Peer Interaction in Three Collaborative Learning Environments

Abstract

The aim of the study was to gain insight into the occur- rence of different types of peer interaction and particularly the types of interaction beneficial for learning in different collaborative learning environments. Based on theoretical notions related to collaborative learning and peer interac- tion, a coding scheme was developed to analyze the verbal interactions of student dyads in three collaborative learning environments: an environment with face-to-face interaction, an environment with face-to-face interaction around the computer, and an environment with interaction mediated by computers. Quantitative analyses were undertaken to determine the types of interaction that occurred in the three learning environments and the incidence of interactions beneficial for learning, and some examples were provided to illustrate this. The results showed most of the interactions in all three of the learning environments to be cognitive in nature. More regulative interactions occurred when a computer was involved. Interactions beneficial for learning occurred more often in the environments involving face-to-face interaction than in the learning environment involving computer mediated interaction.