agenda
by Gerry Stahl
Researcher at ICS, L3D, CS
November 20, 1998
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Computer Mediation
of Collaborative Learning
A. Mediation of cognition by tool & word: Vygotsky
B. Collaborative learning in communities of practice: Lave
C. Enhancing cognition with external memories: Donald
D. Enhanced cognition with computer mediation: a research
hypothesis
E. The research community of practice: collaborative online hermeneutics
F. Supporting subjective divergence & social convergence:
perspectives & negotiation
G. The “guide on the (Internet) side”: WebGuide
H. Conclusions & pointers
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A. Mediation of Cognition by Tool &
Word: Vygotsky
“The use of artificial means [tool and symbolic
artifact], the transition to mediated activity,
fundamentally changes all psychological operations just
as the use of tools limitlessly broadens the range of
activities within which the new psychological functions
may operate. In this context, we can use the term higher
psychological function, or higher [truly human]
behavior as referring to the combination of tool and
sign in psychological activity.” (Vygotsky, 1930/1978,
p.55)
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• Vygotsky compares a 4-5 year old child to W. Köhler’s apes:
– ape can use tool to get bait if both appear in visual field together.
– child uses words to plan the use of a tool to achieve goal of getting a
target. This use of words can tie together tool & target -- create future
goals & sense of time. Self-monitoring.
ape
young child
tool symbol
truly human cognition
tool
symbol
plan, time, monitor, subgoals
nature others self
unmediated
nature others self
mediated cognition
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nature others self
dialectical mediation
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“Although practical intelligence [tool use] and sign use
[language] can operate independently of each other in
young children, the dialectical unity of these systems in
the human adult is the very essence of complex human
behavior [cognition]. Our analysis accords symbolic
activity a specific organizing function that penetrates
the process of tool use and produces fundamentally new
forms of behavior.” (p.24)
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“The history of the process of the internalization of
social speech is also the history of the socialization of
children’s practical intellect.” (p.27)
Speech as communication with others
(interpersonal, social)
Mediation in
history &
development
Egocentric speech verbalized to self
Silent rehearsal, planning, thought
(intrapersonal, subjective)
Language transforms the nature of memory & thought;
allows planning & subgoals. As language is internalized, it
transforms relations to nature, others, self.
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B. Collaborative Learning in
Communities of Practice: Lave
“I propose to consider learning not as a process of
socially shared cognition that results in the end in the
internalization of knowledge by individuals, but as a
process of becoming a member of a sustained
community of practice. Developing an identity as a
member of a community and becoming knowledgeably
skillful are part of the same process, with the former
motivating, shaping, and giving meaning to the later,
which it subsumes.” (Lave, 1991, p.65)
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“Schools and workplaces accord knowledgeable skill a
reified existence, turning it into something to be
‘acquired’ and its transmission into an institutional
motive.” (p. 79)
Vygotsky: social cognition internalization individual cognition
Lave: community develops
(reproduces, evolves)
schooling: breaks the mediation of
community & individual
individuals learn
(knowledge, practices)
alienation of learning (degrees)
commodification of knowledge (facts)
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“The theoretical view I will call situated social practice
emphasizes the relational interdependence of agent and world,
activity, meaning, cognition, learning, and knowing. It
emphasizes the inherently socially negotiated quality of meaning
and . . . also claims that learning, thinking, and knowing are
relations among people engaged in, with, and arising from the
socially and culturally structured world.” (p. 67)
• a theory of learning to analyze & critique alienation emphasizes:
– relational interdependence of individual & social groups
(vs. alienated agent)
– socially negotiated meaning (vs. reified facts)
– learning as relations among people engaged in activity
(vs. commodified grades & degrees)
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C. Enhancing Cognition with External
Memories: after Merlin Donald (1991)
Stahl's doubly exponential Law of Knowledge Evolution
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log of knowledge inertia (10^n years)
8
6
4
2
0
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
-2
-4
-6
log of history (10^n years ago)
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D. Enhanced Cognition with Computer
Mediation: a Research Hypothesis
If young children transform their cognition through
mediation by tool & symbol (Vygotsky), then adults can
further transform their cognition through mediation by
computational symbolic tools!
If learning is a process between individuals and their
communities (Lave), then this process can be facilitated
by software that supports the interplay between groups
& their members!
If the power of cognition is driven by mediation
through external memory (Donald), then effective webbased group memories can be designed based on an
understanding of mediated cognition!
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E. The Research Community of
Practice: Collaborative On-line
Hermeneutics
• 1. Form a research community with expertise to study issues in the
research hypothesis.
• 2. Interpret texts like Vygotsky & Lave thru close textual interpretation.
• 3. Analyze terms like mediation, alienation, commodification, external
memory, tool, symbol.
• 4. Evolve the community, so individual knowledge, skills, &
perspectives are shared by the group.
• a. Provide computational symbolic tools for mediating cognition -- e.g.,
to make discussions persistent.
• b. Provide tools for negotiating among individual & group perspectives.
• c. Design uses of the latest web technology to support cognitive needs of
the community -- self-reflective, participatory design.
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F. Supporting Subjective Divergence &
Social Convergence: Perspectives &
Negotiation
Last year’s CSCL seminar (Koschmann) found 2 problems (dePaula,
1998):
– 1. Lack of continuity of on-line discussions.
– 2. Lack of convergence toward explicit group consensus summary
statements
Readings in Cog Sci will address these problems:
• 1. The new research community will be guided by:
– a central research hypothesis
– an attempt to define key terms
– analysis of texts that reference each other
– a series of research questions addressed repeatedly
• 2. The software will structure the discussion so that divergent individual
comments can be compared, negotiated, & consolidated in subgroup &
group perspectives.
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G. The Guide on the (Internet) Side:
WebGuide
–
Readings
EDUC
PSYC
CSCI
PHIL
LING
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11 P12 P13 P14 P15
EDUC
comp
PSYC
comp
CSCI
comp
PHIL
comp
LING
comp
Readings comparison
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• Participants divide into subgroups -- possibly based on discipline
perspectives
• Questions may be introduced at level of Readings or subgroups
• Individuals formulate ideas in personal perspectives
• Questions & ideas are inherited thru to comparison perspectives
• Members comment, edit, delete, consolidate, negotiate in comparison
perspectives without interfering in personal perspectives
• Consensus positions, evolved in comparison perspectives, can be
promoted up to group perspectives, where they will be inherited down
the hierarchy
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A view of WebGuide currently used at the Logan
School for Creative Learning to explore and negotiate
perspectives on an ecology issue: acid mine drainage.
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H. Conclusions
Course will be an experiment in designing web
software and collaborative learning practices to enhance
group cognition.
Group will evolve by sharing expertise & text analysis.
External memory will capture discussion history &
make it persistent for group self-reflection.
Tool (WebGuide), language (group’s discourse
vocabulary), goal (the hypothesis), group (social roles)
& participants (as knowledgeably skilled group
members) will evolve together (dialectical mediation).
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Web Pointers
Readings in Cog Sci course site:
http://www.cs.colorado.edu/~gerry/Readings
WebGuide publications:
http://www.cs.colorado.edu/~gerry/WebGuide/publications
WebGuide demo:
http://hpcc1.ngdc.noaa.gov/~depaula/WebGuideDemo
WebGuide site:
http://www.cs.colorado.edu/~gerry/WebGuide
my homepage:
http://www.cs.colorado.edu/~gerry
evolution of external memory:
http://www.cs.colorado.edu/~gerry/evolve/rapid.html
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